Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-04-10
Letter rlom Arknnsns.
CAap IIALLECK, BEsros Co ARK.
March %, 1862,

lnut mas recently DCcu lONEht IN lIlS vicinity.
propose to give you few particulars Of that
hard contested and memorable engagement
aud tho part an "humbo Sogcr boy" Of
gallant "littc Holmes" bore in said contest.
From the time our gallant boys first trod the
sacred soP Of this State N7th ult.), to the
9Th inst, nothing worthy Of note occurred to
disturb the usual quietncss Of camp lirc.-
That evening we retired, everything as quiet
as usual About midnight we were walked
up and ordered to cook three days rations, as
the enemy were advancing upon US with a
vciy large force. As we had frequently been
before, as we thought, just on the eve Of
battle, and were deceived, we naturally sup
posed that this would also prove a dclusion,
but notwithstanding this, obeycd the order
strictly. During that night pant Of Gen.
Curtis Division returned (we were then camp
cd on Little Sugar Creck) from Cross Hol. /
about ten milcs south Of US. They had to .
! leave in such haste that they were compelled .
to destroy part Of their tents, provisions &c, /.
to prevent them from falling into the hands /
OF the enemy. Gen. Siegel's Division was
left near Bentonvillc to offer them fight, and
if possible, to draw them on 10 attack the
main force. To accomplish the latter they
had an easy task, as it seems they had not
only pre- yiously determined to attack us, but
r were perfectly confident of an easy victory.
Gen. Siegel fought against fearful odds that
day. At times they had him surrounded and
,yI I,l, .r Al al. ,,,g
He would then make a desperate dash at
them, break their lines and release many Of
his prisoners. Thus the battle wagcd most
Of the day. Ia the evening he rctreated to
the main body. That day and night large
d ctails of men from each Company were be-
| ing engaged in falling trees, and building for
, iiications on the hill side to the north Of Su-
, gar Creek. The second day (Tuesday, 18th
4 inst.) cannonading commenced about 10
y O'Clock to the n. E. of US, distant two or
c three miles. 1t kept advancing aud was soon
IS heard nolth and finally n. w. of us. 1t was
# then evident that they had US surrounded,
q but the beauty of it was that we whipped
10 them after they had obtained their desired
q advantage. Our Division, Gen. Davis, took
=. position behind our fortiAcations. We did
N not remain there long, as it was evident they
F.. were not going to attack us there, We then
l., marched in n. W. direction. As we pass
i, ed along We could hear them lighting off to
about !! mile south Of our battle ground,
4 where our hospitals arc, even We threw on
=, our knapsacks, &c, We then pushed on at
- "doublc quick" We passed our battery
f Capt. Davidson's Ill. 3d) on our left iu the
n. L. corner OF corn field We marched
!, on west u few rods further and then "iilet
right" into the woods where the brush was Sc
thick we could scarcely make our way thro
it. We marched in that direction short dis
tence and then formed a line of battle facing
- to the west. We Immediately advanced up
: on the enemy. We had not proceeded many
steps when the Butternuts (that is what the
boys call the enemy, as they are all dressed
- in clothes colored with the walnuD were seer
- in the brush. Immediately desperate vol
Icy was sent into the rebel ranks and nobl
W did we continue the same advancing upo
~ them, and they returning the same upon u.s.
~ Thus the battle ragged with great destruction
- and fury for some time, causing mmens
n' slau ghtcr Gas we have since learned) on thci
'N side and considerable on ours. Our officer
"' seeing that we could gain some advantage b.
- falling back few rods, ordered us to do S
~ which we did, and advanced upon them again
W After fighting with great gallantry for som
II time, we again fell back, and rallied a thir
20 time, and continued to let fly our messenger
'n of death at them for some time, and then re
tired again. (This is an account of what on
'o regiment Ohc 56th Ill.) did. This was
" desperate engagement. The air seemed lit
Nv orally flied with leaden hail. The bullet
~ flew around us, cutting of the branches 0
~ bushes, whizzing by our cars and cutting ou
u clothes. 1t reminded me Of halstorm. NJ.
," only astonishment is that SO many escaped
q The loss of our regiment is as follows Maj
do Post, Lieut.. Beech and Sergeant Maj. Smitl
'S wounded. The entire loss was Ii killed an'
OF 55 wounded. Our Company had one killed
III one mortally, two severely and one slight.
70 wounded. The second mentioned stooG il
y front of me, and as We retired | assisted hin
- of the battlefield, He has since died,
H. The Indiana Brigade took position in rea
as of our battery, concealed from the enemy b.
IN the timber. They thinking it unprotcct ed
to charged upon it, took it, planted their con
r. temptiblo rag Of flag upon it and gave tire
s. hearty cheers over their seeming victory. Thei
en- Joy was of short duration, for just as the
IS, were ready to haul away their rich pIizc, til
dc gallant Hoosiers poured a deadly fire int
o. their ranks, causing many of their men at
lie bite the dust" aud the rest to retreat in gres
k, dismay and confusion, closely pursued by tn
ly brave lIoosierS remembering Buena Vista.
CO Thus they were routed. We searched in val
for them but they had Aed, and were perfect
rd Is satisfied with Suckers and Hoosiers.
a Gen. Davis says our Division, compose (
Of five regiments, greatly cut down dy disease
H. discharges, &c, fought against 10000 q
l9 their "picked men - being Ben McCulloch
v. 'crack regimentS" from Mississippi, Louis
n. ana, Texas, Ark nsas, and Indians, and thi
L. we killed the proud, chivalnc aud ubiquitog
nd Ben McCulloch, Mcintosh, the leader OF th
IS, Indians, and Gen. Reeves. This opinion
en- coroborated by rebel offices We have prlsor
en- ers. They also admit that Gen. Slack wa
lu- killed and Gems. Price and Reines wounded
q a. . lfY,sr "a,