The National tribune., 1886-06-10
THE CAMDEN TRIP,
And Che Fight at Jenkins's Perry.

To THE EDITOR: In THE NATIONAL TRIB-
UEE Of April %, 1856, under the caption Of
Fighting Them Over" appeared an article
from III. Enrich, Co. A, 18th Ill. Cav, Orderly
at Gen. s. A. Rce's headquarters giving his side
Of the story Of the Camden trip, in Arkansas, in
the Spring of 1864 1t sounds somewhat like big
/ and little q, and Gems. Steele, Solomon and
Thayer did not have much 10 do, while Gen.
Rice and his Orderly did at all i have very
distinct recollection Of belonging to the First
Division, under the command Of that brave and
gallant officer, Gen. Thayer.
Comrade Enrich calls that q brigade which
Joined Gen. Fred. Steele at the Little Missouri
River April G, 1864. Gen. Rice was brave off,
Ger, but he cannot be credited with the COM
mand of the troops at the Saline River or the
Jenkinss Ferry fight, as they were under the
leadership Of Gems. Steele and Thayer. Al
though in the first fight Gen. Rice was in COM
mand OF the field, yet be was directed by Gen.
Steele; and in the second fight, which occurred
In the afternoon Of the same day, he was
wounded shortly after the battle was opened,
and was taken 10 the rear with our Lieutenant
Colonel Hays, Of the 10Th KAN, who was also
wounded. Gen. Thayer was virtually in com
mand Of the field, and had IL not been for the
18th Kan, LIST Ark. and doth Iowa the day
would have been lost. The 18th Kan. and LIST
Ark arrived just in the "a nick o. time" for the
rebels had massed on their right with the in
tentiOn Of breaking our left aud capturing cur
pontOon bridge which would have left the en-
gaging troops completely hemmed in.
We fought hard and long and we on the left
saved the day. Right here let me say that
there were no Drawer men in the field than
Capts John A. Huff and John S. Beeson, OF
Gen. Thayer's body-guard, as they were right
In the thickest Of the fight furnishing the
troops with ammunition. COmrade Enrich
SAYS that Gen. Rice commanded the field and
fought the battle Of Jenkins's Ferry 10 Its con-
clusi0n." But. ar i said above, he was wounded
early In the fight and taken 10 the rear, and u
Gen. Thsyer alone belongs the credit Of win
ming the battle Of Jenkins's Ferry.
| Now, Comrade Enrich, give our brigade 1
/ fair shake the next time and remember tina
the brigade OF division as il really was consisted
mainly Of Kansas and Arkansas troops, and
were il not for the reinfOrcements from thi
division, consisting Of three full regiments j
would have Jared hard with the troops already
IN the field. These reinforcing regiments wer
the 18th Kan, ist and I'd Ark, and the "a Kan
fcolored) Col. Chas w. Adams, of the 10th, com
manding the brigade. And in the capture Of ia
artillery which COmrade Enrich says was don
by Col. Benton with the 29th Iowa and the 2
Kan. lcoiored), allow me 70 say that IL was don
by the I'd fcOlOred) alone under the command O
Col. Samuel J. Crawford. As 10 the LIST Kan
lcolorcd) they were not In the fight At all
they were held a. reserve Col. Adams wa
wounded during that charge. And again. Con-
rade Enrich says that the nth Ohio was ala
ia the fight, bot they had already been Cal
tured while cscorting wagon train al Marks
Mills, 81 be himself admits therefore, sinc
| they were already captured, they could nc
very well fight IN this battle.-W. O. HUI
, BELL, Captain, 90. q, 18th Kan.