The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-05-15
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Orr Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns

entitled 10 TIE Lieu hiNeI, Ahe NIltStf IA
referring to the cooperative army under Gen
craI Steele. says it cuts no figure in that cam
paign which might be inferred, from tEesen-
tence quoted, that the Army Of the Arkansas
was ouG on pleasure excursion. Now, for the
purpose Of reporting some of the fine times we
had on that excursion, and, for the still further
purpose OF stirring mp some one TO write an
article on that expedition who can do it justice,
send you this brief sketch.
The division of the Army of the Frontier
stationed at Fort Smith. Ark, and commanded
bv Brigadier-t5eneral John NJ. Thayer took up
its line OF march on the 23d day OF March, 1864.
with two brieades of infantry. commanded by
Colonel Edwards, OF the 18th Iowa and Colo
mel O. w. Adams, of 18th Kansas infantry, and
the cavalry brigade BY LieutenAntLolonei Bas-
sctt of the I'd Kansas. The division effected a
junction with the army under General Steele
at the Little Missouri River on the 9th day of
April
The whole force then under General Steele,
with acknowledgements Thayer, Salumon, Carr
and Rice composed the 9TH army corps, of about
fifteen Thousand men. Opposed TO us were
Generals Price. Shelby, Maxey. Pagan, Dock
cry, MarnadUke and Cooper, whose lorce am
unable to state
CROSSING TIE LITTLE MISSOURI
The rebels first invited our attention by try
ing 10 prevent our crossing the ADDFS-lNcA-
toned stream but by throwing pontoons
across il above the fort, several regiments with
q few pieces OF artillery, gained the opposite
shore and drove the enemy back, after which
the remainder of our force crossed few
miles south Of the river General Price had
thrown up some Notifications at Prairie d ANA.
On the 10th Of April General Steele's advances
crossed this prairie the enemy stnbbornly fallings
back. AT night he made q strong charge upon
one Of our batteries, but was driven back with
some loss. lie then opened on Us with shell,
and was heartily replied to from our side. On
the 10Th of April our force was displayed in
line Of battle but Price would not accept the
gauntlet. On the 18th Of april General Dock
cry attacked General Thsyers division. which
was in the rear. Thayer turned upon him and
drove him back, Until compelled 10 resume his
march by orders from his superior, General
Steele. On the 18th the enemy made stand
in our front, when, after few hours light,
chiefly with artillery, he was driven from his
position, aud the advance entered Camden.
The rear under Thayer, entered the following
day, April I6. IL was at this place tCamden)
that we expected 10 have trouble. as the place
was fortified by several eaTthwoTks quite
strongly built On high ground, and the timber,
which appeared TO be quite heavy, had been
chopped down and the limbs Of the trees so in
terlaced as 10 form an ahatis Of snch a character
as might render the taking the forts no easy
matter. The enemy had evacuated the place,
because, as suppose, il lacked supplies To with
stand siege. lii certainly was the most adj
Vantageous location in that section Of country.
So far, everything was in good shape with MS,
but while here the first disaster TO our arms
happened. An escort composed Of the 18th
Iowa infantry, LIST Kansas co!ored infantry. de-
tails from the ID. 9th. and l4th Kansas cavalry,
with two pieces of the I'd Indiana battery, and
some two hundred wagons al under command
Of Colonel Williams, of the lst Kansas lcoored !.
was sent bark over the read that the troops
had marched in ON but couple Of days before,
for the purpose Of procuring forage. When
about ten miles from Camden il was attacked
by an Overwhelming force OF rebels under Cen
eral Maxey. Here d most gallant fight took
place. Slowly retreating toward Camden this
handful Of men made brave resistance. and
repealed charge after charge from a force at
least four times their superior in point Of NUM-
bers. Exporting sRcrnr from Camden. where
the -zlid firing was plainly heard, they en-
aeav0red 70 withstand the shocks Of the enemy,
and the only wonder WAS that a man escaped.
IhareFs division almost 70 nan, begged TO
IL allowed a. ~ and participate but. for rea-
sons that the writer DIES not even yet know,
was forced to remain inactive within sound OF
that bitferGEht-knoEn a. the hattie Of Poison
Springs. Out of thirteen officers and some 400
mrn vine went into the fight. seven officers
and 200 Llpn were killed and wounded; the
wagons and artillery were lost, and the only
the know edge that the enemys loss was a.
great our own.
Gu tie I'D train Of some two hundred
wagons left Aamdeb for Pine Bluffs for sup
plies. The escort consisted OF the 18th Ohio
Infantry, the 10Th Iowa infantry, 45d Indiana
infantry, detail ~ the sta Kansas cavalry,
and several pieres Of artillery do not re
member from what battery or batteries they
were taken Ii~ expedition WAS commanded
bv LirutHAllt-C GlonrI Drake. The train wal
attacked al Marks Mills. on The Sabine River
by MaInaduke, shelby and Fagan's commands
OF a large I0ree ~ cavalry, aid was captured
with The greater portion oI Lieutenant Drake
command - the latter being wounded and
taken prisoner.
TBE RETREAT.
On the 23a or near this date. it was prett,
well known among the troops that Gisastel
had belallen General Banks on the Bed River
and reports Rerr circulated thai Kirby Saith
with large bodies ~ troops having been re
leYed be.OE. owing 10 General Banks failure
were concert rating 10 wipe out General steele
command. We were Gus of provisions, hagin,
received only three days rations, which con
sis "a Oil three eafs VI corn per EnAn All thes
things together tiade anxious 10 shake tb
Camden dust from our Shoes, and banker ate
our hase-Liftle Rock The movement look
ing 10 this eilG was commenced on the nigh
OF the 2lth of April. The command crosse.
Efroyea a barge number Of wagons and orhe
property. A. our animals were starved AM
unable To render us service, only one wag0
was allowed ~ q brigade. the troops carrying
beside thgir arns blankets, dc. forty round
OF ammunition go cartridge-boXes aud ski,
rounds in tacr knapsscks, nOt being at ali IN
coAvcn8cnceG @ith rations.
After two DAYS march the army camned q
Princeton and Oh t1e morning OF the 23th 100
the jenkins Ferry road, leading to a cr0ssin
al the saline River. known as Jenkins Eerry
On the the Ilorping 9f 4 pril 30, 1854. occurre
What is kDawu Us The hattie Of jenkins Ferrl
OF Saline River.
JENKINS FERRY.
At about dsgiig OF shortly thereafter til
outlying pickles began diminishing with th
advance 0i tbe enemy. il was soon disc0gere
that the enemy was IN force, and in shOl
time General Solomon division became prett
h0tlv engaged then the 51th Indiana 81
and 9th w iSoonssn and one or more IllinO
regiments. 90 n0t remember their number
tie 2d Kansas c5iorcdj Isl Arkansas Sd an
9th iowa and i2lh Kansas infantry. The liI
OF battle was formed across the Jenkins Ferr
road, nearly at rlEht angles with it. Near It
road on our right. the enemy made very d
termined Sight charging several times, b.
failed to pierce oHr lines. F0iled at this pOifl
they next tarned Iheir attention 70 the le
wing Here tilc sd iOwa and I'd Kansas leo
lcreaj made baBOaat charge with such a a..
81 Nfnr#sH uH ta.f trsrHfaa