The Van Buren Expedition
(Page 153) The battle of Prairie Grove was one of the three big battles between the Union and Southern forces in Western Arkansas and Missouri during the war in that region, and the success of the Union arms had far-reaching effects in maintaining the confidence in the Government of those who had espoused its cause early in the war, and it gave many of the people an opportunity of coming in and showing their devotion to the Union, and the men of military age a chance to enlist in one of several loyal Arkansas regiments then being organized.
In a few days after the battle the Federal wounded were removed from the field hospitals to Fayetteville, where the churches and college were turned into hospitals to receive them. As early as practicable the Confederate wounded were gathered up from the field and taken to Cane Hill in ambulances furnished by the Federal commanders, and there provided with proper facilities for treatment. The six hours time given General Hindman to inter his dead was made good use of in getting his army over the mountains, safe from the pursuit of the Federal forces. When five o’clock came, the hour at which the flag of truce expired, it was too late in the day, and the Confederate army had got too far from the field for the Federal forces to commence pursuit. General Blunt did not see, until he had granted the flag of truce for six hours, that General Hindman’s solicitude for his dead was simply an excuse to gain time for getting his army off the field without a panic.
In the heat of battle it was not unusual for the dead to lie upon the battlefield for several days, and certain it was that in the cool weather of December there was no need of being in a hurry to make the interments of those who fell at Prairie Grove. There were quite a number of people who lived in that section within the sound of the cannon, who came to the scene of the conflict in a day or two after the battle, to ascertain if any of their relatives or friends were among the killed and wounded.
There were several affecting scenes of women who came to look for their husbands and found them among the Confederate dead in and about the orchard where the conflict was severest.
The day after the battle the troops of the second and third divisions, under General Herron, went into camp on the battlefield, and the troops of General Blunt’s division returned to their former positions at Rhea’s Mills and Cane Hill, their baggage and supply trains having been ordered back from Fayetteville to those places. When the troops of the second and third divisions had rested two or three days, and several large wagon trains had arrived with supplies for the army, Generals Blunt and Herron had a conference for the purpose of deciding upon a plan of further operations. They were proud of the achievements of the army and it was in excellent condition for any further movement; they had just received information that General Hindman, with the greater part of his army, was still north of the Arkansas River, encamped in the vicinity of Van Buren. They therefore decided to take eight thousand picked men of infantry, cavalry, and artillery from the three divisions; cross the mountains in two columns, one by the Telegraph road and the other by the Cove Creek road; and after forming a junction south of the mountains, move forward rapid ly and attack and rout the Southern forces before they could have time to prepare defensive field-works. But severe winter weather setting in, with a snow storm and a six-inch fall of snow, caused the Federal generals to post pone the contemplated movement.
The few days the stress of weather obliged them to remain in camp at Rhea’s Mills and Prairie Grove were usefully employed in strengthening their lines of communications with Fort Scott and Springfield, and in thoroughly scouting the country a day’s march east and west of their positions with large detachments of cavalry. It was very evident from the large number of deserters from the Southern army brought in by detachments of Federal cavalry thus sent out, that General Hindman’s army was greatly demoralized and weakened. Nearly all these deserters claimed that they were conscripts; that they were at heart Union men, and had been forced into the Confederate army against their wishes. They also stated that Colonel Adams Arkansas regiment, made up mostly of conscripts, after the first volley threw down their arms, fled from the field, and afterwards deserted.
To inspire his troops with desperate courage, and to fill their minds with fanatical hatred of the Federal troops, General Hindman, on the eve of the battle, issued an address to his army, in which he drew a dreadful and fiendish picture of the foe his men were to engage. Most of the Confederate dead and wounded left on the field had a copy of this rabid address in their pockets; it probably had very little effect on his troops.
The weather having moderated, and a second snow having fallen and almost disappeared, Generals Blunt and Herron met on Christmas night and arranged the details for their expedition to Van Buren. At three o clock on the morning of the 27th, the troops of the second and third divisions, under General Herron and Colonel Huston, were to march from Prairie Grove, taking the Telegraph road, and at the same hour the troops of the first division, under General Blunt, were to march from Rhea’s Mills, taking the Cove Creek road in their march south.
