The National tribune., 1910-04-14
SURPRISE AT LAGRANGE, ARK.
How tile $50 Men of the Sd Iowa Cav.
Bumped Up Against 800 Rebels, and
Then 500 MOre-and Got Away.

bumped tD A1diiSt oVO BtbSi7' anu
Then 500 More-and Got Away.
Editor National Tribune: On May 1.
!1S63, a detachment of the Sd Iowa Cav,
consisting of $50 men and officers un-
tder command of Capt. ]. .. A. De Huff,
/ of Co. B, left Helena, Ark, with orders
Ito go to Lagrange, Ark, and return;
distance about 6 miles.
Gen. German, commander of the post,
! in company with two ladies, accOmpa-
MED us out some three or four miles,
where they turned off on another road
! leading to a farm house. As the COM
mand passed the General and the ladies
| he waved his hand and said: "Good-by,
| Sd Iowa. You'll have a good time to-
day, and probably catch - before
!you get back"
Two comrades riding in the rear over
| heard the remark, and thought it rath-
| er a singular expression to come from
| the commander of the post. The pick
cts had informed them that a citizen
| dressed in butternut clothes had pre-
ceded US, and he had pass signed by
| the commander of the post. They hur-
ried up to the command, andinfOrmed
! Lieut.. Niblick, of Co. D, of what they
heard from the pickets and what the
| General had said. He in turn Informed
Capt. De Huff and the other officers A
courier was sent back to Helena on
IaHOIner ROAD, informing Col. BuSSey,
lour brigade commander.
| We had proceeded some distance, and
icould occasionally see a man on horse
back some distance ahead riding for
Idear life, Capt. De Huff ignored this
incident, and went on. Within one mile
lof Lagrange the rebels opened on us
from ambush. They were thicker than
bees at swarming time. In front Of US
was slough and pond. and on the sides
water and thick Underbrusb
We in front were holding our own
fairly well without giving any ground.
But the tide turned. Our ammunition
was getting low, and another column of
rebels of about 900 charged in our rear
and right flank. Several were wound
ed. Among them was Adj't Glen Lowe
and Lieut.. Stanton, of Co. l. Adj't Lowe
kept his saddle and encouraged the rest
till order came to retire by the left
hank. Such another getting out of
there never saw except when the
Texas Rangers and Pixies Indians
charged us at Pea Ridge. 1t was every
man take care of himself, and Gen.
Chalmers's rebels after us, seven to one.
!, This, we thought, was a retaliation for
previous trip we had made to La
, grange on Christmas eve, 1862, in com
I pany with Col. Clayton and part of the
, oth Kan; when we went to Christ
mas eve ball and wedding The tables
at that time fairly groaned under the
weight OF the many good things. We
! did not do thing to that layout; only
: the turkey, chicken, pies, cake, etc,
were good enough for US
= L append here Capt. De Huff's report
of the engagement:
Il had $50 men of this regiment. and
/ had approached to within one mile of
I Lagrange when my advance came upon
the enemy 900 strong, posted in the
2 woods on either side of the road.
deployed my men in squadrons to the
z right and left, and commenced a yigor-
= Gus attack. My men behaved with great
r coolness. AT the moment 1 was about
e to charge their lines another force OF
1 about 300 mounted men fell upon my
= rear and right flank, delivering Their
; fire by platoons. This threw my force
r so greatly outnumbered, into some con.
fusion. / got my men into columns and
dlrected them to the left, falling back
n thru the timber about three miles max.
e ing circuit. I again came to the La.
e grange road. The loss on our side was
e three killed, eight wounded and 90
u probably taken prisoners Among the
y wounded are Adj't Glen Lowe and Sec.
t ond Lieut.. Cornelius Stanton.
e My advance guard Of 20 men of Co
t ID, Lieut.. w. G. Niblick in command
e deserves particular notice for the stant
|. they made against the enemy, who's,
hottest fire they withstood with mos
determined bravery.
5 Lieut.. Stanton got to the head of thu
: column, and fearlessly assailed the enc
my with Co. ]. He was wounded in tn,
n left arm very severely early in the en-
{ gagement, and from loss of blood wa!
II ! compelled to retire from the field Adj
J. Lowe was also at the head of the col
II umn, and thruout this uneven contes
o displayed a heroism of unusual charac
y ter. His horse was shot from undo
l. him as soon as he came up with tn
e enemy.
y He at once mounted another, drey
e his saber and encouraged the men witt
= his voice. At this time he was sho
= thru the ankle and afterwards fell int
e the hands of the enemy, who left him
! after treating him kindly, without pa
II !, rolling him. Serg't Breeding, Co. A, an,
! Corpl Birdseli, Co. b, attacked a part
y of the enemy who had five of our mel
- prisoners, killing two and releasing ou
e men.
W MY men did as well as men coul,
~ against such odds | am satisfied witt
~ their valor.-J. Q. A. De Fluff, Captain
IA Commanding Expedition"
- Gen. German got out of Helena tha
~ evening on the first boat, and neye
se stopped till he got to Memphis Tenn
this at the request,of Mai Gen Prentiss
~ E. L. kirkpatrick, Co. D, Sd low
II Cav, Lancaster, Mo.