The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-30

Eofd, Arkansaa, together with the oficis
Ieport OF Col. VIM. =. Mclean, 43d Ind!
ana, commanding the "a hyigade.
TiI TX rf9oess e ss q soldiers Of the aeth low
acial report Of the battle Of Marks Mills
4 Arkansas. eT
! have the honor to be,
i Your obedient serv't, as
/ F. N. DRAKE,
a Lieut.; Col. 18th Iowa.
IL r.~..--L LCorY.l
~, CAAP S0TH iowa Vol. INFANTRY,
NEAR ELKiN's FORD, ARK, April 6. '6l. I
Capt. w. =. WEITRlDoE. a. A. a. Gem
q Brigade, Sd Division, 7th Army Corps
SIR: have the honor to submit the follow
ing report of the part taken by the Cletach.
@ent under my command in the battle b
Mk1n's Ford, on the Little Missouri River
Arkansas. on the Sd and 4th instant:
By order Of Col. WIN, s. NcIean. com.
manding "a brigade, about s o'clock p. M
on tne % inst, in command Of three com.
pan1es Of the 36th Iowa infantry. and three
companies Of the asa Indiana infantry.
proceeded along the road running perpen.
olcular from the ford through the woods
20 our front, and took a position about one
nundred PAGES in rear Of the picket post
on the road in rear Of deserted orchard.
The picket post composed Of about one
hundred men Of the lst Iowa cavalry.
commanded by Capt. Mc1ntire,) found,
on my arrival, engaged skirmist1in1 with
the advance pickets OF the enemy, and I
immediately went forward among the line
OF skirm;shers until could observe the
enemy's movements, and from close eb-
servatlon soon became satisfied that the
enemy were in considerable force and
were covering preparations to attack us
next morning. at once apprised Col.
Mclean concerning my appfehensions.
VINO Immediately sent to my support Lieut..
feetz with section Of light artillery, and
ordered me to assume command Of ali the
iorees to the front, deploy my men on the
TO hold my position as long as I thought
prudent and fall back on the reserves.
The cavalry past-now composed Of Com
panles and d, 1st Iowa cavalry. com.
mended BY Lieuts. Ronaldson and Walker.
lwno had at this time relived Capt. Nc.
Intirel--covered about two hundred PAGES
o. our front with cavalry videttes, and de-
Ployed Companies D, g and A, seth Iowa,
on the right Of the road at intervals Of one
hundred PAGES between companies. making
D my centre placed at the road. deplov.
cd Companies E. 81 and C, ASd Indiana, 1t
same company intervals on the left Of the
road, the battery taking position about two
nunored PAGES IN rear Of my centre, and
strong infantry picket. I ordered each
company 70 keep mp : few watches, the bal
ance to sleep on their arms until O. clock
next morning, when Ill should get mn and
breakfast before daylight. / ordered the
cavalry - soon as attacked to dismount
and send all their horses to the rear.
Soon after daylight on the morning Of the
pickets, and almost simultaneously made
2 determined effort to turn my LEFT fiank.
] met them on the LEFT with Compa niee H
and depleyed % skirmishers, and ordered
Company . (Capt. Hale) TO move forward
and deploy TO support the cavalry. II
5mmediateiy discovered the enemy
entering se the orchard in heavy force in line
g and p on . line with d. The engage
ment was now becoming very warm, and
my men were falling wounded on mvr rieht |
and left, but by very determined ef{ort |
We finally succeeded in driving back the /
rebel column into the woods in {ront Of the /
orchard. immediate dispatched an or
derly to Col. Mclean informing him We |
were engaged with about two thousand Of
The enemy and calling fer reinforcements. |
A strong ehort was now made by the en-.
my to turn my right flank, when I moved |
lorward Co. a, tCept. Porter deploy.
ed 70 protect It. My whole force was
new deployed covering the enemy's front
.ns;.l and sns e. engagement was general slonE my
% open upon them with his battery which
he had barely commenced doing when the |
enemy opened upon US with four field
pieces, and for near one hour from this
line the engagement on both sides was
very severe. With force Of about three
hundred men We were contending against
BY General Marmaduke in
person. Ny officers and men without ex-
,eption fought with desperation and we
|ucceeded IN checking the enemy and |
,olding . position about 61ty PAGES ID rear
u our 0ldli when lull Of some min
.tes elapsed-taking advantage Of which
ordered my line 70 advance TO our old
which had been left on the ground where
ve encamped, now in possession Of the
nemy. The men went forward, .Tstook
heir knapsacks, and Co. D, (Cx9ss Hale
aptuled while doing 20, 1t. Fackler, an
'id-de-camp Of General Marmaduke. We |
zero now again in possession Of the
round held by us at the commencement
rom appeafances, that 30 far the enemy Il
I'd received more than he had bafRained
Or. A 1f
Fearing the enemy were posting artille-
= on my tanks to eniilade Cs, or in posi-.
lon to give us raking cross IRE order.
d Capt. Porter on my right and Lieut..
Holman on my leit 70 advance : few skir,
W sAS0AA AOuS 01AA A0uA uUO 10S1
" the enemy. They had not advanced
y until they were both engaged. The
nesny had posted piece Of artillery in I
ront Of each Of my tanks, and with q
ross FIRE and direct fire from his four
ieces of artillery commenced reking the
1oods with solid shot, grape and shell
Ihile his combined forces il one continu-
as line rushed upon us, firing volleys Of Z
,usketry and yelling like demons.
Tor some time We held 4 perfect line
llling back slowly and contesting every
ach Of ground expecting support, until J
y line on the left Of the road being forced
ito an open field gave way entirely and J
III back on their reserves.
I now determined TO hold my position
d the right Of the road 1t III hazards until J
enforced, I succeeded in doing 20 and
fter several hours hard fighting finally {
spulsed the enemy, but not without con-
derable loss. About the time my left
ave way Col. Kitteridge took position
'ith the balance Of the 38th Iowa, In feaH
the field and repulsed the enemy'Sf
barge on my left. |,
During the engagement, which lasted | Z
ntll near noon with my detachment, the i
aUA1ru Neou coSsn undod hv - p