The two columns, consisting of eight thousand infantry, cavalry and thirty pieces of artillery, were to form a junction near Lee’s Creek south of the mountains. The day before the expedition started, Colonel W. A. Phillips, with twelve hundred Indian troops, two companies of the Sixth (Page 156) Kansas Cavalry, and a section of artillery, was sent up on the right flank of the army through the Cherokee Nation to Fort Gibson, to attack a Confederate force of Indians and Texans under General Cooper at Fort Davis, on the south bank of the Arkansas River.
Brigadier General Salomon was left with a regiment of infantry, a battery of artillery, and detachments from different regiments to guard the first division trains at Rhea’s Mills; there was also left a force considered sufficient to guard the trains of the second and third divisions at Prairie Grove.
While preparations were being made for the expedition to start, a report was purposely given out and circulated through the camps that a demonstration would be made in the direction of Huntsville, so that if any of General Hindman’s spies were present, they would be misled in regard to the real destination of the troops. Everything being in readiness, at three o clock on the morning of the 27th, the two Federal columns started on the march from Rhea’s Mills and Prairie Grove for Van Buren to complete the work of driving the Southern forces out of Western Arkansas. Stripped for a fight and well supplied with artillery and cavalry, and having been successful in all its operations, this force was a thoroughly organized fighting machine. The night of starting out was chilly, with the temperature below the freezing point, for the puddles in the road were covered with thin sheets of ice. The three or four inches of snow which had recently fallen had not quite disappeared from the north sides of the mountains, and as all the slight depressions in the road were filled with slush, the outlook for the infantry and artillery was not very cheerful. A few hours marching, however, brought the troops daylight, and into a region where the snow and ice had entirely disappeared, and where the road was firmer and not quite so rough. The advance of General Blunt’s division struck the head of Cove Creek about 10 o clock; this stream winds through the mountains in a southerly direction, and increased in size as the (Page 157) troops descended it. The rapid melting of the snow in the mountains and the recent heavy rainfall had started numerous little torrents which, pouring into it, had swelled it to overflowing. In its winding gurgling course through the mountains, from side to side of the narrow valley, the road crosses it in a distance of twenty miles some thirty-five times. At first the infantry were not much inconvenienced in crossing it, but gradually it became more disagreeable, for every time they waded it, their pants legs were wet a little higher. When they bivouacked about ten o clock on the banks of the creek that night, nearly all the clothing they had on was wet, for at the different crossings, since dark, the water had been waist-deep, and it was almost ice-cold, for it came mostly from, melted snow that had just run down in mountain torrents. The infantry stood the terrible day’s march with very little complaint, and suffered less discomfort than one would have supposed. Though their clothing up to their waists was wet all the afternoon and evening, the physical exercise of marching kept them from getting chilled. Immediately after halting that night about ten o clock, to bivouac on the bank of the raging foaming and splashing creek, they kindled numerous blazing fires and dried their clothing, after which food and refreshing sleep prepared them for the next day’s march. The bugles sounded reveille at three o clock the next morning, and in less than half an hour the troops and animals were refreshed with food to satisfy the demands of hunger and resumed the march.
The sky had become partly overcast during the night and there was no moon, so that it was pitch dark when the troops moved forward. Colonel Bassett, with part of the Second Kansas Cavalry, led the advance, and next came Colonel Judson with part of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry and two mountain howitzers. Next in the column was Colonel Barstow with the Third Wisconsin Cavalry and two howitzers, followed by the field artillery, infantry and ambulances. After crossing Cove Creek five or six times and Lee’s Creek once, the cavalry at daylight struck the Telegraph road at Oliver’s store, eighteen miles north of Van Buren.
