The Washington herald., 1914-09-07

Fifty years ago today a body Of Con
federate Cavalrvmen under Maj. Gen.
Sterling Price crossed the Arkansas River
at DardaneIle. sixty miles above Little
Rock. and entered upon the first stage
Of one Of the great raids Of the war.
The Confederate troopers were bent
upon riding into Missouri. capturing the
city OF ST. Louis and carrying hre and
sword into Federal territory.
The raid was TO become one OF the
mos, thrilling in the war in the West
and was to end disastrously for the Con-
fedcrates.
Emboldencd hy successes against the
Federals in the Red River campaign and
in Gen. Frederick Steele's campaign in
Arkansas, Gen. +. Kirby Smith. the Con
federate commander west Of the Missis-
sippi River had listened with favor TO
proposal Of Gen. Price to carry the war
into Missouri
That State had been torn by war and
still, was in a chaotic condition. Bands
of Confederate guerrlllas and Federal
"Jayha hawkers'-lawless men who seized
upon the war as a cloak for maraudinS
and crime-fought one another and prev
ID upon defenseless people in spite Of
the greatest efforts of the Federal troops.
The important towns of the State were
held by Federal Garrisons, but beyond
tn" lines tn" country was at the mercy
of these Outlawed bands.
Furthermore, unusual military activities
in other fields, and a consequent call
for troops. had stripped the department Of
soldiers. Garrisons were reduced pa
trolls abandoned. and the depredatiOns OF
the partisan bands grew apaCe.
Confederate sympathizers and spies
brought tidings Of the situation in Mis-
Trf. k.,.. l,rr-
were at Camden. Ark. on the Washita
River. He. in turn. gave Gen. Smith a
glowing picture of the possibilities OF a
raid. told OF the thousands OF recruits
to be gained from the guerrillas, and
gave hopes of driving the Federals from
the State and re-esta hlishinG Confederate
Twelve Thousand Raiders.
Gen. Smith gave his official sanction on
August 1. and Gen. Price Immediately
began preparations. He had under him
nearly two full divisions of cavalry. about
5. ODO men. under Gems. John F. Marina
duke and James F. Pagan. In addition
Gen. Joseph o. Shelby was operating in
Northwest Arkansas with 1000 men, and
these were ordered to join the expedi-
tion on the march.
Having planned 10 cross the Arkansas
hlNkT DelOW llllle fNOCh. ana 10 Swing
north into Missouri. Gen. Price sent or
ders to Gen. Shelby to cover the move
ment by an attack upon the railroad be
tween Little Rock and Duvalls Bluff,
on the White River. Gen. Price
had expected TO begin the movement
about August %. and Shelby timed htis
opera tions accordingly. On August % he
fell upon the unsuspecting Federals along
the railroad. defeated them. captured
many prisoners and destroyed miles Of
track and a quantity of supplies.
Shelby was one of the most interesting
characters that the war produced in that
quarter. He was born in Kentucky in
1881. Temperamentally poet, fate made
him a rOpemaker, and in the early SOS he
moved to Missouri and set up a rope man.
there.
He was fairly on the road to wealth
when the border warfare with bleeding
Kansas" broke out. Shelby shut up shoI
and Joined hands with the proslavery
and was in the forefront un-
iii the strife ended Then he opened his
shop again, but not for long. for the out
break of the civil war found him at the
head of a small band of cavalrymen. He
vas the captain.
The poetic and romantic side of his ma
ture, which predomInated, gave him
greater love for the excitement of war
than for the quiet Of peace. His ofnciAI