The Van Buren press., 1866-05-26

Death, under any circumstances, seems
to consecrate to more tender regard in
the minds of the living the rccollectons
of the dead. 1t is because the medium
or motive, through which we viewed their
actions, when living, lis purified of the
possibility of selfish interest or personal
prejudice. To those who knew them,
justice would perhaps be better done the
the names we recall by leaving them
alone in their glory" But, because we
would not have what is known to us to
be forgotten or leave to be thus circum-
scribed, we write. ai
| Col Peasants, for many years a resi-
dent of this county, commanded the reg
iment of Infantry designated by his name,
which formed part of Fagan's Brigade,
in the corps commanded successfully, by
Hindman, Holmes, Price and Magruder.
The winds of December swept spitefully
through the passes of the Boston Noun
tains in 1864, and searched unsparingly
the rents in the threadbare blankets, that
wrapped the forms of the mounted men
who guarded those heights, while Blunt
marched from Fayetteville to occupy Cane
Hill. Actively engaged all day the 2Sth
Of September previous, with an overwhel-
ming force of Infantry, Cavalry and Ar
tillery-in driving tbe ragged cavaliers
who stood in the way of his possession
of the latter place, with the loss Of some
of his bravest men, under the fire of Car
rolls, afterwards Cabelr brigade, which
checked unexpectedly the advance of his
Cavalry down Cane Creek, he now held a
position eminently threatening to the
camp OF Hindman's nain army, lying in
the neighborhood Of Van Buren, and
Fort Smith.
Hindman, with the permission of
Holmes, who had lately superseded him
in the command Of the department, de-
termined to attempt Blunt's dislodgment.
| On the 9Th of December, the appear
ance of the Confederate Infantry glad
dened the sight of the cavalry on the
out-posts on Cove Creek, where they had
remained since the 2Sth, ten miles south
Of Cane Hill. Cove Creek is pass in
the mountains, most frequented by tray
elers from Van Buren to Fayetteville. A
left hand road abruptly leaving the main
Fayetteville Cove Creek road passes over
the mountain to Cane Hill, only six miles
distant from the fork of the two roads
On the 9TH of December the whole army
continued the march, and took position
on the summit of the mountains over
looking Cane Hill, in sight of the enc
my's pickets A little before sundowr
on the 9th, the battle Of Prairie Grove
was begun by charge from the summit
of Carroll's Brigade Of mounted men
commanded by Col Monroe, which resul
ted in driving the enemy's cavalry nearer
to Cane Hill, and causing him to antici
pate as was designed, Hindman's advance
from that point ..s p
Caroll's Brigade slept on the field an(
renewed the engagement at daylight thu
next morning on the 7th. Meanwhile
the rest of the army had been quietly
marched back to the forks Of the roac
and pushed rapidly during the night in
the direction of Fayetteville, arriving
the 7th by . o'clock at the road from
Fayetteville to Cane Hill, eleven miles in
the rear of Blunt.
Shelby's regiment of Cavalry, forming
Hindman's advance, Immediately on rea
ching this road, fell in with force of cav.
airy, fastening to reinforce Blunt which
Shelby captured with considerable train
This cavalry was the advance Of HeTon's
Division, marching by forced marches
from Fayetteville to the relief of Blunt
Soon afterwards Heron came III sight
Hindman's main body reached the ground
in the meantime, Pagan in advance, and
was Immediately drawn up in line of bat
tie, Fagans brigade forming the right OF
the line, on the right of which was Col
Peasants regiment TIE Federal com
mand advanced boldly against the right
of the Confederate line, over the praJe'
which mark the ground Of the battle thai
ensued. While the Confederate left anC
center, comprising Roan's and Frost's
Divisions, was totally unengagcd, Pagan:
Brigade, all the morning, sustaining thu
lwpipbt of Herron's entire command