The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-05-19
MAJOR GEN. CURTIS AND SrAFF.-Major

MAJOR GEN. CURTIS AND SrAFF.-MaJor
Gen. Curtis, accompanied by Col. L. Il. Mar
shall, Major Weed, Col Cavander, 0. q. Leach
and Ed. r. Hixson, arrived in this city py 'ne
Mcclellan on Tuesday night. and TOOK rooms
at the International.
Major Gen. Samuel r. Curtis, commanding
the Department of the Northwest. is native
of Ohio, and man of about 56 years OF age
He was o resident of New York, when' as
Cadet he. in 1927, entered West Point; he was
hrovetted Second Lieutenant Seventh Infantry
IN 1871 and the next year resigned from the
ornv He devoted himself to the law and to
It'll engineering. and in 1887 was Chief En-
oireer Of the Muskingum River Improvement.
He was for years an Engineer OF the Ohio
poord Of Public Works, and in 1876 he was
onnointed Adjutant General of that State. In
lime of that year, having prepared the militia
80 outfit of the Ohio volunteers for the Next
can war. he took the field himself as Colonel
Of the Third Ohio. At the close of his years
service he acted as Assistant Adjutant General
to Gen. Wool he was subsequently, Civil and
Military Governor of Saltillo; also in 1s47 of
Matamoras, Camargo and Monterey. When
he returned to the United States he practiced
law for time, but when the State of Iowa en-.
tered on the project of removing the obstruc.
lions at the Des Moines Rapids of the Missis-
sippi River, he was chosen Chief Engineer and
took up his residence at Keokuk. He was
elected from Iowa as Republican member
of the S5th Congress, and reelected to the
36th. On the breaking out of the war he re-
signed his seat to accept commission as Brig
adler General, and in May, 1861, entered on his
duties. He was assigned to duty in Missouri,
which was then in the throes of revolution.
He did much active service under Fremont,
and shortly after Gen. Halleck took command
Of the Department, he was appointed to COM
mand the expedition intended to clear the reb.
els out of Southwestern Missouri He LEFT
Rolla in January, 1862, with force of twenty
thousand troops, drove Price from Springfield,
routed him at Cross Hollows, and finally de-
feated the combined commands of all the rebel
Generals In Arkansas. .-' 49,
Gen. Curtis came prominently before the
public in connection with the battle of Pea
Ridge in March, 1862. 1t will be remembered
hat the combined confederate forces under
Van Dorm, Price and McCulloch, numbering
about $4,000, of which force about 1000 were
Indians, attacked the Union forces under Gen.
Curtis on the 9Th of March, 1862, OF Pea Ridge.
Darkness closed the first days struggle, and
The men on either side slept on their arms.
The battle was renewed at daylight and con-
tinued all day. The contest was severe md
he losses on both sides very heavy. Gen.
Ben. McCulloch fell at the head of his forces,
nortally wounded. The struggle was contin-
led throughout the following day, March 9th,
with great desperation on both sides, and be-
ore night the confederate forces were totally
'outed by Gen. Curtis. Gen. Sigel pursued
hem in one direction and Gen. JEFF. c. Davis
n another. This was probably the hardest
contested fight of the war, and Congress signi.
led its approval of Gen. Curtis merits by ap-
,ointing him Major Gederal of volunteers.
Gen. Curtis, accompanied by Gen. Sibley,
7isited Fort Smelling Wednesday. -'.t