The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-11-03
PRICES S DISASTERS.
The Recent Battles.
More Particulars of his Retreat south.

The telegraph has advised the public
Of the signal route of Prices army, or
its retreat through Southern. Kansas
by Pleasanton's command I
Of the operations near the border, in
Jackson county, we find many details
in the Leayenworth Times, of the Goth
TAX BATTLE or SUNDAY, OCTOBER ODD.
We are indebted to the courtesy Of
DR.. w. Booth Smith, of this city, for
some particulars of interest relative to
scenes on the battlefe and in the
hospitals on Sunday last than which
nothing could be presented more acN
ceptable 70 our readers.
We therefore give his report, which
is that Of an eyewitness, and which
viii not vary in essential particulars
from the actual facts, though we only
write from brief notes made from q
cursory conversation with DR.. Smith.
Learning that a general engagement
between Prices army and the Kansas
troops was imminent, Dr. Smith started
for the front on Saturday morning last,
accompanied by DR.. C. A logan and
DR.. J. s. Weaver, both of this city, and
Mr.. Geo. Eddy. druggist and Quarter
master of the First Kansas Militia.
The party furnished their own horses
provided themselves with medicines
and surgical instruments, and arrived
On Sunday morning early at Westport.
At this time, as the Doctor was then,
informed, the battle was already in pro
gress, At . distance of about two and a
half miles south of Westport. The ent :
my's line faced the north, confronting
the Kansas militia, while Pleasanton
was threatening, if he had not already
attacked, its left flank From east to
west the hostile line extended, accordC
ing TO the general estimate, about four
Mules The place OF conflict was in
wheat and corn fields, in brush and
timber The battle ragged from about
s o'clock till about 3 clock in the az
ternoon Of Sunday, the enemy, after
stubborn resistance, steadily retreated
before the gallantand determined valOr
Of our troops, rtn Tered irresistible by
the re-eniorcements of PleasantOn,
whose flying artillery at sundown was
seen still flashing and laundering on
the enemy's retresting columns. The
enemy were driven on sunday from 20
sition after position, a distance Of about
Is miles southwark
De- Logan, on reaching the scene of
action, accompanied Gov CWney to the
front Meanwhile, Harrison Hotel, at
Westport, had been converted into
hospital, on whose root some of the
signal corps were posted, with their
flags. The ambulances were bringing
in the wounded, and Drs Smith and
Weaver, under the superintendence Of
Dr. Davis, of Fort Leavenworth, the
Medical Director of the Department,
whose counsel and skill were of the
highest value, attended TO the dressing
of the wounds The ladies of West
port supplied lint and bandages, and
contributed, by their kind attention,
much 70 the assistance Of the surgeons
and the relief of the suffering
A majority Of the wounded, who were
20 in all, belonged 10 our Kansas troops,
their number Our men had the ear
lest attention, but the enemy's also
received prompt and edequate treat
ment Mr Charles Blunt, Of this city,
while scouting in the woods, received a
bullet wound in the head which 50
stunned him that he fell from his horse
Ills injuries, however, are not of a Sc
rious nature, and he returned home
yesterday in a carriage with DR.. Smith
After due care Of all the cases in the
hospital, DIR Smith, about 2o'cloek on
Sunday afternoon, repaired 10 the bat
tlefield, from which the enemy had re-
treated. he thinks the number of the
dead was about loo, though DO correct
estimate could be formed, as they were
strewn and scattered along the blood
stained track of the enemy's rout and
retreat, lay buried in hollows and IA
vines, OF concealed IN the brush and
timber
Seven rebels lay dead in one ghastly
heap; others, whose meanings attracted
bis ear as his step approached, kept
silent, as If 10 escape observation.
Confusion and tumult everywhere |
arms and equipments covered |
he ground, abandoned In fight or sur /
rendered in death
While the boom aad lurid splendor /
IF Pleasanton's guns broke forth on the I
southern horizon, and mingling with |
he shouts Of victory rising peal on peal |
rom the Kansas lines, impaired gran.
iear and an inspiration 70 the scene /
which none who witnessed il can ever 1
orget The 22d Of October, 1854, let it /
20 remembered, was the day when /
Kansas was saved from invasion. All |
honor to our brave militia All honor /
% Gen. PIeasantOn-
DR.. Smith reports that the enemy
whom we took prisoners, who we're left
lead on the field, and who we're cared
or By our Surgeons, were invariably
dressed ia butternut jeans. lie de-
cribes their arms a. being old English
nuskets, the common Kentucky rife
nd shot gun, and now and then an
1nglish ride.
Most OF the rebel wounded we're
mere youths-one not more than IS
ears Of age--and are believed, from
he best accounts, to have been con-
cripted in Missouri The Doctor says,
nd II is worthy Of remark, that the
Kansas boys are center shots" They
ither killed the enemy outright, or
afflicted vital OF serious wounds where
n the other hand, our own wounded
'ere, in most cases, bat slightly injured
y the enemys Gre. II
The rebel wounded evinced great for. I
itnde, expressed no dread Of death, /,
ardly. uttered q groan, and maintained !
sloical and sullen silence One said
he wanted TO die--he had been driven I
bout long enough s