New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-16
at Prairie Grove brought relief W the noble loyaIists
whom no disaster could seduse from their allegiance
TO their country.

TO their country.
On the evening Of Tie 9Th Of December, whom I
reached home Ifo1nd cavalry man with drawn saber
standing at my gate and learned from him that he be-
lonsed to the advance guard OF Gen. Herrons army
who had given orders ~ guard every house IN the
| place, 50 that no citizen might be clfnrb as me
main body OF the army passed through. In Few
minutes every house In the line of march was similarly
protected and many heartfelt thanks were expressed
for the oonside-ste manifested by this young shd
gallant General Soon his cavalry swept through town
in haste 10 reinforce Gen. Blunt who had routed BODY
~ the enemy few days before and was now threat
ened BY q lorge force under Gen. Hndmsn, and sue
eeeied before daylight in eecting Junction with HIM
bout midnight Tho infantry came mp, having marched
hardest forced marches Of the war. They were halted
in town for few hours. and so exhausted were tey
That many were aSleep IN few moments after the halls
was ordered. Others seized anything and everything
that was combustibe-fehces, outbuildngs, Whatever
eamo TO hsnd-aLd SON hundreds Of oamptrss
we're blazing. and army reporing around theIl
| Io would have been heartless, indeed, who could
have called that vanton destruction. which indeed
looked like H. whom the wants Of those bravo oWs
ana their long aud ltiEung march were remembered.
As IL vas, for one ~ least looked upon the scene
with pleasure rather than regret Several 81 the urea
the FIRE became orgetful Of the o Of the march One
there was that / we'd remember, bright, intelligent
youth bugler in the lst Iowa Cavalry he had len
college his country, had been very H. and was
emit such march. cup Of tea ard little food
revived him soon became well acquainted, and not
an hour had elapsed before he vas IN calm and TN
roof Of his distant home. In few hOdrs the buge
sounded and all started u their fee our young fend
much refreshed soon AL If them 10 m.nSe In The dIn
and q battle
By daylight The town was deserted sut the calm and
silence OF that lovely Sabbath morning wen soon broken
by the roar OF cannon which told that the strife had
begun; the smoke Of tne battle was visible and
tho rattle OF muskstry AZ times reached our ears, For
hours the ragged iii about two IN tie Afternoon
vas renewed with greater violence than before; We
knew that the final struggle had come but knew not at
that time on which side the serhutago Iayi but Wo
learned siteTHRfd shat Gen. HERON, WIN SIX reg.
meGs Of infantry and small cavalry support had held
ths had all the day long against the vastly superior
forces Of Hindman. but st tho hour above men.
toned Blunt arrived Gnd Ito contest ragged FOR short
time with red0ubIed fnry. Tho few Union iainl'
lies remaining greatly excited during tho days
fearful battle Nasrasg IN hearing na! almost IN sh'
tie Union army IN tie hekrt OF Al ebemys country
aud II defeated there LITTLE hope Of is escape aud
In Of a retreat 10 was rly expected that heTs
would be running Sight through the foEni IN which
event all the hopes had ent. Ttaned cf dclyeranos
run Secession sway would have been crushed " zen
the sounds " b0to ascd anxiety no; releVed
We knew ne coah.ot Wa over on knew aot yet SAeti'
the brave itio band WHOM Lad marched by ere ths
Of that dsy had men. were vctois or Vahaushsd
About midnight two men from cavalry regiment
which was IN the advance IN the morning, came 10 NY
house and reported that their regiment had been sur
prsed b. n. enemy uBds Nal aduke, Tat their rain
was CAPTURED, and many Of their SompaniOns taken
prisoners that they had escaped ON foot old supposed
AIAt the DAY had gone az anst the Federal foroes.
Tbs nett morning came. and the hrst aght that met
~ eyes calculated 80 sonnrIn my worst feaIs.
saw down tie several pieces ~ artillery md tho
heads Of tie horses xlieh drew them were TUNED
n0rthvaTd. and my heart sac. within ne as saw proof
7 tLsn d0elnec II Of disaster aud retreat. Ba. EJ
gloom va. .srned to gladness hurried down
and osnd that tAs artillery Wa icr the decnfe OF the
town which W 10 henssforth EhiiaTy post
ulso leaned Tia. HcrronS NOBLE handful. veaTled Nc
ssy TSIS over ss Of their sa@5 S
that tho farce renewal VI the sastl0 IN Tie afternoon
when Blunt borst In fury upon tho foe AID shat by
- lnAa ii Hnf.l
~ vita his fleeing and broken eslons VS. miles away
leaving lie ed Ahd sOsBdsd AID all the spots of the
field 70 os's who proved himself a. hunsno Wien TIE
battle wss over no vas brave daring the long and
deadly strife Tho victory vis decisive; the army II
Hinduan, broken and d<pritod, never again abie
70 make successful stand; bis soldiers deserted hit
by hundreds, ard the VI Illinois, Iowa Indiana d
Nsoousin carried tbs Hag Of the Union 20 the ATAls
River, 10 be giu aEasn and gained FOR themselves
impcrislsbe rerowa-
After remaining st his post until broken health
warned HIM Vi the necessity 81 seeking change Of
scene, the author decided 10 leave his dearly
cherished hols and al lie fruits Of his lifelong
labors, in order to begin lio anew under more con-
genial circumstances. IL was miewinter when he
BET ont, with his family under a strong cav
airy eecort for Missouri. "The first
night we halted a. Holcombs farm, once
beautiful place, but row deserted Gen. Rains
with his Mssounans had encsmped near there for
some weeks and his ragged and hungry command
had stripped the place Of everything that could be
used BY man or horsc, the owner was secessionst,
and il must be most Notifying to have had his
largo and beautiful farm ravsged By southeTn men.
Some rails had been left, and these soon were
blazing In perhaps ons hundred camp-fres for We
had large train and escort, quite number Of re-
fieees and long ambulance train filed with
soldiers, either slightly wounded or conyalescent
from serious Illness some Of them on their way
home, Others 10 rejoin their regiments. The scene
was somewhat exciting to be thus in the midst,
and TO form part Of q camp but after long con
yersation at one Of the fires with officers and other
refugees, sought shelter IN tho wagon where my
family were sleeping, and found there more
untroubed sleep than / had known for long
time With me tho suspense now over, FOR
though was on my way knew not whittier, yet !
felt that tho ties which had 30 long bound me to
tie South were severed 1T last, and the world all
before me in which 30 seek home. The buoy
ancy of my own spirits astonished me- On
thus leaving the fruits Of years Of toll, the en-
ergy Of Ely early manhood in g measure departed;
with little hope Of ever retrieving my fortunes, q
shade Of sadness might hayo been expccted; but no,
grea. weight had boeR.tGken from my heart l
was on my way TO land Of free speech, to cast my
lot with those whom firmly believed " be in the
night; my wife was happy at the thought that tho
scene Of so much suffering and painful anxiety was
behind us; my own heart remembered gratefully |
that Providence which in so many instances
had shielded u.s. and in the full faith that the same