The National tribune., 1900-02-15
Battle of Prairie Grove.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: / viii
try to give a description Of the part taker
by the regiment and brigade to which
belonged, at the time of the battle of Prairie
Grove, Ark, Dec. Z, 1862. On the morning
OF the 9TH we were camped at Cane Hill
where we had had on Dec. quite an en-
gagement with Hindman, lasting all day
We finally routed him and made running
fight for 10 miles. They hoisted the white
flag, the bearer of which said they wanted
to collect their dead and wounded; but We
found that it was Il field battery stuck ir
the mud; they were so thoughtful of it thai
we caught on, and went for them red hot
capturing the battery, with quite number
Of prisoners, and returned to Cane Hill.
We had more or less skirmishing every
day until the 9TH, when our commander
had become very uneasy as to the safety
of his little army, which did not number
more than 800 men. We were nearly 2OC
miles from our place of supplies, bridges
all gone i'll our rear, and Price with his
whole army preparing to take us in out OF
the wet"
During our stay here we were compelled
to subSiSt on the hospitality of the natives
and owing to the fact that we were Kansas
men, you can readily imagine that We
came near starving. Gen. Brunt had Sent
word to Gen. Heron tocOme with all posi- bic
speed to our aid, as it became evident that
Price was about to come down upon us
While these arrangements were going on
Heron, with his Iowa and Illinois boys
was coming on forced march from Spring.
field to our aid, and while he was yet eight
miles from us he met Prices army, which
was as much of a surprise to him as it was
to Price.
Both armies went into line and COM
menced operations. Our little army was on
the march to meet Price, but Heron struck
him first. and l think we heard the first
gun, when we double-quicked for about
three miles. When we arrived, Heron
was almost done for. We We're not long
in making it lively on the enemy's left
When the Iowa boys with Heron saw us
gave such a yell of joy that shall never
forget, and under the excitement of the
moment charged the enemy, which proved
most disastrous to the Iowa boys. In
some companies not a CorporaPs guard
escaped being killed or wounded.
When Heron became engaged he sent
word for us to move forward with all poss-
BILE speed to his assistance. Our battery
was placed in advance; the infantry march,
ed by the right flank in its rear. When
the battery entered an orchard a shower
of bullets was sent at it from an adjoining
thicket on the right Fearing for his
safety, and surprised at this unexpected
Heron was engaged, the 10th Kan. was
hurried into the thicket to clear it. We
had hardly entered before we were sub
jected to a terrific fire, but fortunately
with little loss.
The ba ttery moved forward into a
out of reach of small-arms, while
the 10th Kan. continued moving and driving
the enemy, but were soon involved again in
a severe contest, when the 18th Kan. and a
fragment of the Sd Ind were moved forward
into the timber to the assistance of the
10th.
A line of battle was formed under the
brow of a small hill. Some detachments
from the I'd Kan. Cav, dismounted, and a
portion of the 18th Kan. came to our help
A continuous firing with but slight inter
was kept up until dark.
Our line was as follows: The Indianians
on the right under Lieut. Galiher, as skir-
mishers; the 10th Kan, under Maj. Will
liams; detachment Of the I'd Kan, under
Bassett; the 18th Kan, under
Col. Bowen; detachment OF the 11th Kan,
under Col. Ewing.
We attempted several times to pass the
brow of the hill and engage the enemy in
close quarters, but We were as often re-