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the number of their captured as evidence of their valor. Any act of cruelty to prisoners, or those offering to deliver themselves as such, on the part of the soldiers of this army, coming to the knowledge of the General commanding, will be punished with the extreme penalty of the law."

The following is Gen. Halleck's despatch to Washington, announcing this battle:

To Maj. Gen. McClellan:

ST. LOUIS, March 10, 1862.

The army of the Southwest, under Gen. Curtis, after three days hard fighting near Sugar Creek, Arkansas, has gained a most glorious victory over the combined forces of Van Dorn, McCulloch, Price, and McIntosh. Our killed and wounded are estimated at one thousand. That of the enemy still larger. Guns, flags, provisions, &c., captured in large quantities. Our cavalry is in pursuit of the flying enemy

H. W. HALLECK, Major-General.

The Confederate force retired south of the Boston Mountains unpursued by Gen. Curtis, to obtain reënforcements and to recover from their loss. Meantime reënforcements were sent to Gen. Curtis from Kansas and Missouri. He fell back to Keetsville, and remained through the month. On the 5th of April, it being supposed that Gen. Price was moving on Springfield, Missouri, Gen. Curtis began a march in that direction. On that day he advanced eigh teen miles and on the next twenty, to the junction of Flat Rock with James river. Failing in an attempt to cross the James, the force moved to Galena, where a crossing was effected in a rain storm. On the next day, the 9th, Bear Creek, thirteen miles, was reached, and on the 10th Forsyth, eighteen miles, where the army was concentrated. The high water of the river delayed active operations. Gen. Price, with a body of mounted men, was encamped about five miles south and on the other side of the river. On the 16th of April an expedition was sent out under Col. McCrellis to destroy some saltpetre works located eight miles below the Little North Fork, south side of White river. It was entirely successful. About ten thousand pounds nearly prepared for transportation were destroyed. The army next moved to West Plains, eighty-seven miles, thence to Salem, Arkansas, which is southeast of Forsyth, Mo., and distant one hundred and seventeen miles. Thence it advanced to Batesville, crossed the White river, and took the route to Little Rock, the capital of the State. It advanced to Searcy, fifty miles from Little Rock, where an order was received from Gen. Halleck to send ten regiments by a forced march to Cape Girardeau and thence to Corinth. The army then fell back to Batesville, which is the capital of Independence county and the most important town in the northeastern part of the State. It is situated on the White river about four hundred miles from its mouth. The river is navigable to this point for small steamers. Such was the scarcity of supplies that the army suffered severely. An expedition was fitted out in June from Memphis to descend the Mis

sissippi to the mouth of Arkansas and thence up the White river to Batesville. (See page 66.) It was unsuccessful. Supplies were subsequently sent by land from Missouri, which reached Gen. Curtis about the 1st of July. His position during this period was critical, and excited much apprehension, as he was known to be nearly destitute of provisions, far distant from the sources of supply, and surrounded in the midst of a wilderness by foes. From Batesville he now advanced to Jacksonport at the confluence of the White and Black rivers, thence passing through Augusta and Clarendon he reached Helena on the Mississippi river, one hundred and seventy-five miles from Batesville.

It was reported soon after that Confederate troops under Gen. Price were crossing the Mississippi at a point between Napoleon and Vicksburg, and Gen. Curtis started with a body of troops on transports to make an exploration. The steam ferry boat at Napoleon, upon the approach of Gen. Curtis, was withdrawn up the Arkansas river, whither he followed and captured it with fifteen other ferry and flat boats. A large number of boats were destroyed on the Arkansas by this expedition, which soon after returned to Helena. Gen. Curtis was then absent until the close of September, when he was appointed to command the department of Missouri, containing the States of Missouri and Arkansas and the adjacent Indian Territory, with his headquarters at St. Louis. Helena continued to be occupied by the Federal troops, but active military operations were suspended. This closed the campaign of Gen. Curtis.

After the departure of Gen. Curtis from Helena on the 15th of November, an expedition under Gen. Alvin P. Hovey, consisting of eight thousand infantry and cavalry, started for the White river; but in consequence of new bars which had formed, and the low stage of the water, it entirely failed of the object intended, and returned. The command of the post was then taken by Gen. Steele, who had arrived with a division of troops. Subsequently Gen. Hovey was sent upon an expedition from Helena into Mississippi to cooperate with Gen. Grant on his advance into that State. The particulars of this expedition are stated in connection with the campaign of Gen. Grant.

