, 1862-05-15
PUGET SOUND HERALD.
sTEILACooM, w. T.
Thursday Morning, May Is, 1862.
BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE INCIDENTS.

the following striking incidents:
The Indians in the midst Of the excitement and
under the stimulus Of their burning pOtatiOns
became frenzied, and lost to every sense but that
Of slaughter. Friend and foe were alike to them
they fired at the nearest mark and used their
long knives indscriminately upon all within their
reach. For more than IL hours they continued
this impartial warfare, killing and wounding more
Of the Missouri and Arkansas troops, it is believed
than they did Of ours. On Saturday morning.
March 9th, q body Of 800 or 400 Indians was dis
covered on the north side Of Sugar Creek, below
the curve Of hill, firing from thick clusters Of
pOst-oaks into three or four companies Of Arkansas
sOldiers, marching in McCullough's division to.
ward the upper part Cf the ridge. The Major Of
the battalion SEEING this hallOoed out to them
that they were firing upon their own friends, and
placed his white handkerchief on his sword and
waved II in the air. The Indians, either not see.
ing or not caring for the symbol Of truce, poured
two volleys into tho ArkanSans, killing, among
others, the Major himself The presumption then
was that the CherOkees had turned traitors, and
the Secession soldiers were Immediately ordered
to charge upon them. They did so, and for an
hour terrible eight ensued among the oaks he
tween them and their late savage allies, in which
It is stated some $50 were killed and wounded on
both sides. The Indians suffered severely, as
they were driven from their hidng-places and
shot and butchered without mer y. A person
who witnessed this part Of the fight says Il was
the most bloody aud desperate that occurred on
the field; being conducted with the most reck
less and brutal energy by the two parties, Of
whom It would be difficult TO say which was the
most barbarous. On the dead sayages were
found. In some instances, two or three ScalpS,
fastened to thsir belts by thongs Of leather The
fate Of the Arkansans was indeed distribution
Of poetic justice. The seeds Of rebellion they
had sOwn among the Cherokces, like the teeth
that Cadmus planted, turned against them in their
growing with fury and with death.
One Of the 9th Missouri was 30 enraged on the
second day, seeing his brother, member Of the
same regiment, horribly butchered and scalped,
that he swOrc vengeance against the Indians, aid
for the remainder Of the day devoted his attention
eHtirey to them, conccaling himself behind trets,
and fighting in their fashion. An excellent
marksman, he would often creep along tn, ground
to obtain q better range, and then woe to the
savage who exposed any part Of his body. When
he shot an Indian, he would shout with de'iriOus
Joy: " There goes another rpiskn u hell. Hnr.
rah for the Stars and Stripes, and d-n oil In.
diansI" Though ever following the willy foe, and
though fired upon again and again, he received
not q scratch; and on his return 10 camp, after
nightfal, bore with him nine scaIps Of aboriginal
warriors, slain by his own hand to Hvengs his
brothers death.
A German soldier in the 85th Illinois met with
two very mar Ow escapes In fifteen minutes, while
Gen. Carr division was eonteRdng so vigorously
against the enemy in Cross Timber Hollow. he
wore earrings, for the benefit Of his eyes, and
musket.ball cut one Of them Ia two (the broken
seg'nents still remaiDing) and passed intO the
shoulder Of the 81 Lieutenant Of the company.
Ten minutesafier, during a temporary lull Ia the
strife; while the German was relating the story Of
his escape, . bullet whiStled BY, carrying The
other ring with it and abrading the skin Of his
ear without doing further harm. Such are the
vagAfIts Of Fate, and the mysterious Shiftings on
the battle field between Life and Deathl
One Of the exas soldiers was advancing with
bis bayOnet upon q lieutenant Of the 9th Iowa,
whose sword had been broken. The officer saw
his intention; avoided the thrust fell down at bis
ioeman's feet caught hold Of his legs threw him
heavily to the ground, and before he could rise,
drew long knife from his adversary's belt and
buried il 10 his bosom. The Texan, with dying
grasp, srized the lieutenant by the hair, and sank
down lifeess bathing the brown leaves with his
blood. So firm was the hold Of the nervel s.
hand that L was ,pecessary 10 cut the hair from
the head Of the object before he could be freed
from the corpse df his foe.
While the 6ght was raging abCut Miscr's farm.
house, on the ridge soldier belonging to the 26lh
became separated from their commands, and found
each other climbing the same fences Tue rebel
bad one uf those long knives made Of ille which
the SUtith have 90 extensively paraded but so
rarely used, and the Niss0uFian had one also, |
which be picked up on the Geld. The rebel chal. |
lsnged bis enemy 10 ialf, open combat with the |
knile intending 70 bully him, no dOuhti bit the |
challenge vas promptly accepted. The two re-
moved their coats, rolled up thelv sleeves, and |
ha1 u.
opponent more strength; and consequently the |
latter could not strike bis enemy, while he to- |
ceived several cuts on the head aHd breast The |
blood began trickling rapidly down the Unlonlsts |
laee, and running into his eyes, almost blinded /
him The Union man became desperate, for he |
eaw the Secessionist was unhuFt He made
lcnt; the rebel leaned forward TO arrest the blow,
but employing tOo much energy, he could not
Tscover himself at once. The Missourian per.
ceived his advantage, and knew he could not lose
i. In ivU seconds more Il would be too late.
His enemy CARED ct him like wild beast! was
on the eve OF striking ugain Another feint an.
other dodge on the rebels part, and then The
heavy blade Of the Missourlan hurtled through |
the air. and iell with tremendous force upon the |
Mississippianis neck. The blood spuFted from /
the throat and the head ie over, almost entirely
severed from the body. Ghesty sight too ghastly
even Tor the dOer Of the deedl He tainted ct
the spectacle, weakened BY the loss Of his own |
blood, and was soon aAer butchefed BY Semi.
mole who saw him sink to the earth.
Lieut. Col Heron, Of the 9th lova, was sur.
rounded by 10 or l2 Of the enemy, and ordered
. surrendet. He indignantly refused, and, with
bic revolver IN one hand and his sword In the
other, kept his enemies At bay BY placing his back
again1t . tres. He killed and wOundgd four Of
the rebels, when, having been twice wounded
himselc his sword was knocked from bis grasp,
and bis arms seized fFom behind. He would
have been killed had uot Southern captain, from |
Admiration Of his cuurnRp ordered hia lile 70 be