The Washington herald., 1914-09-07
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
September S6A Body Confederate Cvaymn Under Sterling
Price, Crossed the Arkansas River Above Little Entered Upon
the First Stage of One of the Great Raids Of the War

reports. Unequaled in the records Of the
war. read like stories OF adventure. The
account OF his attack upon the railroad
near Duvalls Blum was no exception
AS l debouched from the timber" he
wrote. ''On the green and emerald prairie
little squade Of Fcderals were scattered
here and there. and away to the cas-. a
dozen or more machines were busiIy en-
gagged baling hay Very soon, however.
the rustiCating bands doing away the
hot summer hours were fleeing the wrath
10 come
Fruits of Victory.
"A wave Of steel Overleaped and swaI-
lowed up the fleeing bluecoatS. TIE fo,t
was surrounded. the artillery opened at
pointblank range. and high over the white
bursts Of powdcr-cIoud that driftcd and
hoated ava ybefore the battle breeze A
white flag waved out as a token OF sur
render"
Two other forts were taken. but Sta
tions Nos. and ) were stubborn and
DEFIANT. After a hot vannonade for more
IMAM an hour. Shelby ordered a charge.
The garrison grew uneasy. bu' over
the sea of dark green prairie. over the
white puTs OF bursting bombs and tn.
ripping shots Of the skirmishes, long
line Of Federal cavalry and infantry
came looming up. As they grew nearer
and nearer. out from the doomed forts
the garrison rushed with frantic sneed
for help and hope, 100 laie." The Con-
federate cavalry dashed after them.
sharp and brief the chase. When with
in 500 yards OF their friends the Fed
erals were overtaken."
The newly arrived troops were from
Duvalls Bluff and they were shortly
Joined by another strong detachment
from Little Rock. These two bodies
were uniting with an ugly look. presaC-
ing the coming hurricane" wrote She;-
by. The Confederates fell back slowly
giving the enemy shot :or shot
Twice they feebly charged with the
blare Of bugles and the rattle OF i'm
patient arms, and twice the old veterans
OF my command drove them back in
confusion and dismay. All cay and night
they followed me to Austin, which was
reached at daylight" There the fighting
ended.
The immediate and tangible fruits of
my expedition" the Confederate leader
noted, ARE 5H prisoners; over 200 Fed
erals killed and wounded; ten miles Of
track destroyed completely. bridges and
trestleworks ruined; 1900 bales of hay
destroyed by fire, twenty hay machines
chopped to pieces, five forts razed to the
ground. 800 stands OF small arms dis
tributed to my unarmed men, many fine
horses captured, twelve barrels of salt
brought off. besides supplying many
needed soldiers with blankets, shoes and
clothing"
Gen. Price was unable to take advan-
tage Of Gen. Shelby's dashing diversion.
Delays ensued. and II was not until
August % that he took formal command
Of the eXpeditionary forces at Princeton
The following day the force took the
road.
Fearing that the Federals had learned
OF his intention to cross the Arkansas
River below Little Rock. he determined
to follow another route Sending a de-
tachment toward the town, he swung off
TO the west with his main force. reached
Dardanelle on September 6, and the fol-
lowing day passed to the north bank of
the river and bivouacked at Dover. Ark.
fourteen miles from their point Of cross
ing.
Word was sent 10 Shelby to joIn the
expedition as IT marched toward the
Missouri border. All were hopeful Of
success and determined to win back Mis-
souri, and hold 1t for the Confederacv.
Copyright. IslI)
TOmorrow-Gcn. Mcclellan notI-