Battle of Prairie Grove (Part 2)
(Page 135) The battle was rapidly developing. After crossing the creek, Colonels Orme and Bertram formed their brigades in line under cover of the bluff on the left and right of the road. Colonel McNulta, with the Ninety-fourth Illinois, formed on the left of the line; Colonel McFarland, with the Nineteenth Iowa, formed in the center; and Colonel Bert ram, with the Twentieth Wisconsin, formed on the right, the right of his line extending nearly to Colonel Huston’s left. After the firing of General Herron’s signal gun, the batteries of the opposing armies engaged in a furious con test, and the roar of artillery and of exploding shells was continuous for nearly an hour, when the superior handling of the Federal batteries had silenced nearly every gun of the Confederate batteries and compelled them to seek shelter behind the thick woods. During this artillery combat preparations were rapidly made on both sides for engaging in conflict with small-arms at close quarters. The detachments of the First, Sixth and Seventh Regiments, Missouri Cavalry, which had been dispersed in the morning by General Marmaduke’s cavalry division, had now nearly all been collected under their proper officers, and, after reporting to General Herron, were assigned to duty on his flanks and as support to Lieutenant Borris’s section of the Peoria battery. Having used a large amount of shot and shell during the day, the Federal batteries replenished their ammunition chests with grape and canister for close work, which was near at hand.
On the Confederate side, General Hindman had not yet been able to bring to the front all his forces to hurl against General Herron, as had been intended. His rear guard, trains, and a force detached to guard prisoners and wagons captured in the morning had been attacked by (Page 136) Colonel Judson, who had been sent out by General Blunt from Cane Hill with the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, two mountain howitzers, and Colonel Richardson’s detachment of the Fourteenth Missouri Cavalry. The booming of artillery in his rear alarmed General Hindman, and he detached General Parson’s division of infantry and sent it back to check the advance of the Federal force under Colonel Judson, which he supposed was General Blunt’s division. Shortly after twelve o clock he received information that General Blunt had left Cane Hill, was approaching rapidly, and would probably form a junction with General Herron before General Parson could reach the field with his infantry. He was therefore greatly mortified when he saw that the time had passed for attacking with his combined forces the Federal divisions defiantly drawn up in his front. He was also astonished at the boldness of General Herron in crossing Illinois Creek in the face of superior force and commencing the attack, instead of waiting behind the stream to be attacked.
Having compelled the Confederate batteries to retire out of sight and having replenished his ammunition chests with grape and canister, General Herron ordered forward his left wing, consisting of the brigades of Colonels Orme and Bertram. In this movement Captain Foust’s battery was flanked on the left by the Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry, and on the right by the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry. And Captain Backof’s battery was flanked on the left by the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, and on the right by the Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry. Colonel McNulta, with the Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry, advanced through the woods and brush on the left to an open field and engaged the Con federate infantry, and after several volleys of musketry compelled them to fall back to a position behind a fence on the south side of the field. To follow up the advantage thus gained, the Colonel moved his regiment by the left flank farther to the left through the woods and formed in line within two hundred yards of the Confederate infantry, (Page 137) again opened fire upon them, and after a short conflict forced them to retire over the hill. Colonel McFarland, in compliance with instructions from Colonel Orme, detached three companies of the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, under Lieutenant Richard Root and sent them forward under a heavy fire from the enemy as skirmishers to cover his advance, and to protect Captain Foust’s battery, which had taken up a position in a wheat field on the left of the road, about one hundred and fifty yards from the foot of the ridge on which the Confederate infantry were formed in line.
The Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, under Major A. H. Starr, advanced on the right of the road across an open field a distance of five hundred yards, when Colonel Bert ram ordered the men to lie down under cover of a fence. Captain Backof moved forward his battery close on the right of Major Starr, pouring a destructive fire of grape and canister into the Confederate line below the brow of the ridge as he advanced.
In another moment General Shoup’s division and Colonel Shelby’s brigade of Confederates were seen advancing against the Federal left and threatening Captain Foust 3 battery.
To check this movement of the enemy, and to protect his battery, Colonel Orme ordered Colonel McNulta to with draw the Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry from their position on the extreme left and place them in position on the outside of the fence, near the battery, and to support it at all hazards.
