The National tribune., 1909-06-24

pool, from both sides We were drawn
nm in line of battle on the north side OF
the river, and the rebels were on the
other side, hid in a dense forest of will
low trees. They kept up continual
fire at us with their cannon. we were
supporting the 5th Ohio Battery, and 1t
took a long time for that battery TO
get into position, We thought Ihere
were other batteries getting into posi-
ton, and soon the river bank was llheu
with artillery a mile long ana an
opened at once. In a short time that
wilderness across the river began to
empty it's inhabitants. A line of butter
nuts began to stretch out towards Lit
tie Rock, and our cavalry soon got
across, and there was running hght
from there to Little Rock. We, the IN
fantry. marched up the river. and went
into Little Rock at one side of the
town, while Pap" Price was riding out
in a carriage in the rear of his army
on the other side. Another good battle
nipped in the bud.
Death of Mai. Hurt.
While we were camped at Little Rock
our beloved and brave Maj. Hurt died.
He had been promoted to the Colonelcy
of the 106th; his new uniform had ar
rived with the eagle on the shoulder OF
his coat, but the brave man never got
to wear it. This was the greatest shock
the regiment had sustained. Gov.
Yates Of Illinois, sent down Col. Yates
to take command of the 106th. The
Colonefs wife accompanied him. lie
was a sociable. genial sort of COM
mander but rather careless At certain
times, and soon let his revolver go off
while it was pointing at his big toe,
which gave him much trouble and a
crutch. / have really forgotten whether
he remained with us to the end or not,
as we were separated from the regi-
ment soon afterwards.
We went from Little Rock to Pine
Bluff on a hasty order for reinforce
ments. We got aboard~an old fat-bot-
toned transport, and started down the
river to smell blood at Pine Bluff. They
were having terrible fight down there,
! but IL the reputation of the 1O6th held
out it would soon be over, and we start
ed for the scene of carnage full of hope
| that our luck would stick to us. Soon
| we ran nuafouI of q sandbar in the river.
! We got out and pushed the boat over
| the bar. Then we ran up against an
old barge and crippled some of the
! machinery. Started once more. An
other sandbar got under the boat We
| repeated the pushing process, and were
| sailing at a good clip when one of the
boys fell overheard and was drowned.
| OF course, we had to stop and look for
| the body. Some more sandbar expert
| ence, and at last we were on the spot.
| The effects of the battle were there all
| right, but the participants on one side
| had left just before we landed. Our
forces had won the battle without our
| assistance. The town was shot full of
! holes, church riddled and cemetery
torn up, with the corpses exposed,
where the rebels had planted their bat
terry. No battle for the 1U6th yet. Then
came orders to strike the trail for Red
River, to intercept Price and prevent
him from reinforcing the rebels al
Shreveport. We got as far as some
river down in the hilly country of Ar
kansas, and waited there for it to rain
1t rained so hard that the water
damned up so deep against our bodie:
while we were asleep that when we
awoke next morning and let the water
off il looked as tho a reservoir hat
burst somewhere up in the hills. Their
we turned around and went back, be-
cause the river had swollen SO during
the night we could not cross it.