BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE.

March 7, 1862.

A TERRIFIC STRUGGLE FOR VICTORY.

(BY ONE WHO WAS THERE.)

強強

HE battle opened by an attack upon the right of the Union line near Elkhorn Tavern, where the 24th Missouri was stationed. Colonel Carr at once advanced to the relief of this outpost, which movement brought on the

battle. Curtis's

gallant divi

sion moved

into position

under fire, and

Davis was or

to

the relief of Osterhaus. General Curtis "The

says:

battle raged in the center with terrible fury. Colonel Davis held the position against fearful num

bers and our troops stood or charged in

dered to support it, but a sudden attack on the left changed the direction of the latter steady lines. The fate of the battle depended on success against this flank movement of the enemy, and here, near Leetown, was the place to break it down. The fall of Generals McCulloch, McIntosh, and other officers of the enemy, who fell early in the day, aided us in our final success at this most critical point; and the steady courage of officers and men in our lines chilled and broke down the hordes of Indians, cavalry, and infantry that were arrayed against us. While the battle raged in the center the right wing was sorely pressed, and the dead and wounded were scattered over the field. Colonel Carr sent for

re-enforcements and I sent a few cavalry and my body guard, with the little mountain howitzers, under Major Bowen. These did good service at a most critical period. I urged Colonel Carr to stand firm that more force could be expected soon. Subsequently Colonel Carr sent me word that he could not hold his position much longer. I could then only reply by the order persevere.' He did persevere, and the sad havoc in the 9th and 4th Iowa and Phelps's Missouri and Major Weston's 24th Missouri, and all the troops in that division, will show how earnest and continuous was their perseverance.”

Sigel, detecting McCulloch's movement to join forces with Price, attempted to intercept it with cavalry and three pieces of artillery. By a vigorous onslaught of the Indian cavalry our guns were captured, the cavalry routed, and the way opened for McCulloch to obtain for his infantry the cover of a dense wood, on the west of which was a large open field. Here ensued a protracted and fearful struggle between McCulloch and the forces under Osterhaus, who, by hard fighting, held his position until the arrival of Davis with his division, when, by a gallantly executed charge, the Confederates were driven from the field. In the crisis of the struggle McCulloch dashed forward to reconnoiter, and fell a victim to his rashness. Almost at the same moment McIntosh fell while leading a cavalry charge upon a Union battery. Deprived of these two favorite generals the shattered forces of the enemy retired in dismay to rally on Price's corps.

The conflict raged with unremitting fury on the right and center, where Price, in a determined attempt to carry that position, had pushed his troops into the fight regardless of loss. At 3 P. M. General Curtis ordered Sigel to re-enforce the 3d and 4th Divisions.

Colonel Carr, covered with blood from three wounds, with one arm disabled, was falling slowly back, contesting the ground step by step. Many of his field officers had fallen; and the ground in his front, covered with wounded and dying, told how stubborn had been the resistance of the heroic 4th Division. The 4th Iowa, falling back for ammunition, dressing on its colors in perfect line, was met by General Curtis, who ordered the regiment to face about and hold its position until re-enforcements should arrive. Colonel Dodge rode forward and explained that his men were out of car

tridges. "Charge with the bayonet, then," said Curtis. The men faced about at the order, and, with a cheer, pressed forward. The enemy, not liking the glittering steel, fell back, and the lost ground was won.

Arboth planted his artillery in the road and opened on the enemy. The 2d Missouri deployed and pressed forward. The shades of night were falling, but the fight raged with increasing vehemence. Colonel Osterhaus had moved to the support of General Davis, who, with a portion of his division, was still engaged on Carr's left; but it was too late when he got into position to open fire, and his weary troops bivouacked upon the field.

On the right the firing continued until the batteries ran out of ammunition (the Confederates firing the last shot), when the two divisions arrayed along the edge of a piece of timber with fields in front, sought rest in sleep.

