The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-04-16
FIGHTING THEM OVER,
Thai0ur Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
PRAIRIE GROVE, ARK.

pf Dec 2J 1880 an article by Veteran about
the battle of Prairie Grove Ark, attracted my
attention aud ] thought then ! would write
something about the same battle. but concluded
20 wall tor some abier pen than mine 20 de-
scribe one al The icrcest battles Of the great
rebellion. hut IN your issue OF Feb. 8, Lieut.
VIM n Nav gives but faint picture oil the
real battle. He mentions several regiments
which were engaged, aud omts the IN MO-
Cav. or "thu Bloody 9Th" as we were styled ~
Gen. Davidson aferward. he was not IN
position 90 take In the surroundings very eN-
tensivcy should presume, rs lac was CONSIDER
ipp how he might get ont % that about that
time but Is closely as he was put 70 II 10 get
ont OF bi- ncrilnus position, there were many
more on the same field ms hardly pushed.
mart oil The -.5 No. Cav. had been detailed the
dav before Dec 81 for the advance, and after
marching AL might and had crossed ILLINOIS,
Crcek-not little Illinois RiHer-and through
the lame across tho fertile bottom, up the hlli
To the forks 81 tho road Whore was led OF
corn not yc gathered, Maj. Eliphalet Brcdctte,
then commanding the advance, ordered q HIATT
10 feed the worn horses and give the men an
oppOrtuuity to refresh themselves ana break
fhcir fast Il WAS Just sunrise, aud all was quiet
except Che rtte of cavalry arms and accou-
terments. Mai. p. had given orders for all to
he quiet, 800 sounding OF ungies OF ioud or
bOstereus talk. and certainly no firing Of piS-
tolls on carbinus without orders; but al COM
rades know bow Il is and the old an was not
perfeci when the boys went for corn they
heard some mud larks among the stalks, and,
of course could not resist the temptation 70
get something fresh 90 carry back 10 thelr
comrades who were making Tires TO prepare uhe
breakfast
-Four al Co. G gave chase, but the larls Jed
them into trouble, running 10 the Tar side OF
the coruiold with The prospect OF getting away
entirely: bui the boys were not TO be thus
treated 81 they could not win M iuut-race,
which Is hard 10 DO with razur-back lu the
lead, they would send a leaden messenger 60
them. The thought was father TO the act
they frcd-wicn 10 and behold they had
been rushing into vertablc hornets nest.
Ping, png ping Thicker and faster flew the
leaden hail aud two Of Go. { bit the dust never
more 10 rise uuiil chat last great dav.'
The timber and uudeThrnsh were h!icd with
Hindma.'s men who had been ordered 10 keep
Quiet aud Haf Gre on the advance under any CON
sideHti0u uul0s, fired upon. They Of course
could uoi lcl Sd good an opportunity pass, aud
thus she engagement was brought about which
soon became general.
Hindmans troops had been hidden In this
underbru-h mud had been ordered 10 remain
quiet uutil thr troops under Gen. Heron had
PASSED by and they would capture the great
simply train we had n charge loaded with
OF arms ammunition, clothing and provisions,
Hll OF which were badly needed by the enemy.
But we wore q stiued t. not act MS Quarter
masters 10 Hiudmaus army, and the breach of
orders by the comrades Of Go. q probably saved
our train.
