The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-29

| the rebel guns was silent, heavy report In
its vicinity indicating its casson or Timber had
exploded Some slight skirmishing followed,
after which all became quiet. Had the army
crossed the Saline that night all would have
been well. But darkness came early the sky
| being black with clouds, and a heavy rain be-
gan which continued all night and this proba-
| bly, explains wby.we did not cross that night
Rations had given out on the 9th, and the
troops made themselves rs comfortable as they
could on empty stomachs and upon the wet and
muddy ground of the swamp in which We were
camped. Ali night long work was continued
on the poutoon and the road leading thereto, the
latter being in passabe condition, and as soon as
possible those nearest the bridge began 20 cross
| In consultation Gen. Steele told Gen. Rice
that he would have to hold the rear until those
in front had all crossed, and then he was to fall
back and cross too. Gen. Rice promised to do
this, and well did he keep his promise Having
ali the responsibility placed upon him he took
steps to keep his word. Col Engleman's Bri-
gaGe which had been assigned the extreme
rear for the night, was now called in, and with
the 33d Iowa was formed in line OF battle in the
edge of the timber with a partially cleared field
| in front of it. The position was well chosen
On our right was dense forest, through
which ran creek or bayou full to its banks
| from the heavy rain, snd on our left
deep and impenetrable swamp. At about 5:30
| o'clock in the morning of the Both of April the
enemy began to advance, and skirmishing
| opened. Although Gen. Steele commanded in
| chief, and Gen. Solomon the infantry, yet, as
| stated above, Gen. Rice commanded the field
| and fought the battle to its conclusion. The
29th Iowa, 9th Via, and 50th Ind, of his own
| brigade, were placed Ia position on the line OF
BATTLE and the LIST and I'd Kan. (colored), the
10th Iowa, 27th Wis, AID Ill, and the rem
! nants of Col. Brakes Brigade, consisting of the
| Both Iowa, 43d Ind, and nth Ohio, were called
for as emergency demanded and took part
| in the deadly conflict about to commence.
Gen. Pagan, leading the Arkansas troops, made
! the first general assault, and for al hour and a
half made charge after charge upon our thin
| line, only to be repulsed with dreadful slaugh-
| ter each time. Pagan then gave up and fell
| back, and for short time there was only light
| skirmishing. About 7:3e, however, the storm
burst anew, and Gen. Parsons, with his Mis-
souri, troops, tried TO accomplish what fa2an
had failed to DO. Our thin line had in the
meantime been reformed, ammunition had been
replenished and Gen. Parsons was met with
| fire that no mortal men could withstand.
| Again and again did he lead his men across
that fatal field, and each time was he hurled
back, while the field was strewn with dead and
wounded rebels. During this attack a few
prisoners were taken, from whom We learned
that the whole of Kirby Smiths army was in
| our front Tor rear) The enemy also brought
several pieces of artillery up during this attack
ON CUR right and began to throw shell; but they
| did not do it long, for after two or three shots
had been fired the 18th Iowa, led by Col. BEN
| ton, and the Cd Kan. (coloredl, led by Col.
Crawford, promptly charged the rebel battery
and brought the guns into our lines, turn
| ing the rebel cheers on the appearance OF
| the battery into bowls of disInay. After
| Parsons had Withdrawn, Gen. Steele ordered
| Gen. Rice to withdraw and cross the pontoon,
but the latter did not deem it safe to do so, and
! prepared to charge the enemy before retiring
| from the field. 1t was well that he did not
| obey the order to retreat, for while making
preparations to charge another column of fresh
| rebel troops appeared on the other side Of the
clearing and with fearful yells charged upon our
| line. This was Gen. Walkers Texas Division.
! Bravely did they come but they met the same
undaunted courage and whitening Ere that had
destroyed their comrades, and, after doing
ali that bravo men could DO, fell back to
| the shelter of the woods. During this
charge Gen. Rice was shot through the
ankle, and Col. Solomon, of the 9th Wis, took
| command Of the field For another hour did the
enemy make charge after charge upon our now
| wearied and rapidly thinning line but no one
| thought of faltering, as knee keep in mud and
water, hungry and wet, our boys stood as firm
| SIS a rock; and at last the rebel leader seeing
| the utter uselessness of slaughtering his men
! by hurting them against the Union line re-
treated and left us in possession of the bloody
| field. As soon as this was discovered our troops
4 !"
superior force in point of numbers close to us, a
| deep and rapidly rising river to cross, swamp
| through which the water, now over foot
| deep, was running, our only safety was on the
| north side of the Saline. Those of our wounded
| who could not help themselves were quickly
placed out Of reach of the rising water and Sur
geons left to care for them, and our victorious
| troops crossed the river unmolested, and were
| safe from further pursuit. The rebel loss was
terrific. 4 rebel account of the battle, written
by Captain in Gen. Walkers Division, &C
knowledged loss of ], 800 killed and wounded
and in that division Gems. Ward and Scurry
were killed, and Gen. Randel was twice
| wounded and had two horses shot under him.
Our loss, too, was heavy, being over 500 killed
| and wounded, nearly all Of the latter being
captured. Had the rebels brought the Union
army to bay On the uplands, it is likely that
Steele's army would have been annihiIsted ;
for the large number Of the enemy, some % 900
men, would have been enabled to outfank US
on both tanks. The battle of Jenkins's Ferry
saved the State of Arkansas to the Union arms
| at that time. Had Steeles army been defeated
and captured nothing could have saved Little
Rock and Pine Bluff, and every point In
Arkansas, except Helena, would have fallen
into rebel hands The results of the Camden
trip" were loss to the Union troops Of about
1900 men killed, wounded and captured, loss
of eight cannon, and about 400 wagons with
mules and harness. The writer has no inten-
tion to slight Gen. Steele or Gen. Solomon, but
it is but justice to Gen. S. A. Rice, who was
formerly Colonel of the 33d Iowa, and who
died from the effects of his wound, to say that
to him belongs the credit of winning the battle
of Jenkinss Ferry. Where all the regiments
engaged did so nobly, it would be unjust to
particularize, but will instance the terrible
fighting by giving the loss of the 50th Ind,
which was $50 killed and wounded, Co. ID
losing % out of 80 men engaged. Col. Wells,
of this regiment, was everywhere in the
thickest of the battle cheering and encourag-
ing his men, and had two horses shot.
Gen. Rices staff on starting from Little
| Rock consisted OF himself five officers and four
Orderlies Of these Gen. Rice was wounded
twice, the last resulting fatally; Capt. Townsend
was killed, one Aids horse killed, Adj't Lacy's
horse and tho writer's wounded, and one of
the Orderlies (Judson) captured. The writer is
also suffering from the effects of shell passing
close to his eyes on Prairie De Ann. This will
speak better than words Of the work the bri-
gade was engaged in on this fatal trip, which,
but for the defeat Of Banks, would have resulted
in sweeping the rebels from the State. There
are, of course many things l have omitted or
forgotten, and hope that some other comrade
will supply what is lacking in the above.-H.
ENRICH. Co. A, 18th Ill. Cav, Orderly ct Gen.
Rice's Headquarters. Gaiesburg, III.
The 9t!l n. Y. Cav.
To THE EDITOR: The 9Th N. Y. Cav,