, 1862-03-29

FROM GEN. ID CURT1s'g COLUMN.
=. M:
The .Retrograde from: Pea Ridge.
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THE ARMY AFTERTH BATTLE.
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a.. From our own Correspondent "a. =
HEADQUARTERS sourHw'H Drsr'r OF MISSOURI,
CAAP HEAR KE1rsVr11E, NO., March It. z
The days have been so bright and beautiful.
the weather 80 fair, together with the sweet
warb1e Of birds aud the opening Of early spring
flowers, as to lead me to believe was at
length in the "sunny South }" where the winds
and storms Of winter were unknown. But
to-day the old Storm King Is around, Just to
pay his respects before leaving Tor his drear
domfnions among the glaciers Of the North
and the dark, lowering clouds and snow hur-
rytng through the ali, interrupts al my pleas
ant reveries Of spring a succession Of cold
March storms has prevailed for several days,
rendering the roads almost impossible. The
sun shows his face but seldom, and at no time
since the expedition set out has there been so
many difficulties to contend against.
We have been lead to believe that large rein
forcements were on the way, and lay in camp
expecting TINT each day would bring the
much needed MD. Day before yesterday the
18th Illinois arrived, and though they are
noble set Of fellows, Jet they are not sufficient
to make up our recent losses. None others
hare as yet made their appearance; though
xumors Of large force on the way are floating
through the camp. The question asked ten
thousand times each day is, Where is Hun
ter?''
We have sent Price skedadd1ing to warmer
climes than Missouri. We have subsisted for
weeks In the country-nye, the very camps
where McCulloch and9Price for nearly year
have maintained their armies and when the
whole banded hosts Of secesh, Of every shade,
color and degree Of ciyiiization-from the
Wild md painted Indian, the sallow halCbrsed,
the greasy negro, and the naughty southerner
-nnder such leaders as Van Dorm, Price,
McCu1loch, Mcintosh, Slack, Pike, and 9th
ers no less notorious, came in locust swarms
to sweep us with the Bosom of destruction,
re have hurled them back in the widest con-
fusion, leaving no Testige Of an army behind
but the dead which strewed the ground. Let
not Southern Chivalry talk more of their
courage and Northern cowardice. The thing
does not exist.
Alter ezhausting the forage in the whole
country, our army has fell back fifteen miles
to Keitsvine, in Missouri. However much q
backward move may be regretted, Jet without
the means toI permanent advance, it is bet
ter to get within reach Of forage and supplies
than to remain in an exposed situation. with
no means Of Subsistence within reach.
Our losses at the recent fight, in killed,
wounded and missing, amounts to near 1900,
which attests the severity of the conflict.
Very many Of this number are only slightly
some Of our wounded at KeitsyilIe yesterday.
They are all doing well, and with skillfal
treatment and nursing, will be able to return
to their homes or their duty. Very many
have already gone home. One poor fellow
was shot near the temple, the ball passing
entirely through his head and coming outnear
the other temple. One eye was shot out and
the other turned inside out. 1t vas not ex-
pected he would live, but strange as it NAV
appear, he is get alive, and with prospects Of
recovering. It will be necessary to extract
hls other eye. Better have died upou the
field than thus to suffer in the darkness al
his days. 4 large number Of Indians were
killed, and I am not aware if they are vet
buried: Their secesh brethren could solicit
their aid--conld associate with them in the
field, and perhaps join them in the dance
around the CORY sca1ps Of our soldiers, vet
they could not bury them when they CAME to
bury their dead, and they we're thus left to
moulder where they fell. Seventy were laving
in one pile more than d week after the battle.
Our Own men, as they look upon the moulder-
1ng mass. ask where was mercy when our
7rJ11.,r 3f1n1 4.r
and in savage g1ee you tore their bleeding
ecalps from their heads" For tits q flct that
very many Of our dead were found scalped
upon the field. Lieut.. Coils Heron Of the 9tl
Iowa and Chandler Of the 35th Illinois, who
were wounded and taken prisoners, came in
yesterday under flag Of truce, and were c.
changed Tor Colonel and Major il our hands.
learn from them that the rebels at Pea RIDGE
amounted to 40,000 men, and their loss from
killed, wounded and missing amounts to sew
cral thousand. This includes those who dis
banded and returned disheartened to their
homes. The leaders are discouraged at their
severe rcpulse, and it is doubtful if another
stand viii be made. Price is reported to l1c at
Fort Smith entrenehiug himself, and has re-
ceived considerable rcfnforcements from the
surrounding country, and from rexas. Mean
time bis guerilla parties sometimes approach
our lines to cut off and harass our foragine
parties. 4 party Of rebels were bagged on
Big Sugar Greek, aboEt twenty FIVE miles from
camp, and eighteen brought in as prisoners.
Our 1oragers proved too many for them.
Among gsqgi, the p prisoners aIe three captains.
sesrett q under rock in the forest, about Is
miles from the battle ground. It is reported
they belonged to Pixies brigade Of hall breeds,
and that they left their arms here and dis
banded: The number Of arms picked up by
us must amount to several thousand.
Col. Heron confirms the death OF McCul-
loch, Mcintosh, Clarkson and Slack, and many
other officers OF rank.
About two inches Of snow now whitens the
hills and fields, and covers the desolation
which everywhere marks where the rayaper
has been. If ftlls country has ever presented
the glad spectacle Of 1ocks whitening the hill
sides, Or reapcrs rejoicing in the harvest, one
quite different is now presented. The couu-
try is Laid waste and presents one wide field
OF desolation. If in the South liberty has
been r'iled Of the whole country has partaken
Of her death.
Correspondence Cincinnati Commercial1
SPRINGFIELD, No., March q, 1862.
Through great tribulation aud almost bot
tom1ess mud have made this point on my
way to the army Of Missouri. Our forces
have fallen back to Keitsyille and have
selected q strong defensive position. Price
has been largely reinforced since the battle at
Pea Ridge. and. the best informed military
men here think his. force is fully up to Il, 1000.
1o0i AnHAAtu uiGus 1IOIU Nor11 OF the Mis-
souri River, passed within six miles Of this
place!to reinforce Price, only three daye be-
fore the battle Of Pea Ridge
Why is it that the Union forces are left to
contend against force at least three, il not
tour to one, is to me mystery. 4 large train
of ammunition left here last night for the COL
nmn, argent dispatches haging bee,s sent 5v Gen.
Cuzfis for 1t. Three pieces Of artillery, which
had been partially disabled in the Pea Ridge
tight, and had been sent here to be repaired,
st7e ordered back Immediately and soere sent al
Mou1h they rad not becn in Springfield an hour
These, and other evidences all point to another
and more desperate conflict as near at haud,
One Of the pieces Of artillery sent here for
1epair, had ball from the gun Of the enc
my etrike it directly in the nluzzle. The
bail penetrated some six inches. Our gun
was rjfled one, and Of a smaller ca1ibre than
the ball uncercmoniously thrust into it. This
might be called centre shot, and equal to
Davy C1uckett's best.
One Of OUT boys WIGS in the heart of the
fight wounded in both feet BY cannon bali,
Our forces having fallen back, his Irish wit
was brought into play. Seeing biz secesh
coming ta BY he. presented his musket, made
Ihe feNow surrender, shoulder him, and in
tn1s position he rode in to our lines, where he
delivered A1r. .Butrcrnut over as a prisoner.
Since the fight, our boys have the most un-
limit ed confidence in their power to whIp any
number Of Butternuts that Price g. Co, NAV
bring