A short halt was made for the infantry and artillery to close up, and in a few moments General Herron’s advance came in sight. That gallant officer had also encountered difficulties in his march over the mountains in the night. He was obliged to use twelve horses to the gun to get his artillery over, and in some places, in addition to these, the assistance of fifty men pulling on a rope was required. On resuming the march Generals Blunt and Herron rode at the head of the column a short distance in the rear of the advance guard. The road was now much wider and better and the cavalry marched by fours.
About three miles south of the junction of the Cove Creek and Telegraph roads, the Federal advance came upon the Confederate pickets, who, after exchanging shots with the Federal cavalry, fled in the direction of their camp on the road to Van Buren. An exciting chase ensued, in which the Federal cavalry kept close upon the heels of the flying pickets until they reached the Confederate camp at Dripping Springs, eight miles north of Van Buren. The reports of the shots in front had scarcely died away on the resonant morning air before the entire column of Federal cavalry had struck the gallop, which was kept up for five or six miles and until the troops came in sight of the Confederate camp. To watch the movements of the Federal forces encamped on the north side of the mountains, and to cover Van Buren against attack, General Hindman had posted Colonel R. P. Crump with a brigade of Texas cavalry eight miles north of that place at Dripping Spring. Colonel Crump’s command was on the north side of a high hill, west of the main road; in his front, to the north, were open fields with unbroken fences. He had very little time to prepare his men for action, for when the picket came into camp under whip and spurs, the Federal cavalry were coming up in sight. The fog and clouds had drifted away; the bright sunshine had dispelled the gloom and chill of the night, and it was a lovely Sunday morning, and no rumor having reached Colonel Crump of a Federal force being south of the mountains, he allowed his men to breakfast a little later than usual. On coming up on the north .side of the field, in sight of the Confederate camp, General Blunt in a moment decided to charge it with his cavalry, and, having in a moment thrown down the fences in a number of places, his cavalry came into line at a trot, the Second Kansas on the left; the Sixth Kansas in the center, and the Third Wisconsin on the right, and dashing across the field at a full gallop, approached within a few yards of the Confederate camp, just beyond the fence, and opened a heavy fire with their carbines upon such of the Confederates as had the courage to stand. Most of Colonel Crump’s command, however, fled before the Federal cavalry got half across the field, and the remainder, not disabled, fled on receiving the volley from the Federal carbines. A moment after firing the volley, the fence on the south side of the field was thrown down, and the Federal cavalry formed in the Confederate camp and moved forward rapidly in line over the hill and through the wood in pursuit of the flying foe. In his precipitate retreat, Colonel Crump twice endeavored to form his men in line to check his irresistible pursuers, but was unsuccessful. General Blunt at once saw that the Confederate force was utterly demoralized; that he need not advance further in line of battle, and drawing his men into the main road, moved forward by fours in a gallop, close upon the heels of the Confederate cavalry in their flight to Van Buren, through the streets of the city, and down the north bank of the river, passing many overturned and wrecked wagons and teams cut out. The sight of the Texas cavalry rushing wildly through the streets, bareheaded, barebacked, and half dressed, closely pursued by two thousand mounted bluecoats, with rattling sabres, greatly astonished the citizens, who hurriedly came out of their houses to ascertain the cause of the confusion. After changing from line of battle to column by fours, General Blunt sent out detachments of cavalry on both sides of the main road to scour the country and pick up stragglers who had fled from Colonel Crump’s camp.
At the same time, General Herron also sent Major Charles Banzhaf with a battalion of the First Missouri Cavalry to strike the road below Van Buren, with the hope of cutting off any of the Confederate cavalry and trains that should attempt to escape down the north bank of the river. On arriving upon the heights overlooking the town and river, the Federal Generals saw three steamboats, with steam up, leaving the wharf, and endeavoring to escape down the river. When the Federal cavalry reached the river, the leading boat had got upwards of half a mile off, and was making good time with a fair prospect of getting away. It was soon ascertained, however, that, about two miles below the city, the river made a bend to the north, and that the channel changed to the north side at that point.