The loss on Curtis's right had been compensated by victory on his left. The discipline of Carr's division prevented anything like panic. They had been forced back by superior numbers, but had held together, and, in proportion to numbers, the division was as strong for service as before the conflict began. Van Dorn's headquarters were at Elkhorn Tavern, where Curtis had been the previous morning. Each army held its opponent's line of retreat. There was no recourse but to fight for their communications with their respective bases. It is said that several officers of the Union army met at the headquarters of a division commander, and sending for the colonel of a cavalry regiment, directed him, in case of defeat, to hold his men in readiness to escort them to the open country in the rear of the Confederate lines. They were, however, prevented from rivaling the exploit of Floyd and Pillow, by a timely return of reason and the dawn of day.

The fight of the following morning was brief, but was hotly contested.

With the rising sun the Union troops renewed the contest with Price. Davis's division opened the fight from one of his batteries, which was replied to with terrible correctness by three of the Confederate batteries posted where they would do the most execution. The entire Union line now advanced. The dark blue line of the 36th Illinois in front steadily rose from base to summit of the ridge whence the Confederate bat

teries had dealt death and destruction to the Union ranks. The 12th Missouri also rushed into the enemy's lines, bearing off a flag and two pieces of artillery.

The roar of artillery was deafening, for every gun continued firing until it was captured or driven back. When Van Dorn determined to withdraw from the field, he left Col. Henry Little, with a Missouri brigade, to hold the field as long as possible. For two hours this command held their position in support of several batteries. Unshaken by the tremendous artillery fire converged upon them, they remained until their ranks were decimated, their artillery horses killed, and their guns dismounted by the terrible fire. Then onward crept the skirmish line, and behind them the artillery. The range shortened, no charge by the Confederates could save them now. A sudden rush and rapid firing by the skirmishers drove them to the shelter of the woods, whence they were dislodged by a charge all along the Union line, and the retreat of Van Dorn's army was revealed to the astonished gaze of the Union troops. Van Dorn retired with his beaten army south of the Boston Mountains, where Curtis could not follow him.

66

THE HEROIC MCCOOK FAMILY,

THE venerable mother of that distinguished family of soldiers, the 'fighting McCooks," of Ohio, has been laid to rest with her group of heroes in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati. She had twelve children, nine of them sons, and eight of the sons were at some time during the War of the Rebellion engaged in the military service under the Union flag. One who was educated at West Point became a major general, two who joined the volunteer army from civil life became brigadier generals. Three of her sons and her husband were killed by the enemy. Charles Morris McCook, a private, was killed in the first Bull Run battle, 21st July, 1861. Brig.-Gen. Robert L. McCook was murdered by guerrillas in

Tennessee, having gone in his ambulance, to which he was confined by sickness, a short distance ahead of his brigade. When Morgan made his raid into Ohio, Maj. Daniel McCook, although sixty-seven years old, white haired, and not connected with the army, joined the forces that pursued him, and received a mortal wound in the fight on Buffington Island, July 21, 1863. Brig.-Gen. Daniel McCook was killed in the attack on Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864.

The other five soldier sons survived the perils of that war, but one of them afterward fell in an Indian fight. Of Mrs. McCook's twelve children, but two sons and two daughters survived their mother.

A TWELVE - DOLLAR Telegram and the AnswER IT BROUght.

N October, 1864, I was acting adjutant at the convalescent barracks in St. Louis, Mo. There were 400 in the barracks awaiting the return of the 16th corps from its pursuit of Price. Politics ran high. About one-third of the boys were for "Little Mack, the others strongly in favor of the re-election of "Uncle Abe.” Nearly all the Western states were represented in the barracks. About one hundred of us were Illinois men, which state, owing to its copperhead legislature of the previous year, did not permit its soldiers to vote in the field or away from home. Most of the loyal states had made provision for their soldiers to vote in the field in all general elections. As the day of election drew near the anxiety of the "boys" to exercise "the rights of freemen became intense. Rebel sympathizers had spread the report that the McClellan men would not be furloughed to vote against “Old Abe"; but orders were issued by the President to furlough as many men belonging to states refusing their soldiers a vote away from home as the good of the service would warrant and for such length of time as would be necessary to return home and get back to their commands. In compliance with this order, thousands were allowed to go home and vote-vote as they pleased-without fear or reward from their superior officers. All were treated alike, whether Republicans or Democrats. The result was that many soldiers who had intended voting for "Little Mack," voted for "Uncle Abe," because he