Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-01-02
BATTLE OF PRAIRIE GROVE.

at Prairie Grove, Arkansas.
HEADQUARTERS Sr DIVISION,
Army Of the Frontier, !
CAMP PRAIRIE GROVE, December IS, 1862,
You have undoubtedly received ere ,hi
pretty full particulars of the fight ut thu
place on Sunday last. left Wilson'S Crcel
TO help Blunt, as the rebels were pressin.
him hard, and had marched one hundred
and ten miles in three days, with the entr,
baggage and Comnissary train. This yo,
Will see at glance was Tremendous mat
ter, but told the boys there was fight on
hand, and that we must get there, or break
wheel. On Sunday morning at three O'Clock
We reached Fayetteville, anu after one hours
rest pushed on:
General Blunt had kept up CT mmunication
with me until SATURDAY night, az winch time
the enemy force'i his pckcts back, and by
making feint in front, Withdrew his atten.
ton, and threw their whole force, 25,OUO in
between US. On the Saturday before | had
sent all my cavalry, 3OOO in number, to rein.
force Blum, having nothing therefore with
me but infantry and artillery. mad neces.
sarily to leave considerable behind to keep
my line open, and keep heavy guard on my
train oil 4UO wagons, SO that | had left but
1000 available men. A more beautiful morn.
ing, or grander sunrise than that Of D..
cember TIN, never b-held. We had march.
cd about seven miles southwest OF Fayette.
vile, when musketry was heard in the dis
lance, and in few minutes the Arkansas
cavalry came dashing back IN great disorder.
The enemy's advance had attacked them. II
took hal. an hour to get them rallied, and
:orm a battery and two regiments OF infantry
for protection, when again commenced an
advance. For four miles We fought their
cavalry, driving them back to Illinois Creek,
where found their whole force strongly
posted on long ridge with magnificent po.
sitions for batteries. For one mile in front
It was clear ground, and my road lay right
in the center Of their line. From prison r
taken learned that Hindman was on tie
ridge with his whole force, and intended 10
whip me out before Blunt could get up-in
other words, to take us one at time. Tie
case looked tough, with Blunt ten miles
away, and nty-five thousand men between
US, but saw at glance there were lust
two things that could be done-viz., fight
them without delay, and depend on the
chance OF Blunt's hearing me and coming
up, or retreat and lose my whole train. 1t
required no time to make a decision, and
sending back for the Second Division to close
up, took look over the ground. At the
regular crossing of the creek, ordered two
guns over to feel the enemy's position, but
having felt rather too hard they opened on
us with two full batteries Myself and staff
made very narrow escape here, as we ytre
standing by the side Of our pieces, VIII,
they directed the fire of all their guns on us.
For about ten minutes the solid shot and shell
new thick, several passing within a foot O,
me. l withdrew my pieces from this posi-
ton, satisfied that we couldn't cross at that
place. There was place fun thcr down the
creek that found We could cross, tut it re-
.qulred road cut through the timber to grt
Mt it. This was quickly done, and gettIrg
one full battery over and divided, posting
three pieces in each of two places, so as to
mako them believe it was two batteries, I
sent orders for the other three batteries with
the infantry to cross the creek as soon as Il 9
lS battery opened fire. At ten o'clock all
was ready, and | gave the order to open OF
course the. enemy directed theirN firing at the
battery in position, and before they could
change any of their pieces, had fourteen
guns more across the creek, and hard at
''wcfk. Under cover of these guns crossed
AZ The infantry, and thus formed my line Of
battle in the midst of terrific artillery fir.
The firing on our side was elegant, both 70,
rapidlty and accuracy, and cxccllcd any thing
l had ever witnessed. Seeing that all was
working well commenced advancing tn
batteries towards the enemy's lines, follow
ing up close with the infantry. Our skirm
ishers soon became engaged with those Of tn
enemy, and indeed in but very few minnt,s
the whole left wing was engaged.
Inc enemy then commenced moving his
troops from right, on to my left to force my
position. There was but one thing to do.
and sending forward ordered the 10Th Iowa
and goth Wisconsin to charge. 1t was a
glorious sight, and witnessed by me just as
plain as could see a company man, uvrr in
the street while standing on the sidewalk
They charged up a hill, capturing battery
OF four guns on the crest, and driving the
rebels thousand yards, but were unable to
hold the ground, and were in turn driven
back. These two regiments lost fifty men
each killed in this charge. The fighting ", g
desperate beyond description. Having lriv.
en- our men from the hill, the enemy tried to
charge our batteries, coming up to within
two hundred yards of them, but they couldn't
face the music. Such firing AZ FouSt's and
Backofs guns put in just then could not b.
withstood, and they broke. our men pouring
volley after volley of musketry into them
while retreating Our loss during tn fight
ing was heavy. but theirs was awful. Again
the enemy commenced massing troops on my
left to drive me back, and saw the charge
must be repeated. l ordered COL Huston,
commanding I'd Division, to take the Goth
Indiana and 57th Illinois, and try them again
which he did, leading the troops in person.
It was a repetition Of the first desperate
charge.
Time moved on, and soon it was three
o'clock, yet no word Of Blunt My small
force was still engaged, and badly cut up.
Hold out till night we must, and so told the
officers.
Just at four clock battery opened on
my extreme right, and the shell Of it went
into the ranks Of my skirmishers. A sec.
ond ball lodged in the same place. 1t seemed
to be the enemy's guns, and our case looked
tough. Taking Captain Clarke, went out
to examine it myself. and found about one
mile from my right wing the advance of Blunt
coming up. Sending word to him of the
enemy's position, kept up the fight on my
left till darkness closed upon me.
We had advanced from our position in the
n. 4