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their wounded at 400. Our loss was But very few thought of resistance, 17 killed and 60 wounded.

Hardly had Cooper fled, when Cabell, at 4 P. M., arrived with the expected Texans, estimated by Blunt at 3,000; but they did not see fit to attack; while our men were exhausted with marching and fighting, and were running short of ammunition. So Blunt halted and waited till next morning; when he ascertained that the enemy had decamped during the night, retreating across the Canadian.

But, though beaten at the front, the Rebels soon began to exhibit a fresh vitality by means of guerrilla raids in the rear of our forces. The 6th Missouri cavalry, Col. Catherwood, holding PINEVILLE, in the south-west corner of Missouri, was next attacked" by Coffey, raiding up from Arkansas; who was beaten off, with the loss of his wagons, munitions, and cattle, with some 200 killed, wounded, and prisoners.

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The next raid was more savage and more successful. It was made by a bandit termed Quantrell-though that was not his real name—who, collecting a force of 300 Rebel guerrillas on the Blackwater, in western Missouri, 50 miles from the State line, far within the Union lines, and while no Rebel flag openly floated within 100 miles, rode stealthily across the border and at early dawn" into the young city of Lawrence, Kansas, where no preparation for defense existed, for no danger of attack was ever dreamed of. The people were surprised in their beds, the roads picketed, and every one who emerged from a house with a weapon was shot down, of course.

21 Aug. 13.

which was manifestly idle. The Eldridge House, the chief hotel, contained no arms of any kind, and was formally surrendered by Capt. Banks, who, frankly avowing himself a Union officer, insisted on seeing Quantrell, who assured him that none who surrendered should receive personal harm. The banks, stores, and safes, were all broken open and robbed, as were the private dwellings. All the horses were taken, of course; otherwise the booty could not have been carried off. Every negro and every German who were caught were killed at once. The Court-house and many of the best dwellings were fired and burnt. Eighteen unarmed recruits were found at the rendezvous near the city, and killed; as were quite a number of private citizens; several of them after they had surrendered and given up their money under a promise that they should be spared; but those taken in the Eldridge House were protected by Quantrell and saved. Few, if any, who were shot, survived. U. S. Senator J. H. Lane escaped; as did Col. Deitzler and some others; Gen. Collamore, who hid in a well, was suffocated, as were two men who successively went down to help him out. At 10 A. M., the work of devastation and murder was complete-140 men having been butchered and 185 buildings burned, including most of the stores and one-fourth of the dwellings-and the bandits left, being fired at by some soldiers across the Kansas, as they fled, and three of them killed.

A series of fatalities had prevented the receipt of any warning of this

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STEELE AND DAVIDSON MENACE LITTLE ROCK. 451

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vance of the raiders, to warn Lawrence, when his horse fell under him and was killed; while the rider was so injured that he died next day. The banditti had been seen, the night before, passing five miles south of Aubrey, near the State line, where Capt. Pike, with two cavalry companies, was stationed; but Pike, instead of pursuing them, sent word to Capt. Coleman, at Little Santa Fé; who, with 100 more horsemen, marched to Aubrey, and, with Pike, commenced a pursuit; but the trail was now cold; and the pursuers were six miles from Lawrence, on horses thoroughly blown, when the bandits, with fresh (stolen) horses, were leaving the scene of their murders. They were .overtaken near Palmyra by Senator Lane and a weak party from Lawrence; but these could not attack, and were unable to keep them in sight; and, in short, Quantrell, dodging many times his force, who were after him, rested a while that night 5 miles north-east of Paoli, and escaped next day into the timber of the middle fork of Grand river, Missouri; where his band scattered, seeking and finding concealment with congenial spirits throughout the surrounding region. Perhaps 100 of them were overtaken and killed in the pursuit; but the greater number escaped, and were soon indistinguishable.

Col. Woodson, with 600 Missourians, starting" from Pilot Knob, Mo., dashed into Pocahontas," Ark., where he captured Gen M. Jeff. Thompson and some 50 others; returning unmolested.

The surrender of Vicksburg and

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Johnston from Jackson, having left Gen. Grant's army at leisure, Maj.Gen. F. Steele was sent to Helena, to fit out and lead an expedition for the capture of LITTLE ROCK. The force assigned him for this task numbered 6,000 men of all arms, including 500 cavalry, with 22 guns; but Gen. Davidson, with nearly 6,000 more men, mainly mounted, and 18 guns, soon joined him from Missouri; swelling his aggregate to 12,000 men and 40 guns. Steele soon moved out," Davidson's cavalry in advance; crossing White river" at Clarendon, and sending forward " Davidson to reconnoiter the enemy's position at Brownsville, while he shipped his extra supplies and his sick-by this time numbering 1,000-down to Duvall's bluff, which was accounted the healthiest spot in that unhealthy region.

