PRAIRIE GROVE
When General Sterling Price was ordered east of the Mississippi River
the Confederate Government placed the Department of Arkansas under the
command of General T. C. Hindman. It was Hindman who originated the idea
of organizing the guerrillas of Missouri into companies and regiments,
intending by a general uprising to wrest the State from the grasp of the
Federals.
In his report to the Confederate Government Hindman says: "I gave
authority to various persons to raise companies and regiments there (in
Missouri) and to operate as guerrillas."
Thus Hindman confesses he was encouraging the bloody guerrilla warfare
which raged throughout the State.
Hindman ruled Arkansas with a rod of iron. He declared martial law
throughout the State, appointed a provost marshal for every county, and
proceeded to force every able-bodied man into the army. In his reports
he coolly says: "For the salvation of the country, I took the
responsibility to force these men into service. I now resolved for the
same objects to compel them to remain."
A great many of these men were Union at heart, and desertions were
frequent. To stop this Hindman began the wholesale shooting of
deserters. In all probability he shot as many men for deserting as the
Federal authorities shot guerrillas in Missouri for breaking their
paroles. So high-handed did his acts become, and so many were the
complaints made against him, that the Confederate Government had to take
cognizance of them.
By the end of November Hindman had succeeded in gathering an army of
from twenty-five to thirty thousand men. Many of them were unarmed, but
he had a formidable host in comparison to the small army opposed to him.
It was on December the second that Lawrence arrived at the camp of
General Blunt. Since he had crossed the mountains, and escaped the force
in front of him, he had encountered no serious opposition. He had met
and scattered two or three small bands of guerrillas, and taken a number
of prisoners, whom he had been obliged to parole.
"I am more than glad to see you," exclaimed General Blunt, warmly
grasping Lawrence's hand. "Schofield telegraphed me you were coming and
I have been looking for you for several days. I began to fear misfortune
had overtaken you."
"We did have a variety of adventures," answered Lawrence. "More than we
bargained for, but we are here all right now."
"Tell us about it," said the General, and nothing would do but that
Lawrence must give a detailed account of the trip. The General listened
attentively, and when Lawrence finished he clapped him on the shoulder
and cried, "Well done, my boy! Well done. You ought to be a general. But
were not the warnings you received in the mountains rather mysterious?"
"They were," answered Lawrence, "and I have no plausible explanation to
make."
Early next morning Blunt sent for Lawrence, asking him to come
immediately. He found him sitting with a paper in his hand, and a
puzzled expression on his face.
"Hello! Captain," he cried. "I'm glad to see you, as I am a little in
the mystery business myself this morning."
"In the mystery business?" asked Lawrence, somewhat astonished.
"Yes, don't imagine you are the only one to receive mysterious warnings.
I received one myself last night."
"Out with it. Don't keep me in suspense, General."
"Well, last night a soldier brought me a communication, saying it was
given to him by a young Indian with the urgent request that it be given
to me at once."
"You have Indians in your command, have you not?"
"Yes, a company of scouts under the command of Colonel Wattles. The
paper was of such a nature that I immediately began an investigation as
to its genuineness. Colonel Wattles asked every man in his command if
any one of them had delivered such a paper and each and every one denied
knowledge of it. I found the soldier who gave me the paper, and he said
the Indian who gave it to him disappeared in the darkness before he
could ask him any questions. The paper contains the most important
information, if true. Here it is. I want you to look at it, and tell me
what you think of it."
General Blunt handed Lawrence the communication, and no sooner had he
glanced at it than he exclaimed, "Great Heavens!"
"What is it?" asked Blunt, jumping up in his excitement. "Do you know
who wrote it?"
"I do not know who wrote it, but I know the handwriting. It is from the
same person who warned General Schofield, through me, of the
contemplated partisan uprising in Missouri last summer. It was the
information given in that communication that enabled General Schofield
to thwart the movement."
"Was it the same person that warned you that you were being pursued in
the Ozarks?" asked the General.
"No, that warning was given by an illiterate person. This is by someone
well educated. Whatever information the paper gives, act upon it at
once. I will stake my life on its being correct."
"Read what it says," replied the General.