General Blunt therefore ordered a force of cavalry and two howitzers to hurry forward and reach the bend, if possible, before the boats, and open fire on them if the officers attempted to pass or refused to land on the north side. Major Banzhaf, with his Missouri cavalry, was also marching toward the bend, and Captain Irving W. Fuller’s company, being in advance, reached it before the cavalry, which had marched through the city, and seeing the steamer Rose Douglas steaming down the river, opened fire on her with their carbines and brought her to a landing. Under the Captain’s instructions, one of his officers boarded her with detachments of soldiers and took her back up the river to Van Buren. Her cargo consisted of four thousand and (Page 161) three hundred bushels of corn and six hogsheads of sugar, and a large quantity of molasses which had just arrived from Little Rock for General Hindman’s army. Major Banzhaf’s cavalry also captured and brought back to Van Buren a train of twenty-seven wagons loaded with ammunition, baggage, and camp and garrison equipage.
In the meantime, General Blunt’s cavalry, with the assistance of his mountain howitzers, captured the other two steamers, the Notre and Key West, and brought them back to the wharf; they were also laden with corn and other supplies for the Southern forces in that vicinity; another steamer, laid up at the wharf for repairs, was also captured. The horse-power ferry, while attempting to cross to the other side of the river with a number of soldiers and citizens, was struck by a shell thrown by one of the howitzers of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry; the shell exploded, killing the horse at the tread-wheel, and wounding several men; in another moment the boat got into shallow water, and the uninjured men jumped overboard, waded to shore, and escaped.
Directly after the captured steamers were brought back to the wharf and made fast, the Federal cavalry commenced bringing in prisoners, wagons, and teams, captured while endeavoring to escape. Generals Blunt and Herron, with a number of their officers, went aboard the boats to examine their cargoes, and to obtain, if practicable, the strength of General Hindman’s forces in the vicinity. In a short time several hundred Federal officers and soldiers, who had dismounted and left their horses a few blocks back to feed them, came down to the river-front to look at the captured boats. While they were thus amusing them selves, and talking over the exciting scenes of the morning, the sound of artillery was suddenly heard from the south bank of the river, and in another moment a solid shot came with a crash, striking the ground only a few yards from a group of soldiers, and ricochetting, struck a building a few rods away. A moment later, shot and shell from the (Page 162) Confederate battery across the river commenced falling thick and fast along the levee, some striking the boats and some the buildings in the city. The Federal officers and soldiers at once retired behind some blocks of brick buildings, and soon afterward, to the side of the hill in full view of the Confederate battery. About two o clock two batteries of General Blunt’s long range rifle guns arrived on the heights in the suburbs of the city, near the river, and opened fire on the Confederate battery with percussion shells. The artillery duel, which now commenced, lasted until sunset, when the Confederate batteries and Shaver’s brigade of infantry supporting them withdrew.
Late in the afternoon the echo of the thundering artillery rolled in undulations down the river to a great distance, growing gradually fainter until it died away.
Having ascertained that General Frost’s division of infantry was encamped on the south bank of the Arkansas, five miles below Van Buren, General Blunt took part of his artillery down on the north side of the river to a point opposite the Confederate camp, and immediately opened a heavy fire upon it with shot and shell, and in about two hours compelled the Confederate General to break up his camp and retreat south. General Hindman was now getting alarmed at the situation; the two steamers, Eva and Arkansas, at Fort Smith, laden with supplies for his army, he ordered burned, after taking from them such stores as he was able to haul away with his limited means of transportation.
Knowing that General Blunt had three captured steamers with which he could cross his troops and artillery over the river, and knowing also that his own troops were too much demoralized to fight a battle with the victorious Federal forces, the Confederate leader decided to destroy all the public property which could not be removed, to abandon Fort Smith, and put his army on the retreat south ward in the direction of Arkadelphia, southwest of Little Rock. The scarcity of transportation, and the disorder and (Page 163) confusion that prevailed, obliged him to leave some six hundred sick soldiers at Fort Smith to take care of themselves. The retreat of General Hindman’s forces during the night of the 28th saved General Blunt the trouble of crossing his troops over the river the next morning to attack them. General Hindman’s conduct in ordering his batteries to throw shot and shell all the afternoon into the city filled with women and children was condemned as unwarrantable, for he could not hope to hurt the Federal troops as much as his own people in their houses and on their premises.
