The National tribune., 1908-03-04
CAPTURE OF LITTLE ROCK,
II Was Made by Gen. Steele's Army Sep
10, 1853,


Editor National Tribune: To settle
an argument, will you please answer
thru your columns the following ques-
tions:
l. The date Littl, Rock, Ark, was
captured by the Federal troops.
2. Who was in command of the Fed
eral troops at that time?
3. If not asking too much, what
troops composed the Federal army
! Robt. j. Bellamy, First Lieutenant, Co.
d, 10th Ill. Cav, Jacksonville, Fla
Little Rock, Ark, was captured Sept.
10, 1863, by the forces under Gen.
Frederick Steele. who had placed under
his command all the troops at Helena
and the Cavalry Division under Brig
Gen. Davidson. The troops at Helena
designated for the expedition numbered
about 5000, with three six-gun and one
four-gun batteries. The 1St Ind. Cav.
had also three small rifles. Gen. David
sons Cavalry Division had about 5000
present for duty, with IS pieces of ar
tillery, making an aggregate of 10000
men. Gen. Davidson's Cavalry Division
consisted of three brigades. command
ed by Coils. Lewis Merrill, John M.
Glover and John +. Ritter, with the
artillery in the command of Capt. Julius
L. Hadlev. Besides these was the Cav
airy Brigade, of the 1St Ind and 5th
Kan. Cav. commanded by Col. Powell
Clayton. The infantry was in two divi-
sions; the first was commanded by Col.
VIM. e. Mclean, and consisted of the
brigades of Graves and Wood; the other
division was commanded by Gen. Sam
uel A. Rice, with two brigades COM
manded by Coils. c. w Kittredge and
Thomas II. Benton. There was still
another brigade, commanded by Col.
James NJ True, with the artillery I'M
der the command of Capt Mortimer NJ.
Hayden. The infantry started from
Helena Aug. 10, and Aug % Gen. Dav-
idSon was directed to take his cavalry
| toward Dead Mans Lake.
At that time Gen. Sterling Price held
Little Rock with force reported at
from 10000 to 10000, and behind a
strong earthworks which had been
months in building Kirby Smith felt
that the holding of Little Rock was
j necessary to holding Texas, and it was
! expected that a determined resistance
would be made.
Steele pushed forward rapidly. brush
| ing aside Marmaduke's Cavalry. and
| building roads 10 keep up his line of
communications. Sept. Steele reach
ed the Arkansas River and planned his
attack. Davidson was directed TO las
q pcntoon bridge across the Arkansas
and move directly on Little Rock
| threatening the enemy's right flank and
rear, while Steele moved the infantry
! on the north bank of the river to attacl;
/ the right of the Confederate works
/ Much difficulty was expected, as the
country was marked with impossible
Swamps, between which We're the heavy
| earthwOrks commanding the roads
| During the night of Sept. 8 Gen. David
son laid his bridge in a bend of the
Arkansas River. where his artillery 50
swept the opposite bank that the enemy
could not plant a battery anywhere to
interfere with him. Two regiments OF
/ infantry were sent over the bridge ia
! drive the enemys skirmishers out OF
the woods. and the Cavalry Division then
passed rapidly on until it reached Bayou
fonrche, where the enemy put up a
, stiff fight in disputing the crossing
| ihey did not give way until Steele
/ brought his artillery on the other side
! of the river to bear upon their flank
ana rear. Then the two columns
marched on toward Little Rock, keep
I ing abreast on either side of the river
Steele was fearful lest Price should
come out with his whole force and at
/ tack Davidson. and the heavy clouds
] of dust seemed To indicate this On the
other hand. they saw columns of smoke
rising from Little Rock. which lent
color to the reports that Price was re-
/ treating. This proved to be the case.
Price was afraid that Steele was going
to serve him as Grant had done Penn
berton, by getting on his line of retreat
and cooping him up in Little Rock He
was confirmed in this belief by the in
fantry crossing on the pontoon bridge,
which indicated to him that Steele was
moving TO get between him and Arka-