The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-02
1.-THE AMERICAN
CONFLICT"
Leading Incidents and Episodes
of the War of the Rebellion.
BY HORACE GREELEY.

Va W 14 VI 10OUOxxxV0s
By HORACE GREELEY.
BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE.
tContinued)
VAN DORM AT ELKHORN TAvERN-AD-
VANCE OF CURTIS'S DIvISIONS-A
UNION vICToRY-INDIANS ON THE
RIDGE BATTLE
(coPYRIGHT3
Van Dorm slept that night At the
Elkhorn Tavern, from which he had
dislodged Davis by such desperate
efforts.
He had thus far been fighting part
of our forces with all of his own, and
had only gained ground where his pre-
ponderance Of numbers was overwhelm-
ing.
Curtis reports his entire command in
Arkansas at 10000, cavalry and in
fantry-of whom $50 were absent after
forage throughout the battle-and 48
pieces of artillery. He estimates the
rebel force in battle at 10000, includ-
ing 5000 Indians. pollard says: "Van
| Dorn's whole force was about 10000
men.") But now our whole army was
in hand, while at least third of it had
| not yet fred shot. Not man in our
ranks doubted that our victory must be
speedy as we'll as decisive.
The sun rose. Gen. Curtis awaited
the completion of his line of. battle by
Asboth's and Sigels Divisions getting
into position, but no shot was fired by
the enemy. At length, Curtis ordered
Col. Davis, in our center, to begin the
days work. He was instantly replied
to from new batteries and lines which
the rebels had prepared during the night,
some of the batteries raking our right
wing SO that it was constrained to fall
back little. but without slackening its
fire.
Asboth's ari SigePs Divisions were
soon in position. completing our line-of-
battle little to the srear of the first,
but without break, and much of it on
open ground, our left wing extended SO
that it could not be fanked. Gen.
Curtis ordered his right to advance to
the positions held the night before, and,
finding himself an elevation ON the
extreme right, considerably in advance,
which commanded the enemy's center
and left, here posted the Dubuque bat
terry, directing the right wing to advance
to its support while Capt Hayden
opened from it most CALLING fire.
Returning to the center. he directed
! the LIST Iowa battery. Capt. David, to
take position in an open field and com
mence operations; and so battery after
battery opened fire, the infantry moving
steadily to their support, while the left
wing was pushed rapidly forward, climb
ing low cliff from which the rebels
had been driven by our guns, and
crowded them back into the deep ravines
OF Cross-Timber Hollow. The Both III.
was prominent in this movement; while
the 18th Mo-, pushing into the enemy
lines, captured flag and two guns.
The FLIGHT OF THE REBELS
was SO sudden and swift, and the ravines
wherein they disappeared 30 impractica-
bic for cavalry, that our commanders
were for some time at fault in the pur-
suit. Gen. Sigel pushed north on the
Keytesville road, where but few of them
had gone and it was not till afternoon
that Gen. Curtis ascertained that, after
entering the Hollow, the main rebel
force had turned to the right, following
obscure rayiDes which led into the
Huntsville road, on which they escaped.
Col. Bussey, with our cavalry and how
itzers, followed them beyond Benton
ville.x
Gen. Curtis reports his entire loss in
the battle at 1851, of whom 701-more
than half-were of Col. Cars Division
The rebel loss can hardly have been
less; since, in addition to Gems. Ben
McCulloch and Mcintosh killed, Gems.
Price and Slack were wounded.
The victory at Pea Ridge was unmis-
takably ours, but the trophies we're not
abundant. No cannon, nor caissons,
nor prisoners of any account, save a few
too severely wounded to hobble of,
were taken; and, though a letter to
the New York Herald, written from
the battlefield on the 9th, speaks of "a
considerable quantity Of wagons, sup
plies, ETC., load of powder, and nearly
a thousand stand of arms" as captured
by Sigel during his pursuit of the fugi-
tiyes upon the Keytesville road, they
do not figure in either of Sigel's official
reports of the battle, nor yet in those of.
Curtis.
The beaten Confederates, fleeing with
CELEBRITY in different directions and by
many paths, finally. came together in
the direction of Bentonville, some eight
miles from the Elkhorn Tavern, whence
Van Dorm dispatched flag of truce to
Curtis, soliciting an arrangement for
burying the dead, which was accorded.