Captain Foust then divided his battery into three sections, placing the first section under Lieutenant C. L. Ed wards, the second section under Lieutenant J. B. Atwater, and took charge of the third section himself. All the pieces now opened with grape and canister upon the Confederate infantry not more than one hundred and fifty yards distant and drove them back into the woods on the ridge with (Page 138) heavy casualties. Colonel McNulta now moved forward again to the position from which he had been withdrawn near the southwest corner of the wheat field and opened a heavy fire of musketry on the enemy, causing them to fall back over the hill in much confusion. While Colonel McNulta was thus engaged on the left of the Federal line, Colonel Bertram observed a Confederate battery supported by infantry about two hundred yards in his front near the brow of the hill, preparing to open fire upon him. He there fore ordered the Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry to rise from where they were lying down and charge and take the battery. The regiment, under Major Starr, moved forward in gallant style, shot down most of the artillery horses and gunners, captured the battery, and advanced to the crest of the hill, where they received a terrific musketry fire from four or five regiments of General Shoup’s infantry division, which for a moment caused them to recoil, but, rallying, again returned the fire with great firmness and resolution.
The enemy, continuing to press forward in overwhelming numbers, Major Starr was obliged to fall back with his regiment much weakened by casualties, leaving the captured battery after destroying as much as possible of it and rendering it temporarily unfit for further use. In the mean time the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry, led by Colonel McFarland, had been ordered to move forward to support the Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry in their fierce struggle in the woods.
Ascending a hill to the left of the white house, near the road, Colonel McFarland advanced across the orchard back of the house to within a few yards of the fence, when the Confederate infantry, who had been lying down, concealed in the brush behind the fence, arose three regiments deep and poured a terribly destructive fire of musketry into his regiment from three sides, causing his men, after a short, fierce struggle, to fall back to Captain Foust’s battery on the left of the road near the foot of the hill. In this furious (Page 139) charge Colonel McFarland fell, shot through the body, and his regiment sustained a heavy loss in killed and wounded. After the death of Colonel McFarland, Major D. Kent took command and rallied the regiment, and in retiring recovered and brought off the field the colors of the Twentieth Wisconsin Infantry, which had been dropped by the color bearer, who had been shot by the enemy when the regiment commenced to fall back. Finding it impossible to hold the position on the ridge with the force engaged, Colonel Orme rode up and ordered the rallied portions of the Nineteenth Iowa Infantry to fall in and rally with the Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry on the left, and then leading these troops in person, he opened a fire of musketry into the advancing line of Confederate infantry, and with the assistance of Captain Foust’s battery, every piece of which was rapidly belching forth a perfect storm of canister into the Confederate line, succeeded in checking and driving it back into the woods on the brow of the hill. While the infantry of the third division were thus engaged in the desperate assault on the ridge, General Herron ordered Colonel Huston to bring up to their support two regiments of infantry from the second division on the right. The Colonel, leading his troops in person, brought forward at double-quick the Twenty-sixth Indiana Infantry, under Colonel Clark, and the Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, under Colonel John C. Black, and on arriving at the foot of the ridge, near the scene of the conflict, found the infantry of the third division falling back before a superior force of the enemy. That they had suffered severely in the conflict was evident from the number of wounded men moving and being borne to the rear. In order, therefore, to give the decimated regiments time to rally and reform near Backof’s and Foust’s batteries, Colonel Huston ordered his two regiments under Colonels Clark and Black to charge the Confederate position on the ridge. In advancing up the hill he took the pre caution to throw out a company of skirmishers from each regiment to cover its front and guard against a surprise. (Page 140)
The two regiments moved steadily forward until they had passed the summit of the hill, when the skirmishers in advance commenced firing upon the enemy, only a few of whom could be seen through the thick brush and leaves. In another moment the Confederate infantry arose from where they were lying down and, advancing to the front three ranks deep, poured a destructive fire of musketry into the Federal line at a distance of less than one hundred yards. Anticipating an assault at any moment, and seeing the skirmish line retiring, the Federal infantry were pre pared for hot work and delivered their fire at almost the same instant as the Confederates and kept it up with great determination and disastrous effect for some time, but were finally forced by superior numbers of the enemy to fall back to a position just in the rear of the Federal batteries.
