The National tribune., 1889-01-24

for5ed good cover for an enemy. The mounted
men iu advance, with whom were Harry and
Jack. discovered signs Of an enemy lurking IN
The tim Der south Of Hills house and word was
sent to bring up the infantry. Harry rode
back to carry the order, and IN little waiie
the infantry had come forward and was ready
for business. The SD I'll. and the nth Wis.
We're the ones selected for the work they de-
ployed rs skirmishers, and soon exchanged
shots with the rebels who were spread out IN
the timber. The two Union regiments were
not more than coo strong; they were opposed
by about I500 rebels, but the disparity Of num-
bers was balanced by the superiority OF the
weapons Of the former and their good drill and
discipline The rebel forces consisted Of some
very raw cavalry from Arkansas and Texas,
and some newly-assembled conscripts who had
not been in camp many days and knew pTacti-
cally nothing about military life.
Soon as the firing began 10 have anything
like VigOr to il the coGscTipts fed in disorder,
but the Texan troops stood their ground very
well. As our right approached the enemy S
left it was met by volley which caused two
Of the companies TO fall back little; the reb-
els undertook TO follow up the advantage thus
gained. aud TO DO so emerged from the wood
into the open ground.
Here they were met by volleys Of musketry
and by rapid discharges Of grape from TWO
steel howitzcrs which were brought forward by
the lst Ind. Cav. This welcome was too much
for the rebels, who broke and fed from the
field, leaving a good many Of their men dead
or wounded. Some OF them TetTeatcd TO Bes
Arc. and Others along the road 10 the south.
It was afterwards reported that three or four
thousand men were marching from Des Arc to
Join them. but were unable TO get across the
Cache River. which is too deep TO be i0rdcd and
the single ferTyb0at was not able TO bring them
over in time to be of use. When It was ioHnd
that the other force had been defeated. they
gave up the attempt to interrupt the advance
OF the Cni9n army and marched back 70 Des
Arc.
The camp was made for that night a short
distance beyond the scene Of the battle, and
the hospital was established at Hills house.
On the Union side five were killed and 81
wounded. The killed included Capt. Sloane, OF
the Ilth Wis, who was shot while leading ms
men into action, and among the wounded was
Mai Clcndenin. Of the lst Ind. Cav, who after
wards died of his wound. Harry and Jack ac-
companicd the detail Of men sent to bury the
dead. aud they reported 81 of the rebels slain.
The great disparity Of numbers was due to the
Enfield rifles with which our soldiers were
armed, and also to the effectiveness Of the
b0witZers, which discharged their grapeshot
81 short range.
Many Of the slain were boys, and it was evil
dent thar the rebels we're dragging into their
service everybody who by any possibility could
carry gun. Jack found in a corner Of field
3 boy OF not over ID years. who had been Sc
verclv wounded. Hewas crying piteoasly, and
as Jack approached him he begged for drop
Of water 10 quench the terrible thirst from
which Ire was suffering Jack gave HIM the
water theu bound Up his wound ID such way
as 10 stop the bleeding, and calling Harry 10
his aid tenderly carried the sufferer TO the
hospital Through the attention he received
from our young friends the boy was saved from
death, and before they left him he tried to ex-
press his thanks, but was too weak 10 do so
iDtelligibly.
Jack hunted up . negro, one of the house ser
wants of Col. Hill. and placed the wounded boy
IN his charge. Under promise of free-papers,
the negro was unremitting in his efforts through
the night, and in the morning his free-papers
were given him, as agreed.