Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-05-26
General steele's Campaign I'm
Arkansas.

tnougn not lntenueu Ior puDllcauon, we
are permitted to publish. 1t contains
reliable narrative of an important part
of the history of the late disastrous
West of the Mississippi:
LITTLE Rock, ARK, May 7th.
Ny DEAR SIR: About the 25th of Feb.
ruary / was relieved at st. Louis, and ar
rived at this place about the 10th March.
On the 23d started for Camden, in Gen.
Steele's expedition, which proved q very
disastrous one, not in being defeated in
any battle, for we whipped them in every
tight, but in the amount Of property lost
ings of the men. | presume you will be
interested in a detailed account, and l
think can give it, as was in the extreme
front all the way through the expedition.
We were gone forty days thirty-seven Of
which some part of our command was un-
der fire; twenty-throe days OF which, was
engaged in skirmishing or in pitched battles.
l shal not give you detail OF the
skirmishes which commenced the next day
after we left here, but of the principle bat
ties, and matters that governed our move
ments.
was appointed to the command Of one
hundred dismounted veterans OF the lst
Iowa Cavalry, there being about 500 men
dismounted and making up Battalion.
We took the road to Washington. On the
Sd of April at the crossing of the Little
Missouri river, we had severe fight, last.
ing about four hours, when the enemy re.
treated. The next morning we crossed the
river. On Sunday, the 10th, about 10 o.
clock, we came on to Prarie De Anne, in
Hemstead Co., about 25 miles Southwest
from Camden. They had thrown up pretty
strong fortiications on the edge of the
Prairie, on the road to Shreveport. We
skirmished and fought with them all day
up to about o o'clock at night, when it sud-
denly ceased We were now in line, two
regiments of Infantry, one Battery and our
dismounted men. About IL o'clock the
moon being down and very dark, the rebels
charged on US with some 5000 mounted
men. 1t was most terrible sight, and |
suppose il stay in the army for. twenty
years, | will never see the like again. The
flashing and roaring. Of artillery, the rat
ting and crashing Of small arms, the'giving
wounded, and then what made it more hor-
riablc to me than all the rest, was the yels
Of pain and agony of the wounded horses,
which seemed to rise above all. 1t was
indeed most horrible. sometimes shudder
now when think of il, but did not then,
all thought about was to repulse them,
which we did. All was quiet for about.two
hours, when the same sceno was enacted,
with the same result, after which no more
fighting that night. We had been fighting
all day, with nothing to eat, the wagons
some four miles in the rear, and clothed as
lightly as possible, being on foot, we began
to get tired and sleepy, we would lie down,
but in lew minutes would get so cold that
we had to get up to move about. do not
know that | ever passed night before in
which | suffered so much from cold, slcepi-
ness and hunger. AT daylight the skir-
mishing commenced, and continued up to
about 3 o'clock about in the morning
we had something to eat sent to us-when
we advanced our line and drove them before
us to within mile or less of their works,
fighting on until dark. About 9 O. clock at
night we were allowed to tal, back and get
little rest, but at daylight we started out
and lookup our position that we had left
the night before.
l was on small raise on tho edge of tho
Prairie. Back Of me it gradually sloped
up for near a mile and some four miles in
length, then 10 vel for miles. 1t was in
my full view that the whole army was drawn
up in line of battle, about $4,000 men or
moro. A most magnificent sight But they
would not meet US, only firing and falling
back. We pushed on and through their
works, and beyond near five miles, on the
started for Camden. On Friday morning
About o'clock, and thirteen miles out, we
were met heavely; after fighting some two
hours, we drove them off. We pushed as
rapidly as possible, fighting all the way,
getting into Camden about o'clock. /
send you q copy of circular issued to US :.
HEADo'Rs Sd BRIGADE CAV. DIv.,
7TH ARMY Corps, April l6.
The Lt,-Col. commanding is requested
name the dismounted officers and men of
the Sd Brigade, Cavalry Division, who led
his advance column yesterday, .or the zeal,
energy and bravery displayed on every 90,
casion, and for their bold daring advance
which resulted in tho rout of the enemy
and the occupation of Camden by the U.
s. forces. j. w. CAsDwELL,
M.-Col. Cong. Sd Brig, Cav. Div.
This was a very pretty compliment, and
we appreciated it, yet we had we'll earned
1t, by the severest duty. / was the first
man, with some ten soldiers in the place. -
The enemy had burst all the forage and re-
moved or destroyed all the provisions. On
Monday they took forage train Of ours,
lS0 wagons. The lst Kansas Colored, was
along. The rebels did not take any prison,
ers, but killed all the negroes that fell into
their hands. This was our first reverse. -
On tho following Monday they took re.
turn supply train Of near 400 wagons, this
cut us off; our rations were about out, We
had had but abou, fifteen ears of corn to a
horse for FIVE days. On Tuesday General
Steele ordered the place evacuated, com.
mencing Immediately. On Friday, the Goth,
We reached the Saline river, on the road
through Princeton to this place. The road
was very bad, the valley being low and
marshy, heavy rain came on--lasting all
night-about o'clock Friday, the enemy
attacked US, we fought up to dark. The
next morning the fight was renewed, and
lasted about five hours. Heretofore we had
been sighting Prices command of 10000
men, but he was joined by Kirby Smith,
with some S,O00-about 1000 not being
able to get up in time. Oar forces were
when we started about 10000. In killed
Il ..L 4