The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-02-06
The Little Rock OujGt.

EDITOR NATIONAL tribune: was much
pleased on reading Capt Russell's article on
tho Little Rock Campaign" in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE Of Jan. g. He is correct in the MAN.
but | wish TO correct his memory in few items
of more or less importance. On leaving Pilot
Knob Mo-, July /, 1863, our division consisted
of nine regiments or parts of regiments of
cavalry, four or five batteries Of artillery, two
companies of infantry, with pontoons, trains,
etc, and was divided into two brigades, com
mauded respectively by Coils. Merrill, I'd Mo-
Cav, aud Glover, Sd No. Cav At Bloomfield,
Mo-, n reorganization took place, and from
thence we bad four commands in place of two
The First Brigade iCo Morril) consisted of
tho I'd, 18th, and Sth Mo. Cav, tho two latter
having only eight companies each, | think.
The Second Brigade, Col. Glover, was made up
OF the Sd Mo. and LIST Iowa Cav, each II com
panies and 10th III. Cav, 10 companies The
Third Brigade was composed of the 1st Mo-
Cav, and commanded by its Colonel, eight com
panles; Sd Iowa. six companies; 18th ILL., Cav
four companies, the pontOon train, in charge
OF two companies of the oath Mo-" Pony"
Boyds rcgiment-and two companies of in
fntry picked mp at Bloomfield and attached to
pontOon guards. ] never know their dCsigna-
tlon. The fourth command was under Capt.
liadICy, of the 2jth Ohio battery rs Chief of
Artillery, aud consisted of his battery Of six
guns battery of 2d Mo. Art. four heavy field
guns 'tFt btlllG lttl bcullh NJ llOOlniClu,j n
battery of six little howitZcrs, also of ID Mo.
Art, under Capt, STANCE, pronounced in two
sylabcs; not "Stfangc,') n battery of four
little howitzcrq lwC called them bul-pups"
belonging to the "a Mo Cav. and called the
Merrill Horse battery" and perhaps the Sd
Iowa battery, as the Captain says. | do not re-
member ii, however.
Al Oak Bluff, on the first DAYS march i'm Ar.
kansas, our brigade was in advance and the
Coloncls staff, were ahead of tho advance
guard, and were resting at Il farmhouse in the
suburbs of the village, after lunch of bread
and milk, leaving couple Of Ordcrlics TO watch
the horses, when jeff Thompson and his bush
whackcrs came in sight on their way to fiji an
engagement in the village, not knowing we
were near Jcn' WAS triggcd out in full Federal
cavalry uniform, and was putting on heaps of
style. The guard let them come close enough
to bc sure his iollOwcrs-somc 30 or morc-vere
not tcdCrais. aud then fred. The gay cavaliers
wheeled about without much military nrcCis-
ION, aud left those promises Mt hreakneck
speed, taking by-roah little distance out
The stan came tumbling out, rubbing their
eyes and shaking themselves together lust in
time To get glimpse of the rctrcating column
Capt Smelling, 10th III. Cav Inspector General
win single Orderly, gavo ChHso, aud run the
frightened rebels some five miles or more but
ialiCd 10 surround them or capture any
prisoncr3-at least they brought none back.
tol. HioycT put the Sd Mo. aud lst Iowa
through several ov0lutious Of the line" rs we
moved forward, in Brownsville prairie. on the
18th OF August. The 10th ILL., was train.gnard
aud we were IN the reserve that day. We were
finally halted IN close column of squalrous in
rear Of the field hospital, which was on the left
rear Of the line e.. battle. Very soon the Third
Brigade plunged into tho timber i'm column of
fours; tho First followed, aud wc tthe 81 cond)
were right ~ their heels Tho Third Brigade
followed he iohnnjCg about two miles. found
thcm IN line IN the next prairie drove them
into the timber and returned. We were all
except ttlusiu camp in aud about Browns.
vile before night. Burhridgc was captured as
tho column entered Iio was Just recovering
from spoil Of ickucss ne a farmhouse near
by. Hearing lac firing hc came in, Just III
time to ho picked up by our boys as they en-
tered the town. lIa was under Con Walker
When Capt. Russell asserted That we lay on
the prairie All night hes must have been think
ing about the crszy chase the General gave ms
the night before, passing through Harrisburg,
Ark. When we were ahou. To- retire to our
vIIiGuns blankets, a staff officer came back
from the front. in considerable haste Wcwcre
routed out and pat through on fast time till
tho small hours OF the morning whom com
ing abreast Of the camp of the First Brigade,
where Morpheus seemed 20 reign supreme.
Here We were halted IN column in the road.
and left til after daylight Most OF Us tied
onr horses 70 oar legs or arms and lay down