Davidson advanced, skirmishing, to Brownsville," which Marmaduke evacuated; retreating to his intrenchments at Bayou Metea; whence he was, after some fighting, dislodged and driven over the bayou; burning the bridge behind him, and so checking pursuit.

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Aug. 21. "Aug. 24. July 31. Aug. 10. "A g. 17. "Aug. 22. "Aug. 25. "Aug. 27. "Sept. 7.

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finding himself embarrassed with 700 more sick; whom, along with his train, he was obliged to leave True's brigade and Ritter's cavalry to guard, while he pushed up the Arkansas and fought his way into Little Rock; Davidson, supported by two divisions and two batteries, crossing directly, and approaching that city on the south side of the river.

Steele, moving parallel with Davidson, was opposite the city, when it was evacuated and given up, and entered it late that evening: the enemy making for Arkadelphia too rapidly to be overtaken by our jaded horses, to say nothing of our men.

Steele says his entire loss to or by the enemy during this campaign did not exceed 100; yet he had but 7,000 of his 12,000 when he started that morning to enter Little Rock. True, he had left many guarding hospitals and trains; but he had been reenforced by two brigades: so that his losses by disease must have been fearful. He had taken 1,000 prisoners.

Ere this, Gen. Blunt, pursuing the motley Rebel horde under Standwatie and Cabell, had very nearly brought them to a stand at Perry

Davidson, having completed his reconnoissances and fixed on his point of crossing, threw over his pontoons during the night," and was all over by 11 A. M.; the fire of his batteries having speedily silenced the enemy's opposition. Advancing directly on Little Rock, he was more stubbornly resisted at Bayou Fourche, five miles out, by Marmaduke's cavalry and Tappan's brigade of infantry, supporting two batteries, strongly posted; but Steele, advancing simultane-ville," Choctaw Nation; but they ously on the north bank of the river, his batteries fired across at the enemy obstructing Davidson; which enabled the latter slowly to gain ground, until at length, ordering a charge by Ritter's brigade and Strange's howitzers, supported by part of the 1st Iowa cavalry, his men went into the city, saber in hand, on the heels of the flying enemy; and, at 7 P. M., the capital of Arkansas was formally surrendered by its civil authorities: the United States arsenal being uninjured, and whatever Rebel stores were there falling into our hands; but six steamboats were completely burned by Price, who had been in chief command here, with several railroad cars; while their three pontoon-bridges and two locomotives, though also fired by them, were partially saved.

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were too nimble to receive much damage, and he chased them by Fort Smith, whereof he took" bloodless possession. Col. J. M. Johnson, 1st [Union] Arkansas, was made post commander. Cabell, it was said, fell back to participate in the defense of Little Rock; but he failed to arrive in season; joining Price's fugitive force somewhere on its retreat to the Washita. Price ultimately fell back to Red river.

Gen. Blunt, having been on business to Kansas, was returning with a small cavalry escort to Fort Smith, when he was struck," near Baxter's springs, Cherokee Nation, by Quantrell, with 600 guerrillas, and most of his small escort killed or disabled: among the 80 killed-nearly all after they had been captured-were Maj. H. Z. Curtis, son of Maj.-Gen. S. R. 34 Sept. 1.

*s Oct. 4.

DEFENSE OF PINE BLUFF-SHELBY'S RAID.

Curtis, and several civilians. Gen. Blunt, rallying some 15 of his guard, escaped capture and death by great coolness and courage: their persistency in boldly fighting creating a belief that they were the van of a heavy force. A considerable train that accompanied them was sacked and burned. The attack was made very near the little post known as Fort Blair, which was next assailed; but its defenders, though few, were brave and well led by Lt. Pond, 3d Wisconsin cavalry, who beat the enemy off, inflicting a loss of 11 killed and many more wounded. Gen.

Blunt and his remnant of escort kept the prairie till night, then made their way to the post. They had not ventured thither before, apprehending that it had been taken.

PINE BLUFF, on the south bank of the Arkansas, 50 miles below Little Rock, was occupied, early in October, by Col. Powell Clayton, 5th Kansas cavalry, with 350 men and 4 guns. Marmaduke, at Princeton, 45 miles south, resolved to retake it. By the time he advanced to do so," Clayton had been rëenforced by the 1st Indiana cavalry: so that he had now 600 men and 9 light guns.

