The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-08-18
BATTLE AT HELENA. ARK.

the battle at Helena, Arkansas, that has reached
US through a Southern source. 1t will be seen
that Lieutenant General Holmes of this State,
Was In command 'The account is from the Little
Rock Tru6emocrat of July 9Th:
| Gov Flannagin and Col G. Peay have lust ar.
rived from the battlefield near Helena. From the
Governor, who vas at the battle we have obtained
substantially, the following statement In regard to
the plan of the attack and its results Our forces
were as follows Fagan's brigade of eighteen hun
dred effective men; Parsons of nineteen hundred
McRae's of thirteen hundred; Marmadukes of
eighteen hundred and Walkers of one thousand
making in all about five thousand men. Besides
| these forces there was Bockers battery and some
artllery attached to Marmadukes and Walkers
brigades According TO the plan of the battle
| Brooks regiment and Blockers battery of Fagsn's
brigade were to occupy the attention of the
Eedeials 10 the bottom below Helena, between ehe
hills and the river; the balance of Fagans brigade
to attack the forces in the rifle pits leading to
the fort 1he hill near Hindmans house: Gen
| Prices forces, comprising Parsons and McRae's
brgades, were to attack the fort on the graveyard
bill and Fort German; while Generals Marmaduke
and Walker-the latter on the right-were to
attack the fort on the road leading up the river
called Grants mill road. Taking the disposition
of the forces as we have given it, commencing be-
to the river above, and some idea may be formed of
the battle field. Besides the forts named, there
was Fort Eurtis situated nearer to the town. and
10 the half circle described by the others The
attack by our forces to be simultaneous The
regiment and battery below engaged the attention
of the enemy according to the plan. General
Fagan's forces, little in advance of the others.
commenced the attack between 4 and 5 a. m,
passing over and around the spurs of the steep
hills, running into the bottom He encountered
the enemy in his rifle pits, and drove him from
them SUCCESSFULLY under heavy enfiladpe fire
from the fort near Hindman's house and from the
gunboats. His progress was of course slow, bu. ne
reached the fort aftersuering perhaps the
loss of any of our forces, and he succeeded in COM
municating with Gen. Price to his left His men
were so much exhausted, and his ranks so thnned
that he did not succeed in taking the fort.
The next fort, on the graveyard hill, was taken.
There were two guns in it, one was left in good
order, but the other had shot ra,nmed in without
powder. While taking this fort our men were ex-
posed to the enemy's fire from the fort near Hind
mans house, from Fort German above and from
the gunboat he cannonading was terrific. We
f lied to take Fort Gormar-it was too strong for
infantry, being the best fort they have. Still
farther above, Marmaduke and Walker drove in
the enemy's pickets, planted their.artillery on the
ridge to command the river but the enemy found
safety behind the levee. The fort on Grants
mill road was not taken-probably not attacked.
The fight having lasted five hours with the re-
suits stated, when our forces all withdrawn 10
good order. The enemy remained in his works
and evidently expected renewal of the fight.
The day hot ard our troops suffered from want
of water and heavy marching. They had slept
none the previous night But the time for the at
tack had already passed and there no tinre for
delay.
The casualties on our side were about 400 killed
and wounded; the number taken prisoners is va
rously estimated, but is not large. Loss of the
enemy not known.
Gen. Holmes acted gaantly during the fight,
and when he took the fort the graveyard hll
he left his position and went into it under heavy
fire. lie loet the horse which he rode into the
fort Gen. Price was always with his men, and we
know they fought well with the old veteran.
We are unable to give the force of the enemy.
1t was ascertained that they were not reinforced
up to the ght prior to the attack though boats
were arriving all day and during the fight Gen.
Price sent word to Gen Holmes that he had been
reliably informed that the Federals received re-
i4forcements on the day of the fight, amounting to
five thousand. The town strongly fortified
and the fortifcatiOns appeared to have been built
for some time. Every approach stopped up
with fallen timber and abattis work except down
the river, but they worked all night before the
fight blockadlng 1t.
The attack was intended to have been made
about the first of July, and might have been more
of success, but the rains for ten days previous
were so heavy that the whole country flooded
and the streams almost impossible. Gen
Prices little army, led by their ndomitable old
chieftan, struggled throughsmud and water for
many days, aud reached the point Of attack
only the night before. These delays were una
voidable and the rein torcements arrived to the
enemy about the time the battle commenced, so
that they could not have been foreseen in the cal
culations.
The negro troops, though protected by rife pits
and every kind of Notifications, showed the white
feather and fed to the protection Of the gunboats
Our army is yet around Helena. but the enemy
will not venture out of their defences and give us
open battle.
We are glad to hear that the people are still true.
and loyal, even around Helena, though all the
fences and houses for FIVE or six miles from it are
destroyed, and little no crops are being made
within circuit of fifteen twenty miles from the
town.
4 LESSON FROM HIsToRY.-The British
over every high road of this country penetrated
every neighborhood, plundered every city and
town clean to the Gulf-but lost the game. Their
SUCCESSORS in tyranny will lose like them, unless
RI III e. A.