After repulsing three desperate assaults of the Federal infantry, General Hindman determined to follow up his success by a counter charge, and in a few moments his infantry came pouring over the crest of the ridge in heavy masses, when Foust’s and Backof’s batteries opened upon them such a destructive fire of grape and canister that they were obliged to fall back out of range into the woods and brush. Captain Murphy’s battery and the section of the Illinois Artillery under Lieutenant Borris were also constantly engaged in this last and preceding conflicts in throwing shot and shell into the Confederate line, and rendered efficient service in defending the right of the Federal line. When Colonel Huston moved with the Twenty-sixth Indiana and Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry to the support of the infantry of the Third Division, he left Colonel Dye, of the Second Brigade, with the Twentieth Iowa Infantry and Captain Murphy’s battery in position on the Federal right. While the conflict was thus raging with great fury on the ridge and to the left of the white house, Colonel Dye moved forward Murphy’s battery and the Twentieth Iowa Infantry, under Colonel Leake, on the right of it, to a position in the middle of the field, on the right of the main road in front (Page 141) of the white house. From this position his infantry advanced to the timber on the right of the orchard and at tacked and drove back, with the assistance of Murphy’s battery, a large Confederate force that were moving against the Federal right.
The fine rifled guns of Captain Murphy’s battery, in the hands of his well-drilled company, threw percussion shells with the accuracy of sharp-shooters, and after disabling several Confederate batteries kept others from coming into action in exposed positions. After the terrible volleys of small arms had died away along the front, and General Herron’s infantry had fallen back upon his artillery, complete silence reigned over the field for a short time, broken at intervals by a shot or shell from the hoarse-throated artillery. General Hindman declined to advance again from his strong position under cover of the timber and brush to attack the Federal troops in the open field, and General Herron did not feel strong enough to make an other assault single-handed. His troops were already greatly exhausted by long, forced marches and the fatiguing operations of the day.
About two o clock some of his troops on the extreme right heard distant rumbling sounds towards the west that gradually grew more distinct; a moment later General Blunt was seen approaching at the head of three thousand cavalry and twenty pieces of artillery, through a small prairie, at full gallop.
His infantry, having stripped for the fight at Rhea’s Mills, were coming up at double-quick a short distance in his rear.
Arriving on the field, he soon discovered by rapid inspection that the Confederate forces were in position in his front and, ordering up a battery, opened fire upon them with shell. (Page 142) General Herron was at once advised of the arrival of the First Division on the field, and the booming of artillery on the right announced to his nearly exhausted troops that their eagerly looked for comrades had come to their assistance, inspiring them with new courage and confidence. Colonel Wickersham, who had moved with his cavalry brigade in advance of the first division from Rhea’s Mills, came upon, attacked and put to flight a detachment of Con federate cavalry who were posted on the extreme left of the Southern army, at the junction of the Cane Hill and Rhea’s Mills roads, watching for the approach of General Blunt’s division. Finding that he was in front of the position where the Southern forces were drawn up for battle, the Colonel at once deployed skirmishers in his front and detailed two companies from the First Iowa Cavalry to strengthen his advance guard and then moved forward in columns of squadrons. On moving forward and passing open ground for a quarter of a mile And approaching the timber to the southeast, his advance encountered and drew the fire of the enemy near a house on the left of the Confederate line and instantly replied with their carbines, and after receiving a re-enforcement of another squadron of the First Iowa Cavalry succeeded in driving the enemy back about one hundred and fifty yards.
To further strengthen his advance while forming his brigade in line of battle, Colonel Wickersham sent to its support a section of two-pounder steel howitzers attached to the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, under Corporal Levi Cassity. On proceeding down the road the Corporal passed a short distance beyond the line of the advance Federal squadrons with his howitzers when a Confederate force less than one hundred yards off fired a volley at him, wounded him in the arm severely, killed one of his horses and wounded the other. After this mishap the men in charge of the other gun fell back rapidly with it to the main column, then forming in line and unlimbering, sent several rounds of canister into the Confederate force, causing it to retire into the (Page 143) timber. At the favorable moment, Lieutenant J. M. Sim-eral, First Iowa Cavalry, took twenty men, rescued the abandoned howitzer and Corporal Cassity, who had remained with it, and brought them back into the Federal line.
