The National tribune., 1889-01-17
PEA RIDGE.


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Of " The Lost Army" as it is published IN HE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE from week TO week, and
especially that portion OF it relating TO the pat
tie OF Pes Ridge. Ny recoections OF this bat
tie, or that part of it in which l was engaged,
are quite vivid, as it was the first real engage
ment in which the Both H. (to which ] be-
Iongcdl took an active part. That the writer
of the narrative was there or thereabouts Is
evident, as ] well remember the runaway
team, the solid shot that passed through the
hOuse-nOt ElkhOrn Tavern, but an unoccu-
pied house that stood close by the road-and
the cannon-ball which disabled a number of
men in the two companies standing in ranks
in the road, in front of the hotel. But there
are some inaccuracies in the writer's account
Of this battle Besides, there was very i'm
portant change of base of Prices army, and OF
Gen. Carr's Division, on the second day of the
engagement, which this writer altogether over
looks, and about which l have never seen any
accurate account. / viii give briefly, q few
recollections OF this peculiar and important bat
tie. In doing so ! shall confiue myself to the
movements of Gen. Carr's Division, and In the
main, to what fell under my own observation.
On the 9th Of March Cars Division which
was encamped at Cross HollOws, was moved
north on the Springfield road to point about
one mile south OF ElkhOrn Tavern, where we
halted and went into camp. On the morning
of the 9TH We were engaged in laying out
permanent camp when the long roll sounded,
/ aud IL less time than it takes to tell 1t the d.
vision was n rapid march up the road III the
direction of the historic Arkansas hash-house.
Directly north of this hotel the road descended
rapidly into heavily timbcred valley, to the
north of which, on the hills skrting the valley,
a portion of the rebel army was posted. The
/ 35th I'll. was in the rear, and all the division
/ marched down the road into the timber, until
! Co. B of the 35th Ill.-to which company l
/ belOnged-and Co. X of the same regiment,
came directly opposite the hotel, when we were
/ halted and were ordered to remain and support
a battery which was then Numbering just east
/ of the road think it was an Iowa battery,
/ but the number do not remember.) Before
we had time to file out OF the road a shot, COM
! ing directly from the north, passed through
4 our ranks, disabling a number of persons
( among the rest Capt Dobbs, of Co <, who was
I the senior officer and IN command of the de-
tachment. This left Lieut.. Tunison, of Co. B,
in command who disposed of the men in a
manner to render the proper support to the
/ battery, and awaited events. The firing was
/ quite lively 20 the north OF US for while and
a number Of wounded passed to the rear, among
I the first OF whom was Col. @. A. Smith, of the
4 35th H., who went back with piece of skull
/ the size Of silver dollar Clipped from the top
/ Of his head. After a while the firing subsidized,
and an Ominous silence prevailed all around us.
4 Having nothing to do where we were went to
! Lieut.. TuniSOn and obtained permission to do
1 4 little scouting on my own hook. / started in
! a northeast direction and penetrated the rather
open woods perhaps a third of mile, but
neither saw nor heard anything TO indicate
+ a force of friend or foe in that direction.
Returning TO the command, l next went
directly east until / came to an old
field in which there was a dense of growth
of young timber from eight to ten feet high.
As il was impossible to see through this growth,
! climbed a leaning tree until good view was
I obtained, aud this is what / saw: The field was
probably quarter of mile from east to west and
some half mile long. East of the field was road,
and along the whole length of the field, pene-
| trating the timber on the south, and still push
1 ing out of the timber on the north, was dense
+ column of Confederates, a. foot horse and artil-
lery," apparently marching in quick time, and
so noiselessly that they could not be heard
across the field ] descended from my perch
at once, and returned rs fast rs | could to the
battery. where / accosted mounted man
/ whether an officer or not / do not remember,
told him what ] had discovered, and advised
him to inform Gen. Carr at once. He dashed
down the road, and in remarkably short time
the head Of the division came in sight, and we
were very soon all fastening in the direction
of the old field. Our battery unlimbered and
commenced throwing shells. The rebels re-
turned the compliment and followed up with
their infantry. and the screaming shells and
leaden hail soon made a music about our ears
more discor6ant. if possible, than we had ever
heard at a backwoods country singing school
The division did splendid work, remaining
behind the fence until forced back by greatly
superior numbers and then retiring with their
faces to the enemy, loading aud firing as they
fell back. In the mean time the rebels had
thrown a force in our rear between the left OF
the division and Elkhorn Tavern and the 35th
H., which occupied the left of the division
was caught between the two forces. and larger
-. i
Lieut.-Col. VIM. p Chandler, was forced to
surrender.
So obstinate had been the resistance that the
Confederate troops soon ceased the pursuit
and leisurely went into camp in dense woods
south of the scene OF the afternoons conflict
That night Gen. Curtis ably assisted by Sigel
1 Asboth and others, posted the artillery ia the
most advantageous positions, ready for the
renewal of the desperate conflict which every
body felt was coming In the morning. Ny
/ Tecollections may differ materially from those
1 Of the author OF The Lost Army" as to the
relative positions Of the contending forces Oh
the morning Of the 9Th of March As | re-
member it, at least, our part Of the army occn
pied commanding position, while the enemy
lay on much lower ground. The last days
battle was essentially an artillery duel anC
was the only battle of the war, so far as tht
writer knows, where victory was won agains
great odds almost exclusively by that arm O
the service.
One word as to the flank movement of TIL
rebel army to the rear of Cars Divisions
While the writer has never heard any explana
ton of the object of the rebels in making tn,
movement he is satisfied that it was beinj
made without any knowledge at all on the par
Of the Commanding General of the army o
? on the part of the General commanding GU
division. Neither has he ever had any doub
/ but that the battle of Pea Ridge would hav
had an entirely different termination had no
9 the movement been accidentally discovered.
Col. Chandler was exchanged few day
e afterwards, and participated in every battle AM
: skirmish with the regiment until the end o
war; aud if he did not go home with star
] upon his shoulders, it was not because he wa
! not more entitled to them than hundreds O
. less deserving men who were more fortunatel,
| situated rs regards promotion. The member
I of the regiment viii readily comprehend wha
I mean,-H. II. REED Co. B, Both H., Smitl
S Center, Kansas.
q of a woman is pretty,
To me tbs no matter,