The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-07
The Story Of Prices Raid,
tBy Lieutenant General w. L. Caheli,
Transmississinni nenartnnnnt IL q w

the spring campaign OF 1854 had closed,
General Steele had been forced back to
Little Rock and not allowed to unite with
General n. ?. Banks. who was at the same
time marching up Red river with large
with large wagon trains and great num-
Der OF river transports. to transport sup
plies for his army. as his intention was TO
unite with General Steele at or near
Shreveport, and from that point to invade
Texas, leaving a sufficient force to hold
possession as he supposed, of the State
OF Arkansas and the Indian Territory.
Banks never reached Shreveport, as he was
driven back by General Dick Taylor, with
loss OF great number OF his soldiers
killed. wounded and captured, losing also
most OF his transportation, a perfect rout
after the battle OF Mansfield TO New Or
leans. Steele never reached Shreveport,
nor did he ever unite with Banks, as he
was met by shelby. Marmaduke and Cabell
at Benton, who never lost sight OF him
ana who fought him then at Arkadelphia,
Rockport, Spoonersville, Okoona, Antoine,
I Wolfe Creek. Elkins Ferry, Moscow Pratt
RE Dame, Poison Springs, Marks Mill
and Jenkins Ferry, capturing 2o0o prison
crs 500 wagons aud teams. fourteen pieces
Of artillery, Ave smhulsnces and a number
Of small arms. Steele returned TO Little
Rock. as Banks did TO New Orleans 10 a
perfect rout, having had great number Of
his soldiers killed. wounded ard captured,
and having lost his transportation aud two
batteries OF artillery.
The cavalry brigsdes, who had suffered
so much, who had done so much hghtins,
and who for days and nights had neither
forage for their horses nor food for the
men, as everything had been destroyed and
the whole country laid waste, needed rest
I and time 70 recuperate
Cabell's brigade. having been in nearly
every battle and skirmish, and having had
large number killed and wounded needed
rest ] vas ordered to command a district
on the Arkansas river, where there was an
abundance of corn, good grass in the bot
toms and on the levees. NV men and
horses improved rapidly. My sick and
wounded men now returned to their COM
panies and regiments
On August 4, 1864, was relieved from
the command of the Arkansas river dis
triet and ordered TO Princeton, Ark to
order in all my scattered companies to
prepare and to get my brigade (Cabell' Sd
ready to take part in contemplated inva-
sion OF Missouri and Kansas. That In a
few days an order would be issued nv
General e. Kirby Smith, commanding the
Transmississippi department directing
General Sterling Price TO take large cav
airy force ard invade Missouri and Kansas.
The order was issued on August IL, 1864,
directing General Price to move into Mis-
souri, with the whole OF the cavalry In the
district of Arkansas which was then under
his command with an additional brigade.
reported to be 1900 strong, under Colonel
Harrison. who was then somewhere on the
mississippi river in Louisiana. Colonel
Harrison never reported with his brigade,
ana his failure TO report caused delay
in the movements of Prices column of IN :
vasion, That delay with the failure to
get an increased supply OF ordnance stores,
DELAYED the departure Of this column.
ID August % General Price arrived at
Princeton, Ark. and assumed command.
on August 80 Fagan's division camped
near Tulip, about ten miles North of
Princeton. This expedition was undertaken
for the purpose OF relieving the state of
Missouri from Federal rule, to restore con-
hdence in the ability OF the Confederate
government, and also to keep as large d
force as possible from the Federal army
IN tennessee, weakening the Federal force
! there and thereby assisting General Hood.
another important reason was that Gen
eral Price expected that he would get a
| large number Of recruits to Join his army
| that could not get ont of the State OF Mis-
souri, or join the Confederate army unless
| protected by their friends who were then
| in the Confederate army.
Both General Price and GeneraI Kirhv
Smith had received messages and courlars
from the leaders OF secret organization
| called the order OF the American Knights
or the state OF Missouri" who represent cd
that as soon as he came into the State
with a strong command that he would
receive great number OF this order. WIN
were good and true men, and who would
make number one soldiers. and which
would enable him TO get possession OF aud
10 remain In the State of Missouri during
the winter. ! know nothing OF this or
| der myself. but in a consultation with
| Generals Smith and Price both OF them
seemed perfectly satisfied with the re-
liability OF the messages received | was
Informed OF the purported strength OF this
order, and also Informed that they would
rally TO our standard al soon as possible
after We got a foothold in the State that
! was to be promoted and placed In COM
mand OF this accession TO our army Such
were General Prices written instructions
from General Smith. General Price was
under the impression that this order OF
the knights OF Missouri" as well "a num-
bers OF Southern men outside OF this or
| der, WOulQ JOIN Aut NOultHN4abt ul4ny a.
soon as they knew he was in the State
with his corps, and that he would In
crease his army by at least 10000 men.
But we found that our Increase would be
but few thousand men OF all ages. and
that the Federals had complete control
OF the State OF Missouri.
Organized militia, as well as regular
troops. in every county and town In The
state. better armed and equipped than the
Confederate troops. ard that true southern
men were intimidated and afraid 10 Join
us or 10 leave their homes for fear thas
| their families would be Oppressed and
their property destroyed. The fact is the
expedition was too long delayed. The
largo anaconda had the whole state IN his
coils The Confederate force was no.
strong enough 10 afford relief, although
every effort was made by the brave my
under General Price to relieve The pco 'le
as II wss really battle or sk rmi IN eve
day and every night from the tims this
army crossed the Arkansas river. sep'eni-
her g. 1854. and more especially after the
crossing into Missouri. on the 18th o.
LSeptember. 1854 in three colunns--Ssn-
eral Pagan commanding the central col
umn. Major General J. s. Marmaduke on
Fagsn's right. Brieadier Gsuersl J. Q
Shelby, who Joined General Price with his
division az Porahortas- on Fsgsnt lHff
The orgsniEstiop o. Prices army a. y
| vas called Haz as foiioNs.