The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-03-27
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The Victory at Pea Ridge, Ark.
FugR Details of the 3 Bays Fight
, oorrsspopdence of The Cincinnati Times.

Is Full Details of the 3 bays Figh
1T Army Correspondence of The Cincinnati Times.
J, CAMP srGEL, PEA RIDGE, Benton Co., Ark,
l. Monday Evening, March 10.
Il Before this reaches Cincinnati you will hav
z learned of the great three days battle, Tough
5 on Pea Ridge, in Benton county, Ark, con
0 mencing on Thursday morning, the OH, an
closing on Saturday afternoon, the 9th inst ,cel
g tainly one of the seversst engagements durin
K the war, and little, if any, behind the great struG
}, gle at Fort Donelson.
> The FEDERAL ARMY.
Our effective force could not have been NOR
; than twelve thousand on the day of the FIRST en-
gagement. and was composed of Indiana, Iii
! nois, Iowa Ohio and Missouri troops. The arm,
was divided into three divisions, under the Gem
mand of Gen. Samuel B. Curtis
y THE REBEL ARMY.
. The rebel army was composed of nine or ten
/ perhaps twenty thousand Missouri State troops
f under Maior-General Sterling Price; some sil
: or eight regiments of Arkansas, under Genera
Ben McCulloch five or six regiments OF lex
ans. under General Earl Van Dorm some three
} thousand Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek and Semi
mole Indians, under Colonel Albert Pike, al
under the command of Major-General Mcintosh
In addition to those mentioned, there were two
OF IufSG VI SS@4
panieg of Mississippi and Alabama soldiers, I'M
der their respective Captains, Majors and Col
onels, whose names are unknown alike to your
correspondent and to fame. The entire rebel
force could not have been less than thirty thous
and many persons estimate it still higher.
ARMS OF THE FEDERALIsTs AND REBELS,
Our troops were of course generally we'll
EARNED, while the rebels varied as usual in the
81 oV1 affaotivaOaag of their n
ons. Many of the Confederate arms were ex-
cellent, embracing Mimic rifles, Enfield muskets
and good United States muskets; but the great
er portion were rifles and shot guns, with which
Sterling Price once swore he could establish
the Southern Confederacy against the opposing
world.
The rebels had eighty-two field pieces, some
twenty Of which were rihed while we had but
forty-nine most of them, however, being OF
superior manufacture to these made IN Seces-
| STA.
THE FIRST DAYS FIGHTING.
| ASH have said, the gebels, before they began
the now memorable battle in Benton county,
| Arkansas, on Thursday morning, March 9th,
/ 1862, were entirely confident OF success, and
thsir chief concern only how to destroy or cap
! ture our whole force.
! Cen Curtis anticipated an attack fLom the
(
the north. under the protection Of Gen. Sigel,
! with body of eight hundred men-the princi-
pal eucampments and main lines being to the
eastward, near the head and on both sides of
sugar creek Meantime, the rebel forces were
moving in full strength from Bentonvile, whence
| they had proceeded from Cross Hoows, and
with rapid marches were endeavoring to cross
the creek, and by placing themselves on the
north, to cut off our retreat.
| A., Of ahouf fhNnSJnH cavalry
reached the desired position. and made fierce
onslaught on Sigel, hoping to take possession oil
our large and valuable train.
Sigel proved himself the right man IN the
right place He CALAMITY met the enemy, and
while he repealed their charge, prevented them
from Selling upon our wagons. The brave ana
! accomplished officer seemed ubiquitous. He
rode rapidly here aud there; giving orders and
observing the point of attack and the situa ion
of the enemy, at the same time cheering and
encouraging his troops
Often he was in the thickest of the fight, and
vet he was always cool, calculating and skllltu
exposing himself as common soldier, and yet
preserving the calm judgment and fixed purpose
of a COMMANDMENTS Chief.
Sigels desire was to keep the communication
open between himself and the main camp, and
the enemy's design to cut off this avenue for
re-iuforcements. They closed round him with
tumultuous shouts, and believing they had &C
complished their purpose, when Sige rushed IN
unon them with his brave followers and COM
PEELED them to give way. Sigel could not re-
linquish the trains and so he fought on,and ex-
horted his men to renewed hope and courage by
his example
For two hours the strife went on with great
afdor on both sides; but it seemed as if the Fed
eralsts would soon be compelled to yield. There
seemed no hope for them. They must become
exhausted, and doubtless they must have done
so. had their destiny been IN less powerful and
expert hands than Sigels.
The waves of opposition rolled around SlgeIs
courageous band once more, and again the trait
orous shout went up to the sky, and swept like
, note of victory along the rising hill. Many a
stout Iowa, heart doubtless sank when that cry
was heard but Sigel had no thoughts of failure.
He was lighting for his adopted country and the
salvation of his little band, and ordering three
companies of his men to>charge bayonets the
rebel cavalry was dispersed and the way open
once more.
Still no re-inforcements came, and our gal
liant soldiers appeared contending as IN fororn
hope.
About the trains the din of strife rose louder
than before, and the rattle of musketry and the
booming of cannon awoke the surrounding
echoes
The enemy were losing ground. They raj
he'd and fell with redoubled force on our heroic
band. two hundred of whom had already proved
their patriotism with their blood.
The combat was hand to hand Horsemen
were dsmounted, and struggled with the infan
try, while officers were sometimes seen defehd-
ing themselves against the advancing bayonets
oil the common soldiers.
A surerhu1nan effort on the part of the enc
my, and third time the Federalists were sur
rounded.
Firmer and firmer were the rebels closing
round the five or six hundred braves, who were
evidently going to the wall.
The sun of Hope seemed sinking, though that
of Nature was shining clear from out the quiet
sky,
sigel saw the smile of Heaven, only, and
would not despond. His eye flashed and his
form expanded, as the shouts of the enemy rose
above the din of the struggle Only one way
was left:
Follow mel Numbered Sigel, and his proud
steed trampled an approaching rebel under his
naughty feet,
a deep. strong, earnest cry from the Union
iSts and they met the foe with the rush OF de-
termination and the energy OF despair.
The Secession line could not endure the shock.
It recoilsd, was thrown into confusion, and re-
tired from a position that was as immoVable as
an Alpine rock.
! And Sigel was victorious, with the sun stlil
/ beaning clearly out of the quiet sky.
/ The train was saved. The first day was won.
The prestige of success was established, and
the future looked blue with hope as the Violets
of the early year.
! THE SECOND DAYS BATTLE.
The enemy, during the night and early in the
morning, poured in from the Bentonville road
and gathered in heavy force to our rear, sweep
ing ound to the rightand occupying beth Siae =
of the Keetevills road o position from Wnlcn IL
was absolutely necessary to dislodge theHl' OF
surrender all hope of success
4 Truly, before the second days engagement
began the prospect was very dark. zn.o
Defeat seemed to stare as ID the face' anu w
sole filing possible appeared a struggle to pre-
vent too disastrous discontinue. 49,
The way to Missouri, was defended oy 'na ars
thousand Of the enemy and we had little moi