Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-14
RETREAT OF GEN. STEELE.
SPLENDID GENERALSHIP.

The particulars of the retreat of Steele
from Camden, and his arrival at Little Rock,
are as full of interest, of danger and ''hair-
breadth Escapes" as one of the old romances
which embody the doings Of the redoubta-
BILE Amadis de Gaul. Relying to a great
extent upon the immense army and facili-
ties for transporting supplies, possessed by
Banks, General Steele boldly launched him
self upon the wilderness separating Little
Rock from Shreveport, intending with a
force of less than fifteen thousand men to
cross hostile country for distance of over
two hundred miles, with an active and;
superior foe impeding and dogging him at
every step. The public knows how he
fought his way step by step, until he reach-
ed Elkins' Ferry, and how. at that point, by
mastery man9uvre, he outwitted Price,
and gained possession of the works at Cam
den, on the Washita river.
But at this moment of his triumph, the
army of Banks, owing to the incompetency
inferior foe, and fell back in confusion to
Grand Ecore. Steele had but few supplies,
it being intended that the Red River should
afford an easy mode of transportation after
he had reached its banks. Learning of Banks
failure, he started train to Pine Bluff,
which was captured. A boat loaded with
ammunition, going up the Arkansas, was
sunk, and he suddenly found himself nearly
out of rations and ammunition. There was
nothing left for it but to surrender or fight
his way for $50 miles through a country
held by an enemy nearly double his own
force in numbers, and inspirited by their
victories on Red River. Putting his men
OIL quarter rations, he turned his face north
ward, and gave the order to retreat.
In front of him was Marmaduke, who,
with heavy force, had started to capture
the defenceless capital of Arkansas, while
all around him swarmed the exultant legions
of Price. Steele had double task; he had
to preserve his own army from annihllation
and at the same time to save Little Rock
from capture, and to do both upon quarter
rations and scarcity of ammunition.
From the very moment that he COM
menced his retrograde movement he COM
menced lighting. Price lay directly across
his proposed path, and the march was in
augurated by opening a road through the
lines of the rebel General. This accom-
plished, he moved on, harassed by the un-
firing rebels at every inch of his progress.
Without ambulances, he was forced to leave
his wounded in the hands of the rebels;
but this, usually misfortune, proved
this time benefit, for it enabled him to-
move the faster. BY making extraordina-
ry efforts, Price managed to move his main
body to the front of Steele on the fork
of Saline river, leaving only sufficient be-
hind him to to harass the half-starved Fed
erals. Reaching the river, Steele, without
hesitation, threw himself against Price,
and after three hours of bloody fighting,
broke through his lines, and pushing on to
Little Rock, reached it just at the moment
that Marmaduke's advance had commenced
throwing shells into the almost defenseless
and thoroughly frightened city. 90 8d1Dc
He had lost heavily in men, several can
non, all his train, but he saved the main
bulk of his gallant army, and also saved
the capital with its millions of dollars worth =
of stores and its Union population. uailioIa
Amidst all the shameful and disastrous i,
results of Banks ill-advised and ill-managed
expedition, the resistance of western troops
at Pleasant Hill under General Smith, and g
the retreat of Steele with western army,
stand out in bold and redeeming relief. ,,a, 4