On dashing into the city at the head of his two thou sand cavalry, General Blunt immediately ordered the telegraph office seized, and found in it some interesting dispatches from General Hindman to his officers and to General Holmes, commanding the Trans-Mississippi Department. Very soon, however, after the arrival of the Federal cavalry, the telegraph wire above and below Van Buren was cut and the line stopped working.
When it was ascertained that the Southern force had commenced to retreat from their different positions before midnight, the Federal troops returned to Van Buren, went into camp, and regaled themselves with a bountiful supply of the choicest captured commissary stores. The soldiers were also mindful of the care of their worn and hungry horses, and fed them generously from the large quantity of corn captured on the boats.
While the Federal arms were thus successful under Generals Blunt and Herron, the column sent out under Colonel Phillips crossed the Arkansas River above Fort Gibson on the 27th, and after a short skirmish captured and destroyed Fort Davis, upon which the Confederate Government had expended upwards of one million dollars. On reducing the extensive barracks and commissary buildings to ashes, the Colonel commenced the pursuit of General Cooper’s and Colonel Watie’s forces in the direction of Scullyville and Fort Smith. General Hindman received information by special courier of the advance of this force (Page 164) under Colonel Phillips down through the Choctaw Nation, a few minutes after he heard of General Blunt’s arrival in Van Buren, and being thus threatened on the flank and rear, immediately ordered General Cooper to retire to John son’s station on the Canadian River, ninety miles southwest of Fort Smith in the direction of the Texas frontier,
Generals Blunt and Herron were now satisfied that the Federal arms should take Little Rock and control the navigation of the Arkansas River from that point to Fort Smith, before attempting to maintain a large Federal force in Western Arkansas south of the Boston Mountains. They decided, therefore, to return with their troops to Rhea’s Mills and Prairie Grove to report to General Curtis, the department commander, that the Confederate forces had been driven from all that part of the Indian country north of the Canadian River and from Western Arkansas in great de moralization, and that the Army of the Frontier was ready for further aggressive operations. After the Federal troops and public animals used all the commissary supplies and forage they required, General Blunt ordered as much of the supplies as he could find transportation to haul back with him, removed from the boats. When it was decided that the army would not cross the river on the boats to attack the Confederate forces, or to pursue them in their retreat, after dark on the evening of the 29th, the four captured steamboats and ferry boats were set on fire and consumed, together with some fifteen thousand bushels of corn and other stores which had been brought up the river for the use of the Confederate army. The tents and camp equip age captured from Colonel Crump’s command were also destroyed. In addition to the steamboats and supplies, the Federal forces also captured upwards of one hundred Confederate soldiers, sixty wagons and teams, two hundred and fifty head of fine beef cattle, and a large number of horses and mules.
The casualties on the Federal side were one killed and five wounded. No official report of the Confederate casualties (Page 165) seems to have been made. On the morning of the 30th, General Blunt left Van Buren with his army, and ar rived at Rhea’s Mills on the afternoon of December 31st. General John M. Schofield, who had relinquished command of the Army of the Frontier early in November, on account of illness, returned to resume command.
When he arrived at Prairie Grove and found that nearly all the troops had gone on the expedition to Van Buren, he immediately set out to overtake them, but met them on the return march near Dripping Springs. He then returned with General Herron to Prairie Grove and resumed command of the Army of the Frontier.
He was an able officer and it was said by some who were close to him, that he deeply regretted that he had been unable to share in the brilliant achievements of that army after he left it, and would like to have led it in the closing scenes of the campaign.
Tags: Arkansas, Colonel Phillips, Cove Creek, Fort Davis, General Hindman, Prairie Grove, Rhea's Mills, steamboat, Van Buren
Source: The Union Indian Brigade in the Civil War, By Wiley Britton, published 1922, Franklin Hudson Publishing Co., Kansas City, Missouri.