Lawrence read the paper through and, as he expected, it was a detailed
account of the plans of General Hindman. It stated that Hindman had just
received dispatches from several sources in Missouri that if he did not
hurry up and invade the State the cause would be hopelessly lost, but if
he could defeat Blunt and invade the State, thousands were ready to
flock to his standard. Hindman had answered that he was ready to move on
Blunt with twenty thousand men, and anticipated an easy victory as he
(Blunt) did not have more than five or six thousand men.
"He estimated my force closely," said Blunt. "There must have been spies
in my camp," but read on.
"Great Scott! He says Hindman will commence his movement on the fourth
or fifth; and this is the third," exclaimed Lawrence.
"Yes, and I have only this small division to oppose him."
"Where are the other two divisions?"
"Up around Springfield, seventy-five miles away, and Schofield's orders
are to hold this position at all hazards."
"Herron can get here," cried Lawrence. "I know his Western boys; they
are greyhounds to march."
"But just think, seventy-five miles in two or three days," said Blunt,
"and then go into battle. But it is my only hope."
It was twelve miles to the telegraph office at Fayetteville. A swift
courier carried the message there and from there it went on the wings of
the lightning to General Herron.
It was a little after midnight on the morning of the fourth that General
Herron received the message, and by three o'clock his little army was on
the way--a march of seventy-five miles before them and then a battle.
There was no lagging, no grumbling. "On to save Blunt" was the cry.
That army was accustomed to long marches, to hardships almost
incredible. Hardly ever stopping, through the nights as well as days,
they marched, and on the evening of the sixth the advance of Herron's
army reached Fayetteville; the rest would be up during the night.
Blunt's army was still twelve miles away, and the boom of the cannon
told them the conflict was on.
Hindman knew that Herron was coming, and he made haste to strike before
his arrival. On December fifth he instructed General Marmaduke to take
his division, turn the right flank of Blunt's army, and throw his men in
between Blunt and Fayetteville, thus preventing the union of Blunt and
Herron.
The clash came at Cain Hill. Lawrence, with his troop, was in the
advance, and the rapidity of their fire so astonished Marmaduke that he
thought he was fighting a much larger force than he was, and his men
fell back in confusion. The movement was a failure.
All through the next day Hindman's forces kept pouring through the
passes of the mountains, and though the Federals resisted gallantly,
they were gradually pressed back, and the evening of the sixth found the
two armies confronting each other, ready to grapple in deadly conflict.
Blunt had sent word to Herron that he would fight where he was, and for
him to hurry forward. During the night General Hindman made an
unexpected and aggressive movement, worthy of Stonewall Jackson.
Reasoning that Herron's men must be completely exhausted by their long
march, he resolved to leave his camp fires burning and a small force
which was to make a big show, thus leading General Blunt to believe the
whole army was still before him. Hindman then marched around Blunt and
in the morning was squarely between him and Herron. Hindman believed he
could easily whip Herron before Blunt came up, and then he would turn on
Blunt and finish the job.
As soon as it was light the Confederates in front of Blunt opened a
noisy battle. Lawrence was serving on Blunt's staff, leaving the troop
in command of Dan. The Federals pressed eagerly forward, the
Confederates yielding ground readily.
"General," said Lawrence, "there is something wrong. I do not believe
the whole army is before us. They give ground too easily. I believe the
main part of Hindman's army has slipped past us, and gone to attack
Herron."
"Impossible," answered Blunt. "The only road they could have taken to
get past us is the Cove Creek road, some four miles away, and I sent
Colonel Richardson with his regiment to guard that with strict orders to
hold it, and let me know if he was attacked. I have heard nothing from
him, so all must be well."
But Lawrence was not satisfied; more and more he became convinced that
there was only a small force in front, and he asked Blunt if he might
not go and try to find Richardson, as he had not yet reported.
Permission was readily granted. Lawrence had not gone two miles before
he came onto Richardson. He had not occupied nor had he attempted to
occupy the Cove Creek road. Instead he had halted two miles from it, and
sent forward a small reconnoitering party; and the officer in charge of
the party had reported that the enemy had been passing along the road in
force ever since midnight.
"Why didn't you occupy the road as ordered?" angrily demanded Lawrence
of Richardson.
"Do you think I was going to fight the whole Confederate army with my
little regiment? I'm not such a fool," retorted Richardson.