Neither Veteran" nor Lieut. May say any
thing about Herr0ns handful holding the 10000
Oh Hindman I'd bay until o'clock in the after
moon, when Blunt arrived on our right and be-
gan 70 throw shot and shell into our own ranks
on thR left until Col. Dan Huston, Of the 7th
a. 4 a.
perChcd himself on top OF one OF the Peoria
battery runs-,he highest porch be could
reach nj tHr time. Aud neither Of them say
anything nf this same Col Hustun's cunning
with this same battery. Our Colonel was pro-
NOTED fs0m aIuain of the ath II. s. Inf lie
had been educated at West Point and was a
skilled arii erig, and becoming somewhat
dsgruntled What be thought to he lad work
OF the Pe0T.a's boys hc asked the privilege OF
handling one 81 their guns which was granted,
and be soon silouccd two Of the enemy's guns.
which were stationed just az the Tar end 81 The
lane bv brcBEIuU the axle OF orc and putting
q bail directly into the muZzle OF tile other
j cannot dHell on details, but leave that to
Others. who. ike Lieut. May, may have some
personal experience 20 relate. For instance,
about lhe nal0rions retreat ~ Hindmanis
troops lF his orders 81 course. While Ilindman
himself WIS holding conference, under a Aag
81 trucc with Gcus. Blunt and Heron the
escape 81 tll. advance Of ti4c old slh ard their
meeting w.tA toufedCratcs in Federal uui-
forms; lhcir meeting with Blunt and plotting
him, with ihs command, 10 the relief Of Her
ron Aud iei some OF the 200 who were taken
prisoners o. IEler Tex, aud were offered their
Freedom 81 they would vote for Mcclellan for
President give their testimony.
j have bacu here several years and lave met
many 81 the Old boys who wore The gray. and
have WAYS i.frn well received by them. j also
met hero nearly the FIRST one, an old Confederate
veteran, who was in the Prairie Grove battle
and De always would insist that we rctrcated
after che bl,t.c also met here Gen. Fagin,
who was viii ilindmaE, aud fine, genial gem
tIemsu hn 8, TOO. Bnt il is hard 70 find any who
served Es rfHtes. ] think they were al killed
during ihe war OF did not long survive its
effects i0T don't think ! have met any who
were lower .n rank than Captain
lt may be thc Confederate Government was
more generous Than hc parent itself and gave
Hll who would serve b commission.
j would also like 10 see in your valuable pa
per some account o. the battle nc Jcnkcn's
Ferry, anl tac retreat from Camden. vs. s0mc
cOmTahC who uHs [" on the SPOT = as was not
tbcre Also about Moro Bottoms Princeton and
other sreuas where tho old 9TH played such
pr0mineD. lmrta.
served from Aug u, 1861, to Sept 3, 1866.
aud WIS., kgli continually ia camp at office work
until began io feel as ii 4 camp-stool was
growing fast o my trousers and often nj the
desk e. houIs at a stretch. writing 81 night Nv
thC light % ono candle, which ! begin 10 feel
THE chuci- o. hy having bad eycsglt now al
only So.
lwGs Sergeant NaiOrol the ola 9Th over three
ycars and d feeling Of bitterness would ways
come up NacH 3 would have To write letter
40 the oHurs that were recommending
comrades Ga promotion and my name never IN
the list d T.Dcmbcr asking Lieut-Col ! l..
Chandler W.en In command Of The regiment
why Doe a.EAiya omitted my name from tie
lists. lis answer was You shall never get a
commission While ] have command % tie repi.
ment' aud never did. bis reasons were
that DC Naulcd 10 keep his brothcrs name on
thc roster hfjutHut aud as De could not. OF
would not .a illr place, except on parade. i
was compelled 10 90 bis work, and SO was kept
lu this aHc place 30 long THAT hs might draw
the pay aud Ini 0n style
But aIl tau hage aH END and our Licuten-
-tolour r- appointed Provost Marshal Of
the Department 81 Arkansas which brought
has ruin aUd nr d commission.
j need 7.0t speak 81 thc consolidation Of tie
veterans 0i llr Tgh with the vets Of t4e Ist No.
Cav. bpf t may be- necessary 10 30 So I'D an-
other timc. \ leave you now 20 hear from
Others and a- Lieut. May SAYS. Lot as blow
our liiue bagte.'-GuEs Ia. HANLIN First
Lieutenant and tOmmissary, Isl Mo Cav,
Hope, ARK.