, 1862-03-25
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TUESDAY, MARCH ,25, 1883. ::
TIE BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE.
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More Particulars and incidents.

THE BATTLE OF- F-PEA RIDGE.
More Particulars and Incidents.
STRENGTH OF THE ARMIES.
The impression had gone abroad; tlut ne
had at least twenty-five thousand men, a1d I
the newspapers gave currency to the report.
The stories Of the Inhabitants Of the South
west had, no doubt, magnided the number Of
Price, must have oyerrated our strength. Now
that large reinfofcemcnts are on the way hith-
CT, and since we have gained signal victory
against immense odds, there can be no imPro-
priety In saJlng, that our effective force when
&c reached Springfield vas less than fifteen
thousand men, and that the inevitable garri-
son and escort duties LEFT MS not.more th1n;
twelve thousand fighting mon on the battle:
field. That Of the enemy EAS nearly double
the number, and he over matched Us in arti1-
lery having ffty-two pieces Of cannon OF all
eizes, to our forty-eight field pieces.
THE EsE,1E's FORCES.
Mejor- General Van Dorm had been Sent up
concentrating as fast as possible. The reports
Of the Union men who fled into our lines at
our approach, placed the combined force at
more than q, 600. The reports Of cur scouts,
desetters and prisoners cOrrohorated this num-
her, but am inclined to think they did not
{, 500 Indians.
CLOSE OF THE SECOND OATS FIGHTING.
The night closed with skir1uishing aud
eharpshootiDg. Our men, weary and furnished,
were glad when the fire Of the enemy ceased.
The fire had been heavy, and the loss great On
both sides. Search was made with lamps, Us
far out as YVES safe, for the wounded, and all
or foe. The night passed of without attack:
Occasionally the report Of q musket could be
heard, then asceond, and an interval Of silence.
Men looked into each others eyes wistfully,
but With the stamp Of determinatio settled on
each brow. The feelings with which VIC looked
foEw9rd to ,1 the coming inorTSw I nay ss:bettsr
verely; the enemy outpumbered us, and was
fighting desperately. We had gained no ad-
vantage Over him, but had simply succeeded
in rePelliDg his attacks. Our Communication
with Springfield was cut of, and our messen-
the right Of us was wild and broken that on
the south was even worse. The left and front
were held by the enemy. We could not re-
treat. We could only fight, and nothing but
hard fighting would relieve us.
Gus, and every opposition was to be expected
in the morning. One hope there Was-the en-
cmy had been firing excessively; his ammuni-
ton must be getting low. Many Of our men
had fred AWAY their last cartridge, but VIC had
a reserve which was distributed through the
regiments which had been most engaged, and
nc awaited the dawn Of day, conscious that
our fate was to be sealed ere its close. The
enemy must be crushed or We must perish.
Hasty salutations were exchanged, ana not q
few eyes were noistened at last solemn iu-
functions given By some of tile men and Off
such remarks IS these: sW1son, # should
fall take care Of my wife, or, "George, if
you should ever return to tell my loved
one that with my latest gasp thought Of
her.
battlefield HORRORS.
The appearance Of the hill and woods she'll
cd by Gen. Sigel's Division attests the terrific
shower Of missiles that fell upon them. Walk
flight Of the enemy and the pursuit by our
forces, found it thickly strewn with dead
and wounded, most Of them having fallen By
the deadly artillero projecti1es. Tree after tree
was shattered or perforated By shot and shell,
and many were filed with grape and canister
through By solid shot, its top shiyered by Q
shell, and the base Of its trunk scared by II
canister and rife balls. In one place lay the
fragments Of a battery wagon, wherein shell
bad exploded, utterly destroying the wagon
and killing two mules which had been its mo-
tive power.
4 ruined caiseon and five cannon wheels
were lying near it. Two dead artillery men
were stretched On the Garth, each killed By q
grapeshot, and By their side was third, gasp
ing his last, with his side hid open by a frag
ment of shell. On the hill, where the can
bore witness to its ferceness. Fifteen wounded
rebels lay in ore group, and were piteously
imp1oring each passer-by for water and relief
for their wounds. a few rods from them was
| another, whose arm had been torn off By q
cannon shot, leaving the severed member on
In "A . fnxr faof5
| the dead body Of a rebel, whose legs and one
arm had been shattered By single shot
Brlind tree, few yards distant, was
stretched corpse, with two-thirds Of its head
blown away by tie explosion Of shell, and
near near it 2 musket, broken into three pieces;
Still further along was the body Of q rebel
| soldier, who had been killed by grapeshot
through the brrast. A letter had fallen from
| his pocket, which, on examination, proved
| to be d long and well-written love epistle
| from his betrothed in East Tennessee. It was
addressed to Pleasant J. Williams, Churchill's
him in all directions were his dead and dying
comrades, some stretched at full length Oh
the turt, and others contorted and in extreme
| agony The earth was thick1y strewn with
shot and fragments Of shell
THE WooDs or FIRE.
The bursting Of shells had set fire to tht
dry leaves on the ground, and the woods wer,
|
made TO remove the wounded before th'
flames should reach them, and nearly all Wer'
taken to places Of safety. Several were after
ward found in secluded spots, some Of then
still alive, but horribly burned and blackenet
By the confagration.
4 MISSOURI 51BRESAINosA1.
Ono of the 9Th Missouri was SO enrased o.
the second day, seeing his Brother, membe
Of the same regiment, horribly butchered AMI
scalped, that he swore vengeance against tn
Indians, and for the remainder of the day de
voted his attention entirely to them, conceal
ing himself behind trees and fighting in thei
fashion. An excellent mazksman, be woul
often creep along the ground to obtain bel
ter range, and then Voc to the savage who cz
posed any part Of bis body.
When he had shot an Indian, he woul
ahout with dclirious joy: "There goes al
other red skin to HI. Hurrah for the Star
and Stripes, and d-n all Indiaus!'' Thoug
upon again and again, he received not
scratch; and on his return to camp, aftt
| night tall, bore with him nine sca1ps of nbl
T2ina1 warriors, slain By his own hand
| ayenEc his brothers death.
a BowH-KS1FE coSFIcT-
While the fight was raging about Miser
farm house On the ridge On Friday mornip
soldier belonging to the 25th Missouri and
member Of Mississippi company becan
I separated from their commands, and four
each other climbing the same fence. II
rebel had one Of those long knives made Of
file, which the South has so extensively para
. ed, but SO rarely used, and the MissoHris
had one also, having picked it up on the fiel
The rebel CHALLENGED his enemy to fai
: open combat with the knife, intending to Blu
Il him. no doubt, and the challenge VI
promptly accepted. The two removed the
coats, rolled up their sleeves and began. II
= Missiesippian had more skill, but his opp
ncnt more strength, and consequently the Il
ter could not strike his enemy, while he +
cciycd several cuts on the head and brcas
J The blood began trickliDg rapidly down t
Unionist's face, and 111nnfng into his eyes,
most binding him. The Union man becaE
r. desperate, for he saw the sececsionist was u
:. hurt He madea feint; the rebel leaned forwa
:. to arrest the blow, but employing too much e
:. crgy, he could not recover himselfat once 7
= Missourian perceived his advantage, and knt
4 he could not lose it. In five seconds more
= would be too late. His enemy glared at h
I like wild beast; was on the eve Of strili
E again. Another feint; another dodge on t
rebels part, and then the heavy blade Of I
MissouIian hurled through the air, and
with tremendous force upon the Mississ
pian's neck. The blood spurted from I
z throat, and the head fell over, almost entir,
severed from the body. Ghastly sight, t
phast1y ryen fnr fhe f1rer If ffe deed