Year: 1862

half dozen. Late in the afternoon and about six or seven miles from where the rout com menced. met Col. Rector who told me that ne had his men, about AGO in number, with nm, and said he wished to ask my advice. lie said that his men were so worn out that they coulo not, many of them, go more than six or elght miles day, and that he had concluded to get into the Indian country find safe place n the mountains, hide all the guns in 1t, and let the men dsperse until it could be known what has become of the rest of the army, and they could be called together again, and the arms reco- vered.

 I told Col. Rector that did not see what bet ter he could do; that Generals Van Dorn and Price were supposed fo be captured; and no one knew what had become of the main body ol the army; but the most probable supposltion was that it had been compelled to surrender. Not knowing of any road to Huntsville, nor haVlng had any ntimation that an attack was 10 De made that morning by our troops, only as a ielnt, nor having the least idea that General van Dorn was five or six miles from the field before leit 1t, 1t never entered my head, that some two thousand men, with two batteries, had peeh Ie1t without orders, to take tare of themselves said further, that Col. Rector could not leed ms men, if he tried to keep them together, since the country was thinly settled, and the people had almost nothing to feed them with; and that if they separated with their arms, they would throw them away. I think he acted wisely; and if the enemy found the arms, they were no more lost than they would have been if he had taken any other course.

 l suppose there are plenty of men who know these facts as well as l do. l need refer to only one-Gen. Atchison, of Missouri who like me, saw the rout begin, tried in vain to rally the -l JDca+ ,at utes after l did.

 It is undeniabe that the troops which were at last driven up the telegraph road, were halted there awaiting orders, more than an hour and halt, more, indeed than two hours, after the retreat of the main body had commenced It is undeniable that they retired from the held ID good order, and were put to flight only when the artillery, retreating in hot haste, urged 10 push on by cries that they would all be cut to pIeces, had reached them where they were halted on the road and it was evident they were entirely cut off from the main army, of the fate or where abouts of which, nothing whatever was known. 1 should think that a small trag agment of an army, thus abandoned and left to shift for themselves without orders, or notice of the retreat ot the Generals and main body, and when the enemy were supposed to be at least 25,O0O strong, had a right, an hour or two after the nam toly had started, to get away themselves. They certainly had not been in haste to do ii; and those who left them behind, at least, ought to be ashamed to call in question their courage or good con- duct.

 When the true history of the actions at Elk Horn is written, it is likely that some erroneous impressions may be corrected. Col. Rector need not fear to see it written.

 1 am, very truly, your friend and servant,

 ALBERT PIKE.

 CHARLES B. JOHNSON. Esq.