The Green Forest tribune., 1894-09-13
Battle ofPea Ridge,
eSpondence oftbe Ottumwa do.} SUN,

'''NoAAA-F' vi lllG great re-
oe'iloh' IN ali tie army records, in all
tine reports Of Generals, in all the news.
paper articles have read have never
Yet seen report Of the battle of Pea
Ridge, Ark, that was any where near
coftect-one of the hardest fought bat
Ties OF the war with 10 record. Being
at that time ON duty i'll the Quarter
/ master S department, ! was given the
opportunity possible to be an eve
witness to much that transpired.
! The first days fighting that was done
by Gen. Slgel's troops over some ten
miles of ground lying between Benton
vile and Pea Ridge, which was merely
to check the advance of Van Dorn's
army. This was Thursday, March 6.
March Z there was a general engaoa.
noe mt, our lines reaching across Pea
Ridge, Gen. Curtis commanding. Our
force was much too small to cover the
rebel lines. This was hard day's
lighting, with but little gained. The
prospect was gloomy. My own regi-
ment, the 3ld Iowa Cavalry, was bad
lay cut up. Many brave blue coats
lay dead or dying. Friday night was
spent in comparative quiet, the whole
army lying on their arms. Saturday
morning, March s, the fight was re-
newed with increased yigor, the rebel
troops feeling sure Of victory. The
booming of cannon, the yell, the clat-
er of musketry, the running to and
fro. the general clash of arms was ter
rible until nearly noon. We were les
ing heavily and gaining no & round.
Several Iowa regiments We're engaged,
the 4th Infantry being in the hottest
of the fray. Gen. Curtis was brave
man, yet he had high regard for
human life, and he felt discouraged.
Near noon he callea.a council Of war. |
was standing near by where were gath
cred abont Gen. Curtis his leaders,
Gems. DAVIS, Osterhaus, Asboth, Carr,
Sigel and others Van Dorn's army
greatly outnumDereG ours, and Gen.
Curtis saw he was gaining no ground.
"What shall we do?" said Curtis.
When the question of surrender was
raised Gen. Sigel said: mo, no."
"Sheneral Curtis" said Sigel, 81 will
vip de tam rebels in less than two
hours.
GLOW would you do it?' said Curtis
"Mit stategy and artillery, said Sigel
Gen. Curtis replied: Gen. Sigel, if
you can DO that without TOO great a
sacrifice Of life | will gladly accord to
you all honor due"
Sigel's reply was "stlenneral, I would
not loose Won man.
"Pray tell us your plan" said Cur
tbs. Gen. Sigel then briefly detailed
his plan and it was adopted aud car
ried into effect. The victory was
won in less than two hours and with al
most no loss of life on our side, but
with terrible loss to the rebels.
The plan was this: All the infantry
were ordered back in til e rear of artil-
lery and under cover of bush and trees.
The big guns apparently exposed. The
rebels, of course, saw this move and
wondered. All the guns were then
loaded with blank cartridges and fired
q few times. When the rebels saw we
shot nothing but smoke they concluded
we were out of ammunition and all
they had to do was to march over and
take us in. That of course, is what ST.
gel wanted them to think When the
rebel Generals saw we had apparently
given up the ghost they advanced rap
idly, and soon the whole face Of the
valley between Pea Ridge and Elk
Horn Tavern was literally alive with
rebel soldiers. Sigel now ordered all
the guns loaded with grape and canis-
ter, and even sighted some of the guns
himself. Fire was reserved until the
the rebels advance line were within
800 yards of our lines Then our ar
tillerymen opened fire, and Van Dorn's
army We're moved down like grass be-
fore the scythe. Our infantry now ran
forward to give them more grape aud
canister, and in few minutes Van
Dorm army Was as completely panic
stricken as any army ever was. The
cavalry now closed in from the tanks
and the rebel army was routed most eff
fectualy, retreating en- masse with
scarcely an attempt of order. And
thus was that victory won, and with |
very little loss to us, after we were in