The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-06-16

Grants strength he entertained no fur. ther idea of resistance. The idea was to break through the investing lines and cary out d many men as possible. Inc fort was too large to be successfully de tended by his command. In beating of the fleet the batteries had not scored single point in favo, of the general situa- tion. IL was the infantry who were to be feared. and if was the plateau andnot the river bank which constituted the key stone of the arch.
 Up to the night of the day of the fight between fleet and baiseries there had been no real fighting between the infan- try. Not more than one-third of the contederates had caught sight of . fed ezal. Floyd had defended the fort for time. but the inevitable result would be surrender. Hehas been sharply criticised for not holding out instead of fighting his way out with portion of the garrison, anG he lost his official head for the man. ner in which he turned over the com mand of the post to a subordinate, that he might not himself be made prisoner.
 The plan was to mass the confederate garrison. or the bulk of 1t, and fall upon the federal right with such vigor at early dawn as to crush it back and clear the highway running 10 Charlotte. Grant would be taken by surprise. and before he could reinforce the point attacked the colfederates would be clear of his lines. It was simple plan, and as night came the confederate commander began carry ing out the details. The weather was cold and stormy, the troops were in movement a good share of the night, and when the gray of the winters morning began to light up the woods, hundreds of the men in the ranks lad frost-bitten ears and fingers, and were benumbed with cold. The want of harmony among com manders had resulted in blunders among the attack. which was to have been made al early dawn, to nearly an hour later. During th.s delay the federal scouts dis covered that A move of some sort was on foot. and the attack was by no means the surprise that had been planned.
 An hour after daylight, the contederates moved to the attack. Ol most portions ot their front the men had not marched 500 fee, before they encountered the fed eral line of battle, and Il tier and steady conflict at once opened. The federal rgh, wing was matched. If pot eonsid- erably oui-numbered, bu, Il was adm,ra- ably posltioned for defending such an d. tack. The ground was broken by ridges and ravines, mostly sheltered by heavy timber. and b4,;le-hnes were ~,tn.n stones throw ot each other as the n.en settled down 10 ,heir de 4dly work.
 .4 1. federate plan. and could not therefore have prepared his righ, for the biow s0U- denly gwen Il. Knowing tha, the only way GU: lay in that direction. the eonted d- crate, attacked ~iih desperation. lu the advance through the timber nearly every confederate reg iHcnt had ,o mar il by the flank. and thus when the heads oi columns were hied on bai,le-ilucs Lad to De formed under close hte
 The number oi troops m this move mcnt asa.nsi t.rau,s usht was not quite 5000. E~aeTa. wutcrs who have gwen Il at ts.eoo. have counted up the regi-
 nents and iallen into tue error of eStlniat- Ing the strength oi each at 900 men.
 here ~aS not Il regiment there number ins 700 men, and some had less than .oo, l. wts d rsire tatns after the summer e..iu- paisa of iSHl to md confederate com paly, regiment. brigade or division U, to its iull strength.
 MeCIernand held the federal nigh, ~i,h d division. General Wallace was m iAc centre. and smith on ihe leit, the later havins nothing to do With the ,.,Et cur- ing the forenoon. The Ioad "a Chat lot,e lay between MCClenand and Wal lace, and both these commands we're m ciudcd m tEc at,acs, although for the hrst two hours McG.ernand received the brunt of Il. Such oi his division as came into the hsht was opposed only by A single brigade, composed of the Seventh Texas, Eighth Kentucky. and First and Third Mississipp,. and th.s brigade did not number 2.ooo men when II went into acton. IL formed under ire so hot that some oi the regiments had ,o change front twice. and then advanced s,raish, upon the rising ground neld oy McCkr- hand. With Il wild yell and a rush ;o sethes they swept up the hiil. cleared IL, he.d II Tor ise mtnutes. and were then swept back into the rayine below by .. eouH,er-caarge. This vas the frs, ground gained and lost by the conicd-rates. As sopI as s1S oftSaoc IuuiG fcIotM tt lCLan steady advance in llnc, and a, the end ot forty minutes once more held the hili p to ,his tune Wallace had scarcely hted d shot. Believing from the fighting already done that the federal right could De turned. a confederate brigade w4s now pushed forward 70 Sk,TmiSh with Wallace and prevent hIs sending away reinforce. nents. and he attack upon McClernand was renewed. lie had naturally strong position. being succession of sharp ridges and the cover of ra,ines and i3nl- beI, and his let; hung to e-ery foot of ground wt,h tie tenao!ly of old veterans
 When the coniedeTairs first moved ou, in the morning Mc'-lcrnaac's rign;, where II touched the riser and thus com pleted the inc of investment. vas com posed ot kentscky regiment. the Third Union. This regimen, he'd as strong A position as any battlefield ever furnished. and up to the moment of attack the men seemed fuli of determination. They were advanced upon by about th,rty skirsnishers