The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-02-16
KEOKU K:
From the Missouri Democrat
OFFICIAL nEP0RT OF THE BAT
TIE o. CANE HILL.
HxApouARrERs 1sr DIVISION, Army FaosrIkH, Z
go CANE HILL, Arkansas

MAJ. Gent S. r. Curtis, Commander
Dep. of Missouri:
GENERAL: have the honor to repol
that ON Goth of November, while encamT
ed at Lindsay's Prairie, Is miles south {
MsvsviiIe, ifeceived reliable informatio
that General Marmaduke, with a fore
estimated at 5000 men, was at Can
HIN. further learned that Marmaduke'
command was the advance of Hndman'
army, the remainder of which was ex
pecisd to arrive ut Cane Hill on the even
ing Of the 2sth. l Immediately deter
mined to attack Marmsduke, and, if pos
sible. defeat him before the arrival o
General Hindman With rcinforuenents. =
Early on the morning of the eth, l ord
cred all my transportation and commits
sary trains parked on Lindsay's Prairie
and after detailing sufficient guard fol
its protection, / commenced my march
with about 5000 men and thirty pieces
OF artillery; the men taking with them
four days rations of hard bread and salt.
The distance to be travelled to reach the
enemy was 35 miles, e5 of which was
made by Z o'clock p. Al, OF the 9th,
when the command hvouaced for the
night. From that point 1 sent spies into
the enerAy s camp, and learned that their
pickets were strongly posted upon the
main road ION which l was advancing
and that it could be easily defended.
marched at s o'clock A. NJ, of the 28th,
leaving that road and makiug detour to
the left by blind track; struck one that
was obscure and unfrequented. and enter,
ed Gsne Hill directly from thu WORTH
As ! had anticipated. they had no pickets
ON this road, and met no resistance until
within half a mile Of their camp. The
enemy had learned, however. tie nigh,
previous, that was moving upon them,
aud was prepared for our reception
About goo Of the Kansas I'd cavalry,
under Col. Cloud, with two mountaiD
howitzers under Lieut.. Stever, were IN
the advance, which, with Rabb's Battery
and my Staff and Body Guard, constitu-
ted the only force upon the grea nd--the
main column having been delayed in des-
cending amountain about 7mila back to
the rear. OF this fact was not appraised
until my advance was engaged 1n-pas-
sing down q gorge betwesn -two-abEupt
hills, their grand guard was encountered
in considerable force. Dashing on and
driving them before us a few hundred
yards, brought us to where the bluff, on
the right, terminated, and in full view of
the enemy, swho were posted on the right
of the rosd On elevated ground, with tim
Der in the rear, their guns Tin battery"
bearing upon the road which was ap
preaching, and from which they immedi
ately opened brisk FIRE. l at once or.
dered Rabb's battery into position. and
also the two howitzers under Lieut.. Sto.
yer, when a fierce canonading ensued,
which lasted for the space of nearly an
hour. My column not being up, l could
do nothing moro than engage in this arti
lery duel sntil it arrived; and the enemy
thinking, no doubt, that l had large
force in hand, did not venture from under
cover of their guns.
accommodating upon tLeir left | dis
covered an approach by which force
could be brought on their left flank and
DO them great damage, and perhaps cap
ture their artillery. | ordered Major
Van Antwerp, Of my staff, back to meet
the Kansas II th aud Hopkins Battery,
who were in the advance of the column.
to bring them up on the double quick.
and send the battAry with six companies
OF the 18th to follow me with the object
above named, and take the other four
companies TO the support Of Rabb's Bat
tery, but they were too far in the rear.
and The men too much fatigued by the
march to reach me in time. Major Van
Antwerp took four companies down the
road to Rabb's Battery, the Ere from
which, ~ afterwards appeared-although
iaboring under great disad vantage from
the nature Of the ground, had been very
destructive on the enemy-compelling
them TO abandon their position and seek
another on high ridge three-fourths Of
mile further south, where their reserve
had been posted. To this point access
was very difficult, N rugged rayines in
1ervs'sd, and i could only be approach
60 oy Ina road. Taking . position ON
high ground facing them from the north.
opened upon them destructive 6rs
with my artillery, dismounting ,one Of
their guns and compelling them again 10
retire. For the third time they M a.
stand in the town, or rather on tue souih
side o. It, spsn : commanding eminence
running east and west, and . most adm;.
rable positiop for defense. Having nov
concentrated their entire force, and Sc.
lected this strong position, / felt sasursa
that they had resolved on . desperate "a.
sistancA, and made my arrangemen,s .e.
cordingly; but after getting my force.
across deep and rugged ravine and de.
ploying them into position ready 70 Cd
vanae npon their long asd veil formed
line, discovered. much 70 my dissp
pointzssss, that they had sgsin rstinsd
and were in full retreat to the mouttsi Al
Tenny's battery coming ppon tha rro.,u.i