The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-04-19
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
F1IDAY. April 10, 1853.

dCb MAKING lUItU0 6QQIOYIl0GOU0X VI Tue exs
penses of the Government" Upon this bill be
moved that the House 60 into secret session,
but Withdrew his mo- i0n for the reception OF
q report from the Military COMMITTEE.
rescind the resolution acjourning the H0use
on Monday next; but, a. objection was made,
NO action was had upon the subject.
Mr.. Mills, Of &. y from the Military Com
referred TO the committee, entitled can act to
authorize the organisation Of bands Of part
san rangsrs." The bill was taken mp, en-
crossed. read . third time, and passed.
solve itself into secret session and the mo.
ton being seconded, the. Speaker ordered the
door to be cleared.
After spending several hours in secret sss.
sion, the House again opened its doors, when
Mr.. MILES. rom the Military Committee, re-
listinent Of cooks in the army; which. after
much discussion, was passed to Its engr0ss.
msnt, read third time, and agreed to.
The sPsAx.a LAID before the House mes
port Of MAI. Gen. Van Dorm, of the engage
Inent on Sugar Greek, Ark, on the TIN and
Stn Of March, which was read, laid upon the
table and ordered to b. print ted. The main
portions Of the report we herewith append:
HEAD0'Rs TRAss.MIss DISTRICT,
Jacks0nport, Ark, March n, 1862.
General: have the honor to report that,
while at Pocahontas, i received dispatches
or the 2ad Of February, informing me that
Gen. Price had rapidly fallen back from
Springfield before q superior force of the en-
envy, and was endeavortng to form junction
with the division Of Cen. McUulloch ON Bos-
ton Mountain.
For reasons which seemed 20 me i'm perat tive.
I resolved 70 60 In person and take command
Of the combined forces OF Price and McOul.
loch. i reached their headquarters on the Sd
Of March. snd being satisfied that the enemy,
distant, was only awaiting large reinforce.
ments before he would advance, resolved TO
attack him at once. Accordingly, sent for
Gen. Pike to join me asar Elm Springs with
the forces under his command, and, on the
morning of the Ath Of March, moved with the
divisions Of Price and McUulloch, by way of
Fayetteville and Bsnt0nville, to attack the
enemy's main camp on Sugar Greek. The
whole force under my command was about
$1,000 men.
On the 9Th we left Elm Springs for Ben.
tonville, and from prisoners captured by our
WINGED that up to that time NO suspicion was
entertained Of 0ur advance, and that there
were strong hopes Of our effscting a complete
surprise, and attacking the enemy before the
in the surrounding country could rejoin the
main body. therefore endeavored to reach
Bsntonville, IL miles distant, by q rapid
march; but the troops moved 20 very slowly
thatit was IL A. III. before the head Of the
leading division (Price's) reached the village,
and we had the NOR ttf1eation to 500 SiereIs
division, 1000 strong, leaving 1t a. We On :.
shsnId have cut him on with hiswhoie force.
and certainly have beaten the enemy the next
We followed him, our advance skirmish.
Ing with his rear guard, which was admira
oily handled, until we had gained q point ON
Sugar Greek, about seven miles beyond Ben
tonville, and within one or TWO miles Of the
strongly On sssnchsd edo. camp Of ths ensmz;
and Mcintosh, who had IN accurate know.
ledge Of this locality, had ascertain cd that,
by making detour OF eight miles, could
reach the telegraph road leading from
Springfield to Fayettev vile, and be imms diats.
~ in the rear Of the enemy and his entrench.
ments. had resolved to adopt this route.
and therefore halted the head OF my column
near the point where the road by which I
proposed to move DIVORCED, threw out my
Pieksts, and biv0uacked - II for the night.
But, soon after dark, marched again, NOV.
ing with Prices division in advance, and
taking the road by which had hoped before
daylight to reach the rear Of the enemy.
Some obstructi0ns which he had hastily
thrown In tho way 20 impsdsd our march
that We did not gain the telegraph road until
near 10 O'Clock 4. n. Of the 7th. From pris.
oners with forage wagons, whom our c4vslfy
picke brought in, Ne were assured that vs
were not expected In that quarter, and that
the promise was fair for complete sur prise.
I at once made dispositions for attack, and
tiously, soon drew the fre Of few sEirmisn.
srs, who were rapidly reinforced, 20 that bs.
fore III O'Clock Ne were fairly engaged. the
enemy holding very strong poatttons. and
maintaining heavy are OF artillery and
columns which we're being pressed upon
him.
had directed Gen. NcCulioch to ats ck
with his forces the enemy's left, Aad be ere
two O'Clock 1t wa evident that II his division
I could 1t once throw forward frics's isfs.
advance his whole line, and eud the battle. /
sent him dispatch to this effect, hat It WAS
never received by him;-hsforst = was psnnsd.
OF the most gallant leaders Of the Uoniederacy
had fought his last battle.
About three p. H.. I received BY ABIDE.
camp. the l. formation that Generals NcOut.
lock, McIn tosh ,lAnd Col Hobart, were killed.
and that the division was without any mead.
nevertheless pressed forward with the at-
tack, and 1t sunset the enemy was Aging b.
fore orr victorious troops q every point In
him entirely from the Held Of battle. Our
troops slept upon thsir arms neariy q NILE
beyond the pOint At which he made his last
stand. and my headquarters for the night
during the Day seven cannon and about 30
prisoners
n the course OF ths nRnt I asosrtairsd nat
the ANN unllion was almost exAAusted, and
plies could not hnd his wagons. Vhich. vith
the subsistence tratn, had bsen aonI 20 Dentcn.
VILE. Most Of the troops had been without
tood stnoe the moraing OF the eth, and the q
nisfy nS,sss , Wsss Sssssa ont. i was thers-
dawn OF day. when It orms, Il revealed %
M ne enemy ~ new and strons posttion,
o1sIins sastle. ! made ny dispoatloa q
c ono e ascept The gaseI aad ~ o'clock
previous day. On the aide Of the ensmv
toe afe We much battor sustained. Tor