The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-21

oseryWnero getting their mon together
Sna rushing savagely at isolated parties
vance toward the town. Everywhere
there we're incidents like that Of SerE't
Moore, Co. g, $50 Iowa, who found
himself alone at the front and before
five Of the enemy. He jumped behind
stump, leveled his rifle upon 1t and
CO.. manded his enemies to surrender,
which tney did and were marched back
as prisoners OF war. Up until the time
that Prices men entered the Battery
their charge was magnificent, but then
they got out Of hand, were captured or
driven back in detail.
By 1880 q. m. Gen. Holmes had the
bitter conviction forced upon him that
the assault was a failure and he or
dered his bugles to sound the retreat.
Again we have the fact, so conspicuous
throughout the Mississippi River cam
paigns, that the Southern troops were
more quickly exhausted than those
from the North. The Confederate re-
ports make much Of the prOstration of
their men from the hard night march,
the excitement Of the assault and the
ee.rific heat which followed the rising
Of ths early morning fog. Gen. Price
az he could to a point about four miles
from G,,.ana. whitl1eS they were fol-
lowed by the rest &c the e:my and all
remained there for the night. Gen.
Premises forces were too weak TO
make q pursuit.
The Confederate losses, as stated by
Holmes, were 173 killed. 687 wound
ed. and 776 missing, making total Of
1886. Prentiss certif1es that he buried
400 dead, paroled 108 wounded, and
fourth Of whom were wounded making
a total Of 1901 left in his hands. The
Union loss was 81 killed, 127 wounded,
and Sc missing; total $50.
Humiliating and Decisive.
The defeat was humiliating and de-
cisive, and ended all efforts and hopes
Of the Confederates to obtain control
Of the Mississippi River above Vicks-
burg. 1t also ended Gen. Holiness ca
the elimination of all that he had been
able to do since his assignment to the
command of the District of Arkansas.
He had virtually staked all upon this
achievement. He had command Of all
the troops and other resources Of the
State; had been given his own way in
planning the movement and had the
whole State to draw from for means to
secure his end. He had done the very
best he knew how and the Richmond
| authorities were justified in thinking
that he should, with all that he had to
and diseases mitten garrison at Helena
His report of his failure was transmit
ted to Richmond by Kirby Smith with
deep pain" and 20 days later Sterling
Price superseded him in command Of
the District of Arkansas. He died
June 20, 1880.
The battle was q glorious feat for the
| Union army, and it is not often that one
| finds in the reports of a battle every
one to have done so unusually well as
did the little garrison at Helena. From
Major-Generals to privates everybody
seems to have done his full duty at the
right time and in the right way. and
had the battle not been overshadowed
| by the tremendous success at Vicks-
| burg substantial honors would have
| been literally distributed to the Off
GERS. 1t was fought while the surren-
der Of Vicksburg was being consum-
mated, and If 1t had gone against the
Union troops it would have been a Sc
we're blemish upon that success. 1t is
true it would not have been an ire
trievable disaster, since the Confeder-
ates could not have held the place
against the troops which Grant would
have Immediately sent thither, but the
victory added much to the glory Of that
obtained at Vicksburg and 1t rounded
out symmetrically that wonderful sue
cess.
ITO he cOntinuedl