While General Blunt’s cavalry were thus engaged on the right, his three field batteries coming up under whip, galloped into positions pointed out for them by the General and his aids-de-camp in an open field about four hundred yards to the left and in front of General Hindman’s left wing.
Captain J. W. Rabb’s Second Indiana Battery being in advance, came into position first, and immediately commenced a heavy cross-fire with shot and shell upon the Con federate position, raking it from left to right and at some points enfilading the Confederate lines. Captain M. D. Tenney’s First Kansas Battery of the Second Brigade coming up, took position on the right of Rabb, and Captain Henry Hopkins Second Kansas four-gun battery was placed in position a short distance to his left.
The three batteries of sixteen pieces, supported by Colonel Wickersham’s cavalry, now hurled a terrible storm of shot and shell into the Confederate lines, and with the assistance of General Herron’s eighteen guns, about one-half mile to the left, succeeded in driving back the Confederate infantry who were being massed against General Herron’s right flank.
His infantry coming up, General Blunt directed Colonel Wickersham to move his brigade of cavalry, consisting of the Tenth Illinois, under Lieutenant-Colonel James Stuart; the First Iowa, under Colonel James 0. Gower; the Eighth Missouri Cavalry, under Colonel W. F. Geiger, and the battalion of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, under Major W. H. Miller, to the extreme right of the Federal line, to guard against the movement of the enemy in that direction, and to keep the road open to Rhea’s Mills, where General Salomon, with part of the first brigade, and Colonel Phillips Third Indian Regiment of the second brigade were (Page 144) stationed, guarding the first division trains. Colonel E. Lynde, with part of the Ninth Kansas Cavalry, and Major Calkins, with part of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, also occupied positions on the Federal right flank.
On the arrival of General Blunt’s infantry upon the field, the Second Brigade, Colonel William Weer commanding, consisted of the Tenth Kansas, under Major H. H. Williams, and the Thirteenth Kansas, under Colonel Thomas M. Bowen, and forty-four men of the Third Indian Regiment, under Lieutenant William Gallaher, formed in line on the right, in the rear of Captain Tenney’s rifled-gun battery. The Tenth Kansas Infantry, with Lieutenant Gallaher’s Indians on the right as skirmishers, formed the right wing, a dismounted detachment of the Second Kansas Cavalry, under Lieutenant-Colonel 0. A. Bassett, the center, and the Thirteenth Kansas Infantry, the left wing of the brigade. The Third Brigade, Colonel W r . F. Cloud commanding, consisting of part of the Second Kansas Cavalry; the Eleventh Kansas Infantry, under Colonel Thomas Ewing, Jr., and the First Indian Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen H. Wattles, formed on the left of Colonel Weer in the rear of Rabb’s and Hopkins batteries. The Eleventh Kansas Infantry formed the right wing, part of the Second Kansas Cavalry the center, and the First Indian Regiment the left wing of the Third Brigade; Colonels Bassett and Wattles dismounted their regiments to fight on foot beside the infantry.
On the left of Colonel Wattles First Indian Regiment, Colonel Leake’s Twentieth Iowa Infantry of the Second Di vision formed in line and very soon after these dispositions were made the left wing of the Eleventh Kansas Infantry, under Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Moonlight and Major P. B. Plumb, was detached to support Rabb’s battery.
