Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-08-20
TIE RECENT BATTLE AT HELENA,
Correspondence cfthe Chicago Times.

Correspondence Of the Chicago Times
HELENA, (ARK) AUGUST 7, 1868
II may be rather late in the dsy to coy anything con-
cernng the fight at this place the 4h of July but IN
the absence OF all regular newspaper correspondents the
accounts which have found their way into the Northern
press that cannot refrain from correct
log of their msstatemeuts Citizens and soldiers all
agree that the defence OF Helena when viewed as whole
was the most bunging and confused affair of the war
Much of il will shrouded in that inextrcabe
confus which prevailed at the opening OF the battle at
Shiloh The troops under Gen Prentisss command were
brave faced foe, and his subordinate oicers
fully competent to carry into execution any plan OF oae
which their superior might give them. But there was no
plan Each regiment company fought upon lts own re-
sponsiblity; advanced fell back he'd its position or
yielded it, with the independence OF action as II tnere
were no other troops engaged There no co operation
of forces in different positions for mutual support except
such projected by subordinate ofcers IN command
Gen Prenss spent the greater part OF bis lime Ia the
upper portion Of the city, riding urousy up and down
what is known as The Corduroy Road, IN state OF the
widest excitement with the phcpal fort and hgh NIL
between himself and the enemy The success 10 repel Ing
the attack n to attributed solely to accident and The IN
dvidua bravery of the troops and subordinate officers
witch was beyond parallel Brig. Gen saomon-an Off
Ger whom have seen-i the universal testimony
of ctz and soldiers to be believed most nstru
mental in repein the attack. Wherever the fight was
the hottest aud the assaans most numerous there was
Gen Saomon encouraging the troops not only by his pre-
ssnce but by his exampe for he shared alike the per
the fagues Of the defence He not OILY assumed the
direction of affairs his vicinity and endeavnr-d to
the defence somewhat Of system aud meanin!, but he
assisted in person at the guns sometimes pointing them
with his and and at other times acting as an ordi-
nary caunonor.
zee it stated also that the negro troops fought des
peraely" free to confess that have no parliaity
for negro troops But believe am capable OF rlsing
above prejudice and doing full justice to the efforts OF any
men upon the battle field whether it be black or
white would be slow to credit the statement OF others
the extraordinary vaor upon the part OF The negro
troops but to them myself upon the battle Held
their conduct and bearing would be as faithfully aehneated
though every white instead OF back In the
battle here truth compes every who has any regard
for it to declare that negroes did not fight make THIS
statement in the of what understand to be an o ca
report by Gen pentss that they fought desperately
or behaved handsomely, something OF like import
The negro Tegment had position upon the extreme lei:
of ne with their own left resting upon the river hold
ing line of rife pits under for the whole distance
the gunboats will not give credit to he rumors afoat
here that many of them frightened at the shell
fired their heads by the gunboas as to deser their
position and seek one in their estmat safe, be
cause do not know whether any considerable number
evnced so much cowardice but, if msstae the facts in
the Ltope Col Mclean to whose division they were
attached will correct me- The rebels did not approach
part Of the line held by them, and the negro reg
did not FIRE single gun during the battle. The safest
place in the whole village in the ride pits occupied by
the negro troops and had it been known that the rebel
fear of the gunboats would have prevented them from
saung that portion of the line, Sambo would have been
elected from his rife pits to make room for !he women and
| children.
l am at loss to understand why certain people mani
fest much zeal in Transferring the aurels OF victory
from the brows of white soldiers to those OF black
Surely the white troops here fought hard enough and
chased at dear enough cost of life to be entitled
to the credit and glory of the victory and for will
not tear the aureis from any brave soldier OF The Union
who laid down bis life in defence of the fg at the recent
battle order to soma lazy whose trembling
safely deposited in rifep under the pro-
lection of gunboat during the whole Of that fight The
negro troops not within double musket rauge Of the
rebels and at time in sight of them; shots, either
from muske cannon fired in their direction, and
the extent Of their handsome behavior and desperate
fighting ming in their safe position. In the
absence Of orders Prentss aud the confusion
which followed the troops had they desred t. fight
or if their officers had been anxious demonstrate their
fighting qualities, could have purchased aoy amount Of
uudying fame by gong to the relief Of other portions o
the line where the white soldiers hard pressed witt
odds of FIVE to against them 1t would not have beer
purchased quite so cheaply, however.
Gen. Prentss has been relieved of his command here
1t highly probable that his superors fully
his conduct in the recent battle. The appointment
Gen. Steele t6 the command Of the expedition westward
was very properly received by Gen. Prentiss mark
| their want OF confidence IN him.