The National tribune., 1899-07-20
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What the Veterans Have to Say
About Their Campaigns.
WRESTLING WITH "BUTTERNUTs.
The Pea Ridge Battle as Told by q 9Th Mich. Cav
Man-How the Figksing Began.

Man-noW tHci Tkksmk beRdn
EDITOR NATIoNALn. TRIBUNE: On
March 7, 1862. the United States army,
numbering between 10000 and 1900
men. under Maj i.-Gen. Curtis, took position
on Pea Ridge, facing Sugar Creek Valley,
and upon the road leading from Benton
vile, Ark, to Springfield, Mo. Our troops
were well placed to receive a direct attack
thought, that if they wanted to have a
fight, they would be compelled to come up
the valley to get to us.
The reserves and train were lying in rear
of our line of battle about two miles, near
Elk Horn Tavern. Everybody was ex-
pecting a fight, as 1T was known that Prices
army, largely reinforced and now COM
manded by Van Dorm, was close after us,
about $4,000 strong. Before sunrise on
| the morning of the 18th, in front of Elkhorn
Tavern, | was standing holding my horse,
by the side of Maj. Weston, Provost Mar.
the 24th No, to which was then attached
| AS we waited, expecting the battle to COM
| mence, we saw a horseman coming as fast
as he could ride toward us from tine direc-
| ton of the front. AS he came near he sud
denly halted and, throwing himself down
| in front of me, asked:
as your name Iyler!"
| l replied: 1T is, sir"
He asked, "Do you know anything about
this country around here%
/ answered. 81 do not
He said, II have been misinformed, then,
and mounting his horse, as he dashed
away said, I'VE don't know where the
enemy isr'
asked the Major. who is that man?'
Hes the Chief of Scouts"
We'll, how did he know my name?' /
asked. Il never saw him before"
The Major replied that he did not know.
Well, | thought that was rather remarkable,
| to say the least.
| l then mounted my horse and went down
the road to our rear about 300 or 400 yards,
when l saw to my right in the woods a
heavy column of butternuts, as We called
them, coming up i'll oar rear. did not
wait to say anything, not even good morn
ing, but whirled my horse around and rode
| back to where had left the jor standing.
| was so excited it was hard for me to
make him understand that the woods just
over there were full of butternuts. Away
| rode several orderlies to give the alarm.
Quicker than one not seeing it could believe
| to be possible, a battery of six guns, follow
ed by two heavy columns Of infantry on the
doube-quick, stripped of everything but
guns and cartridges boxes, rushed by in
the direction of the enemy and in a very few
moments were laundering away.
That was the beginning of the battle of
Pea Ridge. Our line of battle had to be
changed to the rear and left, as the roar of
artillery and muSketry soon told us we
were attacked OH our left.
After staying with the Provost Marshal
short time, said to him | was going over
on the left to see what they were doing
there. Riding up in rear of a battery /,
for the first time, saw one supported.
This was my first battle, and everything
was new, but | soon, saw what supporting a
battery meant.
The enemy came pouring over fence
at the edge of a wood 10 the right of the bat
terry, and before the gunners could realize
our infantry, rising from where they had
been lying close in rear, quick as thought
delivered a most deadly fire into the rebel
ranks, and in an instant the ground was
covered with dead and dying. Such rs
could get back into the woods did SO as
quickly as possible.
The battle continued to rage to- the right
of us fearfully, and in this part of the field
Gems. Mcintosh and Mccullough, of the
enemy, were killed. The enemy were now
wholly in our rear, and the battle ragged on
this line until night.
The next morning at break of day it
commenced agan, the enemy concentrating
on either side of the main road leading
across the Ridge. Our forces on that line
had been forced back to the south of Elk
horn Tavern and over between the enemy
and our train, and we had to do some hard
fighting to save our train. But about 10 or
IL o'clock the enemy gave way, when there
Siegel's men shouting and throwing their
caps into the air. The butternuts scattered
in every direction, and it was impossible to
get them to stand and give battle again
A. A. TYLER, 9th Mich. Cav, Birming-
ham, Ala