Directly after his batteries were silenced and his infantry driven back into the woods by Generals Blunt’s and Herron’s batteries, General Hindman determined to crush Blunt’s division by throwing against it the division of (Page 145) General Frost and part of General Marmaduke’s division. These troops, with two batteries, were at once ordered for ward to assault the Federal right under General Blunt, while General Shoup’s division, consisting of Generals Fagan’s and McRae’s brigades, and the brigades of McDonald and Shelby, of General Marmaduke’s division, were ordered to continue the attack against the Federal left and center under General Herron. The artillery fire having slackened, the captains of the Federal batteries of the First Division having put a generous supply of grape and canister into their caissons, and preparations having been made on both sides for a desperate struggle, the forces of the Confederate left and center under Generals Frost, Parsons, Roane and Marmaduke, and of the Federal right under General Blunt, commenced the advance against each other about the same time. The second and third brigades of General Blunt’s first division, in the order described, with skirmish lines thrown out, advanced from the field and prairie, and entering the timber to the south encountered the Confederate infantry of Generals Parson’s and Roane’s brigades. In another moment the opposing forces became engaged in a severe conflict with small arms, the dreadful roar of which extended along the entire front of the Federal right wing. The storm of leaden missiles, flying thick as hail, rapidly thinned the ranks of the combatants by death and wounds, and in a short time the Confederate line was driven back into the woods, but, receiving re-enforcements, advanced again and forced the Federal line to retire almost to the open ground. On seeing the troops falling back before a superior force of the enemy, General Blunt ordered Lieutenant F. S. Stover to move the section of his twelve-pounder howitzers attached to the Second Kansas Cavalry into the timber on the right of the Eleventh Kansas Infantry. At the same time Captain Tenney’s First Kansas Battery was ordered to a position on the left of that regiment near the edge of the timber. (Page 146)
The Federal infantry having re-formed their line, poured a galling fire of musketry into the advancing line of Confederates, and with the assistance of the howitzers and batteries, which now commenced playing upon the Con federate line with grape and canister, succeeded in checking and driving it back beyond the crest of the hill. But every time the Federal infantry endeavored to pass the summit of the hill they were met by a terrific musketry fire from the enemy, which obliged them to fall back a short distance to a less exposed position.
The men were ordered to lie down, and by doing so they not only escaped almost unharmed the volleys of leaden hail hurled at them, but they occupied themselves in keeping up an effective fire into the Confederate line the moment it came within range.
Thus the battle raged until the sun, descending be hind the mountains, cast a dark shadow over the bloody field. The roar of artillery and small arms almost died away for a short time; the lingering rays of the sun were growing dim upon the western sides of the high mountain peaks to the eastward, and the leaders of the opposing forces knew that only a short space of time remained for continuing the struggle before the veil of darkness would cover all. A little later, as the shades of evening were fading into twilight, General Blunt ordered his infantry to advance again. They moved forward and reached the crest of the hill, when General Frost’s infantry poured out of the woods in overwhelming numbers and charged and, extending his line beyond the Federal right, commenced a rapid flank movement. The roar of small arms again burst forth with great fury, but after firing a few rounds the Federal infantry were ordered by General Blunt to fall back so as to draw the enemy within range of his guns, which were double charged with grape and canister.
General Hindman ordered two batteries of ten pieces into position on his extreme left to support General Frost’s infantry. (Page 147) The Confederate infantry followed close upon the re tiring Federal line, and on reaching the summit of the hill, rushed forward with wild shouts in a charge on the Federal batteries. They were permitted to approach near the edge of the timber, within about one hundred yards, when Captain Tenney’s battery on the right, Rabb’s battery in the center and Hopkins battery on the left threw a perfect storm of grape and canister into their ranks and soon sent them in disorder back into the woods.
The Federal infantry, by forming on the flanks and in the space between the batteries and behind the broken panels of rail fence near the edge of the timber, also by rapid firing, assisted in repulsing the charge of the enemy.
While the conflict was thus raging along the front of the contending forces, the Confederate batteries just referred to as posted on General Hindman’s left opened a hot fire upon the Federal position with shot and shell. To neutralize the effect of this artillery fire, General Blunt ordered Captain Tenney to turn his six ten-pound Parrott rifled guns upon the Confederate batteries. The Captain instantly complied, and wheeling his guns into position, commenced throwing percussion shells at them, and in less than ten minutes dismounted two of the Confederate guns, and forced the others to leave their position and seek shelter behind the hill in the thick wood. In this final struggle, two twelve-pounder howitzers of the Third Wisconsin Cavalry, posted on the Federal right, by throwing shell and canister shot, did good work in checking and driving back the Confederate force attacking from that quarter.