Marmaduke, with 12 guns and a force estimated at 2,500, advanced in three columns, and poured in shell and canister for five hours, setting fire to the place; but Powell had organized 200 negroes to barricade the streets with cotton-bales, by whose services the fire was stopped without subtracting from his slender fighting force. The Rebel shells burned the

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court-house and several dwellings, battering most of the residue; but they could not take the town; and, at 2 P. M., drew off, having lost 150 killed and wounded, beside 33 prisoners. Our loss was but 17 killed and 40 wounded-5 of the former and 12 of the latter among the negro volunteers.

Part of Cabell's command, which (as we have seen) had been worsted, in the Indian Territory, by Blunt and Phillips, undertook, under Shelby, a Fall raid into Missouri-probably in quest of subsistence. Emerging from the Choctaw region of the Indian Territory, the raiders passed rapidly through the north-west corner of Arkansas, crossing the river eastward of Fort Smith, and evading any collision with our forces near that post as well as with those holding Little Rock, and entering south-western Missouri; being joined" at Crooked Prairie by a similar force under Coffey, whereby their number was said to be swelled to 2,500. These advanced rapidly through Western Missouri to the river at Booneville, but forthwith commenced a retreat-disappointed, probably, in their hopes of rëenforcement from the now passive Rebels of that disloyal section. They were pursued by a hastily gathered body of Missouri militia, under Gen. E. B. Brown, who struck" them near Arrow Rock at nightfall; fighting them till dark; renewing the attack at 8 next morning, and putting them to flight, with a loss of some 300 killed, wounded, and prisoners."

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fight was obstinate and lasted five hours. The Rebels were finally completely routed and scattered in all directions, with loss of all their artillery and baggage and a large number of small arms and prisoners. The enemy's loss in killed

Gen. McNeil was at St. Louis when first apprised" of this raid, and at once set out for his post, Lebanon: whence, gathering up what force he could, he advanced on Bolivar, moving by Humansville and Stockton on Lamar, where he hoped to intercept their flight. But Shelby had already passed through Humansville, hotly pursued, losing there his last gun, when McNeil reached that point; so the latter joined the hunt through Greenfield and Sarcoxie into Arkansas, and on through Huntsville over Buffalo mountain, taking prisoners by the way; continuing the chase to Clarksville unable to come fairly up with the nimble fugitives, who had now crossed the Arkansas and vanished among the wilds beyond. McNeil here gave over the pursuit, moving deliberately up the river to Fort Smith. During this chase, he had been designated" to command of the Army of the Frontier, vice Gen. Blunt, relieved.

Standwatie and Quantrell made another attack" on Col. Phillips's outposts near Fort Gibson, Indian Territory; but, after a fight of four or five hours, the assailants were routed and driven across the ArkanThis terminated the fighting in this quarter for the year 1863.

sas.

A general Indian war on our Western frontier had been gravely apprehended in 1862; and that apprehension was partially realized. Under the administrations of Pierce and Buchanan, the Indian agents and other Government employés among the aboriginal tribes of the great plains were of course Democrats; and wounded is very great. Ours is also large. Our troops are still pursuing the flying Rebels. "J. M. SCHOFIELD, Major-General."

many of them Southrons, and all intensely pro-Slavery. These were generally superseded, under Mr. Lincoln, in the course of 1861; and were suspected of having been stimulated, by wrath at finding themselves, displaced and by political and sectional sympathies, to use their necessarily great influence among the several tribes to attach them to the fortunes and involve them in the struggles of the Confederacy. Of some of them, this is probably true; but it is not known to be proved, save with those formerly accredited to the tribes residing within the boundaries of the Indian Territory. But, however caused, the general feeling of the western Indians toward us became more and more hostile during 1861-2; until at length certain bands of the Sioux of Minnesota, with some other tribes, plunged into open war. Little Crow's band bore a conspicuous part in these butcheries; striking in rapid succession the north-western frontier settlements at Yellow Medicine," New Ulm," Cedar City," Minn., and a few other feeble outposts; besieging for nine days Fort Ridgeley;" beleaguering and twice assaulting Fort Abercrombie, whence they were driven with heavy loss; and butchering in all some 500 persons, mainly defenseless women and children. Militia were promptly called out and sent against them, under Gen. H. H. Sibley; and the main savage band was finally struck" at Wood lake; where Little Crow was utterly routed, fleeing thence into Dakota. Some 500 of the savages were captured; of whom 498 were tried by court-martial, and about 300 convicted and 10 Oct. 9. 4 Oct. 20. 2 Dec. 18. 43 Aug. 18, '62. Aug. 21. Sept. 3. Oct. 17-26. "Sept. 22.

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