"Why didn't you send word to the General then that the enemy was passing
along this road in force?" demanded Lawrence, still more angry. "By your
own admission you became aware of the movement by midnight."
"Why, I was just about to report the matter," said Richardson.
"Just about to, and here it is after nine o'clock. If I had the power I
would strip off your shoulder straps, and have you drummed out of the
army," exclaimed Lawrence furiously. In fact, he came the nearest
swearing he ever did. But there was no time to quarrel. Wheeling his
horse he rode at full speed to General Blunt with the news.
Calling back his men and paying no more attention to the force in front,
Blunt marched to the relief of Herron, but it was nearly eleven o'clock
before he got under way. Then he did not know exactly where Herron was,
for no courier could get through. It was one o'clock before the roar of
the cannon told him that the battle had opened, and then he found he was
marching in the wrong direction, and it was nearly four o'clock before
he reached the field.
Hindman's movement had been a complete success. Herron had gathered his
little army at Fayetteville and early in the morning started to join
Blunt, whose cannon he could hear, not dreaming that it was to be he and
not Blunt that was to fight the main battle.
Hardly had the light of the short December day dawned when Shelby's
brigade surprised and captured a train of thirty wagons, and with it
nearly three hundred of the four hundred soldiers guarding it. Those not
captured fled panic-stricken and for nearly five miles Shelby's men
followed them, but here they ran into Herron's men and went back as fast
as they had come.
Herron soon came upon the entire Confederate army in line of battle
along Illinois Creek, not far from an old church called Prairie Grove
Church. The position was a strong one, but Herron did not hesitate a
moment, but made preparations to attack.
Why Hindman, with his overwhelming force, did not attack, but waited to
be attacked, will never be known. Owing to the nature of the ground it
took Herron some time to form his line, but at one o'clock the battle
opened. For nearly three long hours it raged. Every time the
Confederates essayed to charge they were met with such a storm of shot
and shell that they went reeling back.
Twice did Herron's men make desperate charges and captured a battery
each time, but they were met with such an overwhelming force that they
were forced to relinquish the guns. Herron's men were hard pressed, but
grimly they held to their position, awaiting the arrival of Blunt.
It was nearly four o'clock when the roar of Blunt's cannon was heard.
Throwing his force on the flank of the Confederate army, they were
compelled to give way and the field was won.
Darkness put an end to the conflict, and the tired soldiers threw
themselves on the ground to sleep, expecting to renew the conflict in
the morning. But Hindman had had enough. He had failed to crush Herron,
and now that Blunt and Herron were united, he only thought of safety; so
muffling the wheels of his artillery he began his retreat to Van Buren,
leaving his dead to be buried and hundreds of his wounded to be cared
for by the victorious Federals.
This ended all hopes of the Confederates invading Missouri at this time.
Soon Hindman withdrew his army from Northwest Arkansas and fled to
Little Rock.
Again had the Army of the Northwest, now known as the Army of the
Frontier, achieved a glorious victory in the face of immense odds.[17]
[Footnote 17: The battle of Prairie Grove, for the number engaged, was a
bloodier and more fiercely contested battle than Pea Ridge. Blunt
claimed that he and Herron together had only seven thousand men on the
field. That Herron, with not more than half that number, had held the
enemy at bay for three hours, speaks volumes for the valor of his weary
men.
Hindman claims he brought only eleven thousand men to the fight.
The Federal loss was about thirteen hundred; the Confederate loss was
estimated at from fifteen hundred to two thousand. Hindman admitted a
loss of fourteen hundred.
A few of the Federal regiments engaged lost heavily. The Twentieth
Wisconsin lost two hundred and seventeen; the Twenty-sixth Indiana, two
hundred and one; the Nineteenth Iowa, one hundred and ninety-three; the
Seventh Missouri Cavalry, one hundred and forty-two, and the
Thirty-seventh Illinois, seventy-one.
General John C. Black, then colonel of the Thirty-seventh Illinois,
states that his regiment marched sixty-six miles in thirty-six hours to
get into the fight, and so exhausted were the men that during lulls in
the battle they would sink to the ground and be fast asleep in a minute,
but would spring to their feet and renew the fight when the call came,
with all the fury of fresh soldiers.]