Farther to the Federal left, in front of Colonel Cloud’s brigade, the Confederate infantry commenced collecting in large force behind a farm house and a stack of straw near the edge of the timber, with the apparent intention of charging Rabb’s battery. A detachment of Confederate sharp-shooters had also taken shelter in and behind the house and outbuildings, and were endeavoring to pick off mounted Federal officers. (Page 148) Captain Rabb’s attention was called to the movement of the enemy behind the straw-pile and buildings, and he at once commenced throwing shell into them; the shells bursting, ignited the straw, and the house was soon in flames. In a few moments the enemy attempted to charge the battery, but were met by such a terrific discharge of grape and canister and volleys of musketry delivered by Lieutenant-Colonel Moonlight’s battalion of the Eleventh Kansas Infantry, led by Major Plumb, that they were compelled to fall back into the wood.
Darkness having fallen, the firing of small arms ceased on both sides; but General Blunt’s powerful batteries continued to sweep the brush and wood in front with a storm of shot and shell for some time afterward. Though General Herron’s infantry of the second and third divisions, except Colonel Leake’s Twentieth Iowa Infantry, were not engaged at close quarters with the enemy after General Blunt came upon the field, his batteries under Murphy, Backof, Foust, and Lieutenant Borris were constantly engaged from noon until dark in throwing shot and shell and grape and canister into the Confederate ranks and position. So effective and destructive was the terrible fire of the Federal batteries, that General Hindman stated “there was no place of shelter upon any part of the field;” that “wounds were given and death inflicted by the Federal artillery in the ranks of the reserves as well as in the front rank.”
In the open fields the Federal batteries changed positions as often as desirable, and still kept up a steady fire into the Confederate position along the wooded ridge. In several instances the captains of these batteries, when closely pressed by the Confederate infantry, attached their guns to the limbers with prolonged and retired firing. The officers of the long range rifled-gun batteries of Murphy in the center and of Tenney on the Federal right were constantly on the lookout for Confederate batteries; the moment one was discovered coming into position, or opening fire, the guns of Captain Murphy’s or Tenney’s were turned (Page 149) upon it, and two or three rounds of percussion shells were generally sufficient to silence it or drive it from the field. It was therefore a source of much satisfaction that they had by their excellent artillery practice prevented the Con federate batteries from inflicting upon the Federal forces any serious loss or damage.
Night dropped a veil of darkness between the combatants, and apparently left the contest undecided; when the firing ceased at dark, the opposing armies occupied the positions they had taken up on going into action. The Confederate forces bivouacked until about midnight on the wooded ridge upon which they formed in the morning; and the Federal forces bivouacked in the fields and open ground in front of the ridge.
As the fighting was in the timber south of the fields and open ground, some of the Federal dead and wounded fell within the Confederate lines. Although it was a cold, frosty night, neither side ventured to make up fires the early part of the night, so near each other were the combatants resting upon their arms. Assuming that General Hindman would be in position to renew the contest the next morning, General Blunt, commanding the three divisions of the Army of the Frontier, determined, under cover of the darkness of the night, to strengthen his line, and have everything in readiness to renew the battle at daylight.
His division trains, which were at Rhea’s Mills, five miles west, and exposed to attack, he ordered to Fayetteville, in the rear of the army. General Salomon, commanding the first brigade of the first division, who was guarding the trains with the Ninth Wisconsin Infantry, Colonel Phillips Third Indian Regiment second brigade, and some detachments of other regiments, was ordered to bring his men to the front immediately.
Colonel Wickersham, commanding the cavalry brigade, was directed to detail sufficient cavalry for an escort to the trains, and on arrival of the troops the trains commenced moving out from Rhea’s Mills about eight o clock, and (Page 150) passing to the rear of the army the advanced teams reached Fayetteville early the next morning. In the fighting in the afternoon about three thousand of General Blunt’s cavalry were not brought into action. The force sent out under Colonel Judson, Sixth Kansas Cavalry, to attack the rear of the Confederate army, did not reach the field until nearly dark. In the rapid movements of the Federal troops from Cane Hill to the battle field, quite a number of men of the infantry regiments were obliged to drop out of the ranks from exhaustion. The strength of the infantry regiments of General Herron’s divisions was also greatly reduced during the three days marches by the men who were unable to endure the prolonged exertion by dropping out of the ranks.
