The Harrison times., 1914-12-05
BATTLES OF POISON SPRINGS
AND MARKS MILLS.
Major Estes Tells of the Most Suo-
cessful Campaign of the Trane-
Mississippi Department.

| erS entlTely lIOHl lnSlHOIN Ol OuI
campaign of 1864. and will ask par
don for any error or oversight that
1 might occur as have no data and
depend upon memory alone for Incl
dents Of fifty years ago.
| was a private in Capt. w. A.
Greaver's company Co. {, Col.
John M. Harrell's Battalion, Gen.
w. L. Cabel's Brigade, Fagan's Di-
vision {. 5. A.
Webroke camp at Camp Washing
ton, four miles west of Columbus,
Hampstead county, about the last
of March. Gen. Cabell and his staff
were formed by the roadside, and as
we passed Col Harrell cried out
"Three cheers for Tige and his pups
and we gave the Rebel Yell,
We soon met Gen Steele's advance
scouts, and skirmishing at different
points was kept up daily for week
or so. Cabell took stand on the
south side of Prairie Dam, cut TIM
Der and constructed breastworks,
Shclbys and Matmadukc's Brigades
we're near us and skirmishing daily.
Our object, as understood it, was
to keep Steele in check and prevent
him and Gen Banks from forming a
junction at Shreveport, La,
All of Prices infantry went to
meet Banks at Pleasant Hill and
Mansfield and would have captured
most of Bank army had not a rise
in Red River come to their relief, en-
abling them to get their gunboats
and feet out
Banks being routed, Gen. Price
with his worn out infantry started
to re-euforce us
lnow commence where ! left of
back at Prairie Dam. We were in
line of battle and had been for quite
while when heavy skirmishing be
gan and late in the evening cannon
aiding began and lasted for some
three or four hours,
will mention a little incident
that came up about the time the ar
tillcry began, One of our soldiers
began TO grunt and groan and said
the cole was killing him, and every
shot Of the cannon he grunted the
louder. The poor fellow never heard
| the last Of that attack Of cole
Next evening our horses were or
dercd up and we were ordered TO
mount and march to an elevation
on the Prairie aud support our bat.
terry. Gen Slanwota's Indians were
Just TO our lett, and cannon ball
came hurting through the artillery
horses. taking of some Of their legs,
One l. dian said Whoop,' and
away he went, and a bunch of them
said "Woo(! and away they went,
"mdian no like big gun -
/
Steele turned to the left for Cam.
den, and we dropped in south of
him. and think about the lSth of
April we were ordered northwest
and marched until about ! o'clock
| p, m. our artillery was Just ahead
of MS, they halted just ahead of us
and the artilcrymcn ran with their
buckets for water for swabbing the
cannon in action SO we knew that
there was business just ahead,
Rattle or Poison SPRINGS
Our artillery formed on a littlc
ridge overlooking q valley TO the
west We dismounted, our horses
were sent TO the rear, and we were
ordered TO lay down and support
our battery, which we did without
any eoaSidg by this time che skir
mshers were making things pretty
warm and the cncmys battery, as
well as ours, opened fire.
We were ordered forward, aud
passed through on old field and into
the timber where we ran onto Gen
Thcar's negro brigade, do not
know who was IN command Of
them, There was a regiment or two
OF white cavalry Gen, Stonwata's
Indians were on our left aud the big
guns did not bother them, A charge
was ordered, Our company lost
Lieutenant Zen Shipmun, and Roll
Lcathcrs, Bill Talbert and John
Lcathers wounded, There was not
q negro taken prisoner, and out OF
the two regiments only about thirty
darkies ever reported for duty 60
Gcu, 'fhcar, as | understand,
After the enemy was routed every
man was his own commander We
took the rlentIre battery My cap
tain came ont astfNddle Of one Of
the pieces of artillery, waving his.
hat Capt, W, A, Grcoyer was a
good, faithful and brave soldier
Steele started another train for
supplies to Pine lllull, We were or
dered dawn Ouaehitp River on the