The subsequent military operations in Arkansas exerted no special influence on the conduct of the war. They may be briefly stated in this place. The Confederate forces in the State, in October, were estimated to consist of five thousand men under Gen. Hindman, posted five miles north of Little Rock; five thousand men under Gen. Roan, posted fifty miles southeast of Little Rock at White Sulphur Springs, near Pine Bluff on the Arkansas river; at Cross Hollows in the northwestern part of the State, between four and five thousand men, chiefly conscripts under Gen. Rains; Gen. Holmes, in chief command, was at Little Rock with two thousand men; Gen. McBride was at Bates

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ville with two thousand more. Small forces were also at Arkansas, Crystal Hill, and Arkadelphia. The latter post had been made the seat of government. These forces were estimated at twenty thousand men with a deficient outfit. In the northwestern part of Arkansas, near Cross Hollows, twelve miles south of Fayetteville, Gen. Herron had a severe conflict with a Confederate force near the end of October. Again on the 28th of November Gen. Blunt made an attack on Gen. Marmaduke with about eight thousand men, at Cane Hill, fortyfive miles north of Van Buren, which caused the Confederate force to retreat to Van Buren. Again, on the 7th of December, the combined Confederate forces under the command of Gen. Hindman, estimated at fifteen thousand men, made an attempt to cut off reënforcements for Gen. Blunt, ten miles south of Fayetteville. The Confederate forces advanced on the flank of Gen. Blunt's position, and attacked Gen. Herron with the reënforcements, who held them in check until they were attacked in the rear by Gen. Blunt at Crawford's Prairie. The fight continued obstinate until dark, when the Confederate forces retreated across Boston Mountains. The loss was severe on both sides, and the advance of the Confederate troops into Missouri was checked.

The campaign in the West was now pushed through. The evacuation of Columbus, and the flanking of other Confederate positions on the Mississippi river by the force on the advance up the Tennessee river, led to the fitting out of an expedition to move down the Mississippi. On the 4th of March an armed reconnoissance, commanded by Flag Officer Foote and General Cullum, was made as far as Columbus. This consisted of six gunboats, four mortar boats, and three transports having on board two regiments and two battalions of infantry under Gen. Sherman. On arriving at Columbus, it was found to have been evacuated and subsequently occupied by two hundred and fifty of the 2d Illinois on a scouting expedition. The Confederate troops had chiefly retired down the river to Island No. 10 and New Madrid. The evacuation was a consequence of the position being flanked on both sides of the river. The distances to various points down the river are as follows: Cairo to Columbus, 20 miles; Hickman, 37; Island No. 10, 45; New Madrid, 55; Point Pleasant, 87; Plumb Point, 154; Island No. 33, 164; Fort Wright, 167; Fulton Landing, 168; Hatche River, 170; Island No. 34, 170; Fort Randolph, 175; Fort Pillow, 238; Memphis, 242;

This force returned to Cairo, and on the 14th a formidable expedition left to move down the river. The following vessels formed the fleet: flag ship Benton, Lieut. Phelps acting flag captain; gunboats Cincinnati, Commander R. N. Stembel; Carondelet, Commander Walke; Mound City, Commander Kelly; Louisville, Commander Dove; Pittsburgh, Lieut. Thompson commanding; St. Louis, Lieut. Paulding

commanding; Conestoga, Lieut. Blodgett commanding-the only boat in the fleet not ironclad.

The mortar boats assigned to the expedition were designated numerically. Each had a mortar of 13-inch calibre and discharging a round shell weighing two hundred and fifteen pounds without its contents. The "sailing" or "running" crews of these mortar boats consisted of one captain and two men. The force to fire the mortars in action was one captain to each brace of mortars, and one lieutenant and twelve men to each boat. The Nos. of the vessels were, 5, 7, 11, 19, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30, 38, under command in chief of Capt. H. E. Maynadier, U. S. Army. The steamers Hammit and Wilson, lashed together, towed four; the Pike and Wisconsin four others; Lake Erie, No. 2, towed two others. Then followed a steamer with a barge laden with coal in tow, after which came the two ordnance steamers, and two transports with the 27th Illinois, Col. Buford, and 15th Wisconsin, Col. Hey, infantry-the latter regiment being composed exclusively of Norwegians-and also a battery of the 2d Illinois artillery. With the gunboats on the right, followed by the mortar fleet, ordnance boats, and transports with troops, the gunboat Conestoga brought up the rear, protecting the transports, while eight or ten little screw propellers, used for conveying orders and despatches from the flag ship to the fleet, were busily darting in all directions.

The expedition reached Columbus at 1 P. M., and at 3 o'clock left for Hickman, where it arrived between five and six o'clock. A small force of Confederate cavalry left upon its approach. The town was partly deserted; a few Union flags, however, were waved. The next morning it proceeded down the river to within half a mile of the Missouri point above Island No. 10, which by an air line was two and a half miles distant, while by the river, owing to the bend, it was four miles distant. In this position the flagship opened fire upon a Confederate battery discovered on the Kentucky shore, but, owing to the distance, without effect. Two of the mortar boats then, having got into position, opened upon and soon silenced it. A large Confederate force appeared to be encamped on that side.

