The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-31
Camp on BATTLEFIELD, Prairie Grove, Ark,

Capture Of the Isl arkansas Regiment.
Camp on Battlefield, Prairie Grove, Ark, /,
10 Miles South of Fayetteville, Dec. 8, 1862. !
EDITOR GATE CiTY--Deur Str:-The
roar Of artillery has died away, the long
rattle of muskstry has ceased, the smoke
OF battle has risen from the army of the
Frontier and it stands victorious While its
white canyas is seen { ttetrbel for the
first time since the I'D inst upon the
battlefield 10 give test to its exhausted
soldiers. 1t was fearful battle against
heavy odds, and as the contending lines
Of the contcnding forces closed in mortal
combat or opened ~ take new positions,
the scene was grand anu fdIl Of in crest.
Above tic rattle and patter Of muskctry
or the hurried and lead command roared
the field artillery. Many fought their las.
battle and slept their last sleep. and rnay
their memories ever be kept green by
grateful people.
To understand more fully the position
Of our army and how like giant it has
cxtricated itself from the coils nf war;
foe, let ne take the reader baca to the
mortIng Of the 81 instant. " hen he could
have seen the "a and I'D divisions OF the
army Of the Frontier, cor ,uianded hy Gen.
Heron, quietly resting, in camp IL miles
from Springfield, Missouri. The cavalry
scout, composed of the lst Iowa cavalry,
under command Ct Col. Gowar, and 10th
Illinois, Col. Wickersham, and sth Mis-
sour, Col. Geiger, had just returned from
lellvllle, Arkansas, making the rapid
march of two hundred and fifty miles,
over mountainous country in noc days.
The LIST division, under Gen. Blunt, was
four miles below Cane Hill, Ark, more
than one hundred and twenty miles dis
tant and was being heavily pushed by
greatly superio, numbers of we'll disci-
plined soldlprs, under Hindman and Mar
maduke, who came with them as the for
iorn hope Of the Tfaus His ssippi army,
to crush out our army and force their way
up into Missouri.
The oder came to us at IL o'clock A.
N. and at O'Clock p NJ both divisions
were 10 motion TO reinforce Gen. Blum.
The csyslry took the adyaoce while In
fantry aud artillery were placed in the
centre and transportation with guard
brought up the rear. Then commenced
a march which the army of the Potomac
has never yet dreamed Of, Time was
everything to our divided army ,and Gen.
Heron, well knowing that every moment
was precious, pushed forward with Ma
poleonic rapidity, giving only time ALSO
lutely necessary for feeding lded animals
or short sleep to wearlvd and exhausted
soldiers. The morning of the 9th inst,
at day light, you might have seen his
whole army emerging from the valley of
Sugar Creek, three miles south of Elk
horn Tavern. Arkansas. The infantry
were tired indeed and the heavy artillcrv
moved slowly along. Gen. Heron press
ed forward and by noon all were at Cross
Hollows. He Immediately ordered all
disabled horses and sick men to remain
and come up with the infantry and artil-
lery, and detailing Col. Bryan with four
companies Of the lst Iowa cavalry to re-
main to guard transportation, he ordered
eight companies Of the LIST Iowa, Colonel
Cover. the 10th Illinois cavalry and 9th
Missouri and I'd Wisconsin, all under
Command Of Col. Wickersham, to move
forward and report to Gen. Blunt, IL
miles distant! and away they went down
to Fayetteville, Cane Hill. and reached
Gen. Blunt's camp at midnight. We
were just in time. A big battle was to be
fought on the morrow. Our horses re-
manned saddled and the tired cayalie,
slept soundly at his horses feet for thre,
hours, when the bugle called to a-ms anc
all fell in line for the fray. Fences wcr,
thrown down around adjoining fields, ane