The stragglers and men who had thus fallen out of ranks were collected, as far as practicable, and brought to the front during the night to join their proper regiments. In General Blunt’s division not one of the regiments had sustained a heavy loss, and in General Herron’s second and third divisions, only three regiments had suffered severely. By dismounting part of his cavalry to fight on foot, General Blunt could therefore go into battle next morning much stronger than he had gone into the conflict just closed. It would be easier now to properly coordinate the movements of the troops than it was in the recent struggle. General Hindman had been permitted to throw the weight of his army first against General Herron’s two divisions, and then engage General Blunt’s first division.
He would not likely have an opportunity of doing this again, for General Blunt determined to have his three divisions next morning make a simultaneous attack upon the Confederate position, and placed his troops and artillery in position during the night, well supplied with ammunition.
To satisfy the pinch of hunger, provisions, consisting of hard bread and bacon, were supplied by the commissariat to the Federal troops to prepare them for battle. The (Page 151) Federal wounded had also, as far as practicable, been taken up and properly cared by the surgeons and their corps of assistants.
On the Confederate side, General Hindman held a council with his generals, and, after considering the situation, decided to withdraw his army from the field without further struggle, and to fall back to Van Buren. His troops commenced to withdraw about midnight, and on retiring kindled numerous fires along his front and left them burning for the purpose of deceiving the Federal army. To get his artillery off the field with as little noise as possible, the wheels of the carriages and limbers were muffled with torn blankets of the soldiers. Having started his infantry and artillery on the retreat to Van Buren, General Hindman remained near the field with two brigades of cavalry, and sent General Marmaduke, accompanied by several members of his staff, under a flag of truce, with a communication to General Blunt, requesting a personal interview for the purpose of making provisions for burying the dead and caring for the wounded of the Confederate army left on the field. General Marmaduke and his party approached the Federal line on the Fayetteville road, and being halted by the vigilant picket guards, on whose eye-lids sweet sleep sat not, were conducted by the officer of the day to General Herron’s headquarters, and held until General Blunt, whose headquarters were about a mile distant, could be communicated with. General Blunt granted the interview, and the next morning, shortly after sunrise, accompanied by General Herron and several officers of their respective staffs and escorts, rode forward to meet Generals Hindman and Marmaduke and members of their staffs.
The interview lasted until ten o clock, during which time the commanding generals of the opposing forces entered into a mutual agreement in regard to the exchange of prisoners and disposition of the wounded left on the field. General Hindman was given six hours to bury his dead, but the two regiments of cavalry left for the purpose, instead (Page 152) of attending to that duty commenced gathering up arms from the field. Their conduct was reported to General Herron, who went in person to the Confederate Colonels and informed them that any of their men found doing anything else than burying the dead would be held as prisoners of war. This firmness of the Federal General had the effect of stopping them from gathering up any more arms, and the Confederate cavalry soon afterward retired to overtake General Hindman, leaving the Confederate dead to be buried by the Federal forces.
General Blunt reported his losses in the three divisions of his army during the engagement, 167 men killed, 798 wounded, and 183 missing. On the Confederate side General Hindman reported his casualties at 164 men killed, 817 wounded, and 336 missing. A considerable proportion of the Confederate missing were probably among the wounded, from the fact that the day after the battle General Blunt furnished five thousand rations for one thousand Confederate wounded to keep them from starving.
There were many of General Hindman’s recently organized Arkansas regiments made up largely of conscripts, most of whom probably were Union men at heart and determined they would not fight for the Confederacy, and when forced to the front could not be made to perform effective service. In the course of a week or two after the battle, hundreds of these men who had been forced to march to the front, deserted and threw away their arms and came into the Federal lines and gave themselves up, and soon afterwards enlisted in the First Arkansas Union Infantry regiment, which had just commenced its organization.
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