Island No. 10 is situated in the corner of that bend of the Mississippi river which touches the border of Tennessee, a few miles further up the river than New Madrid, although nearly southwest of that point. It is situated about two hundred and forty miles from St. Louis, and nine hundred and fifty from New Orleans. The average depth of the water at this point is from ninety to one hundred and twenty feet, and the breadth of the stream from mainland to mainland about nine hundred yards. The current runs by the island at a moderately fast rate, and with the power of three rivers-Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohiocombined. The island is near the southern, or

what might be termed the eastern bank of the river, but at this point the stream varies from its southern course and turns abruptly to the northwest, leaving this island in the southern angle of the bend. It is about forty-five miles, by the course of the river, south of Columbus, and about twenty-six miles from Hickman. It is near Obionville, which is in Obion county, in the northwest extremity of Tennessee, where it borders on Kentucky and Missouri. The Mississippi river passes to the north and to the south of Obionville, leaving a land distance between the two waters very inconsiderable, and easily walked across in less than an hour, although the voyage by water between the same points, owing to the bends in the river, is about twenty miles. The surface of the surrounding country is nearly level. Obionville is connected by a turnpike road with Columbus, in Kentucky, via Hickman, and with Troy, the capital of the county.

The fortifications on the island and mainland adjacent consisted of eleven earthworks, with seventy heavy cannon, varying in caliber from thirty-two to one hundred pounders, rifled. The bombardment commenced on the 16th of March, and continued with more or less vigor until the 7th of April. A different plan, however, was arranged for the capture of the island. This consisted in cutting a canal across a portion of the narrow and low peninsula, by which the transports could pass below the island, and a part of the troops with Gen. Pope at New Madrid be taken across the river, and thus completely invest the island.

On the 21st of February, by orders of Gen. Halleck, Gen. Pope proceeded to Commerce in Missouri above Cairo, and was followed by a force numbering in the aggregate about forty thousand men. With this army Gen. Pope proceeded southwardly in the early part of the last week in February, destined for New Madrid. In a direct line the distance from Commerce to New Madrid is about fifty miles, but by the road it is between sixty and seventy-five miles. On the 3d of March he arrived with his forces before New Madrid, and found the place occupied by five regiments of infantry and several companies of artillery. The defensive works consisted of one bastioned earthwork, mounting fourteen heavy guns, about half a mile below the town, and another irregular work at the upper end of the town, mounting seven pieces of heavy artillery, together with lines of intrenchment between them; six gunboats, carrying from four to eight heavy guns each, were anchored along the shore between the upper and lower redoubts. The country being perfectly level and the river so high that the guns of the boats looked directly over the banks, Gen. Pope found the approaches to the town commanded for miles by guns of heavy caliber.

His first step was to occupy Point Pleasant, twelve miles below, in such a manner that his force could not be driven out by the Confed

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erate gunboats, and thus blockade the river from below. He next procured siege guns from Cairo, which arrived on the 12th of March, and were placed in battery during the night within eight hundred yards of the enemy's main work, so as to command that and the river above it. The battery consisted of two small redoubts connected by a curtain, and mounting four heavy guns, with rifle pits in front and on the flanks for two regiments of infantry. As soon as day dawned on the 13th, these batteries opened fire, and were replied to by the whole of the enemy's heavy artillery on land and water. In a few hours several of the gunboats were disabled, and three of the heavy guns dismounted in the enemy's main work. The cannonading continued all day without producing any impression on the position of Gen. Pope, other than the disabling of one gun by a round shot. The effect of the contest during the day convinced the Confederate commander that he could not hold the town, although he had previously received reënforcements of men and guns from Island No. 10. Accordingly in the night, during a violent storm of rain, he evacuated the town by crossing over to the Kentucky shore. This evacuation was made with considerable precipitation. Almost everything was left behind. Even the pickets were abandoned. "Thirty-three pieces of artillery, magazines full of fixed ammunition, several thousand stand of small arms, hundreds of boxes of musket cartridges, tents for an army of ten thousand men, horses, mules, wagons, &c., were among the spoils."

The Confederate fleet was commanded by Com. Hollins, and their land force by Gens. McCown, Stewart, and Gantt. The Union loss was fifty-one killed and wounded; the Confederate loss was estimated by Gen. Pope to be larger. A number of their dead were left unburied. By the possession of these works Gen. Pope commanded the river, so as to cut off all communication with Island No. 10 from below. It was on the day after this evacuation that the fleet left Cairo.

In order to cut off entirely the retreat of the Confederate force from Island No. 10, it was necessary that a portion of Gen. Pope's army should be taken across the Mississippi to the Tennessee shore. To bring down transports a channel was made, twelve miles long, six of which were through heavy timber. The trees standing in water, had to be cut off four feet below its surface. While this work was pushed forward the bombardment of the island was continued. On the night of the 1st of April, under the cover of darkness and storm, a boat expedition from the fleet, with a small force under the command of Col. Roberts of the 42d Illinois, landed at the upper or No. 1 Fort on the Kentucky shore and spiked the six guns mounted, and retired without injury. The pickets of the enemy fired and fled, and the troops in the vicinity also retreated. As the work on the canal approached

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