Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-12-10
ArKansas Campaign, 1861.
a Rebel view of ft-Intere>f-
ing 10 Soldiers Of 18th. 20fb,
33d, 36th and 40tJ Iowa
Regim enfs.
Letter from Gen. Marmadukc.


in the issue of your paper lCt,tn'-
IRA Democratl of 10Th inst, find
quite lengthy article headed 1.-The
Battle OF jenkins Ferry" taken
from " Brick y Pomeroy's Democrat
ofOct. nth, 1874. in which occurs the
following:
IL was generally supposed, as we
have heretofore intimated, ttbe sup
position WAS rot at all unreasonable
That Steele would be prevented from
crossing The river by crossing it WITH
orr cavalry under the command OF
Gen. Marnladuke, with a battery or
two OF light artillery and holding
the landing on the opposite side.
The result to the Federal army
would have been starvation or sur
render. This was not effected, now
ever.
This is NIT true. If history is
worth anything, it should be for the
facts and the deductions therefrom.
IF tire writer of The Battle of Jen-
kins' Ferry was ON the ground that
day. he certainly was badly inform
cd as to the number Of the COnfede-
rate forces, both prior TO that battle
as well as on the battlefield. In the
winter and spring Of 1864 had
command of the cavalry in the Ar
kansas District--cOnsisting of CabelPs
brigade, about 1900 men under Brig
adler Gen. Cabell- -Shelby's brigade,
about 1900 men Under Brigadier.Gen.
Shelby, and another brigade Of about
1000 men under Cotton Greene.
When Gen. Banks, in the spring OF
1864, moved up Red River from New
Orleans, all the available Confederate
force in the Trans Mississippi was
ordered by Gen. T.. Kirby Smith to
concentrate near Shreveport and
move to oppose the march OF Gen.
Banks army. In their line followed
the battles Of Pleasant Hill and
Mansfield and the retreat OF Banks
arny. All the infantry in the Ar
kansas District were moved south
ward by Gan. Smith and formed a
part Of the Confederate force oppos-
ing Banks.
This left Gen. Sterling Prices
headquarters at Camden in command
OF the District Of Arkansas, with one
division Of cavalry las above named)
and few scattering and partially
organized regiments Of cavalry,
which were just being shaped into
brigade under Gen. Pagan. Soon af-
ter the movement of our infantry
southwark, my scouts brought me
(my headquarters were then at Cam
DEM information that Gen. Steele
WAS moving out Of Little Rock south
ward with q considerable force Of in
fantry, cavalry and artillery, and a
large transportation train which con-
iirned the news that he intended to
make a junction with Banks some
where at or near Shreveport. Be-
lieving that Steele would make such
IL move was the reason that my dl-
vision was kept in Arkansas for the
purpose of harrassing and retarding
his march until our armies could
meet and defeat Banks, then turn
and defeat Steele. Il junction Of
Banks and Steele's forces would
have made victory on our part al.
most impossible. My estimate was
that Steele's force was about $1,000
men. Before he had reached Arka-
deiphia / learned that force of SOME
5000 to 1000 men Under Gen. Thay-
or had moved from Fort Smith south.
easterly to make q junction with
Steele at or near Arkadelphia. This
he did, making the Federal force, AS
| estimated, about 10000. How cor
rect this estimate 10 you know better
than I, as you were one Of Steele's
officers. My orders were to dispute
every inch of ground with Steele and
make his march as difficult and slow
rs possible. 1t was now out of the
question with my small force of cav
airy $1,000 mem to offer him absolute
battle, for he could have annihilated
HE In few hours. Upon moving
out Of Arkadelphi, when well
stretched out on the march, l hurled
my three brigades upon him. About
tile same time Cabell on the head,
Shelby on the rear, and Greene on
the flank, and this method of war
fare was continued with disputing
river crossing) till your forces reach
ed Prairie Damn. From the time
Steele left Arkadelphi till deploying
his splendid line of battle In the prai-
RE above named, / think you will
bear ME out that my troops were on
his heels and his flank by day and by