HIS GALLANT DEFENSE.

421

their destructive errands, which threw the charging column into confusion. They were soon rallied, and madly rushed at the Union lines; another accurate volley, succeeded by another, and yet another. The enemy's hosts encompass the little band; but, inspired by the coolness of their commander, they work every shot tells upon the crazy assailants, who fall by hundreds, and are drawn off, broken, and discomfited.

The scattered lines of the enemy are soon re-formed Sigel's little force is yet seven miles from its supports, for which he had sent-but they have not arrived. It is now two o'clock, and the enemy advance, to a desperate charge, spurring their horses upon the points of the ready bayonets. Again the circle closes, and a hand to hand and terrible combat ensues. The gallant Germans prove themselves equal to the emergency. Their leader set them the example, and they bravely imitate him. Again, the bayonet wins, and the foe recoils. An hour of hesitation, on his part, follows, during which Sigel is re-enforced. A third and final attempt to capture the train, ends in failure, and the enemy, at one half past three, finally withdrew. One hour after, Sigel reached camp, having lost sixty killed, and two hundred wounded. Thus closed the 6th of March.

The following night was one of anxious suspense in the Union camp-each man lay on the ground in line of battle, his musket by his side. Had they done so at Pittsburgh Landing, one month later, we should not have had so sad a record of that field of blood.

During the night, the indications were, that the enemy was approaching in strong force over the road leading from Bentonville to Keatsville, which, after crossing the Sugar Creek, passes over the high table-land of Pea Ridge. The ridge was covered with timber of small growth; and on it were three or four farms, the settlement bearing the name of Leestown. In the vicinity of this settlement the principal fighting occurred

422

SECOND DAY'S BATTLE.

The direction of the enemy's advance, and the position he was found to occupy in the morning, compelled a change in our line of battle. Colonel Carr was sent back two miles along the road, to Fayetteville, to occupy a position in front of the enemy, posted on the opposite side of Beaver Creek, a stream flowing into Sugar Creek.

Col. Davis held the table land on the top of the Ridge, while Gen. Sigel held the camp, his left extending to Sugar Creek.

The pickets of Major Weston were first driven in at Elkhorn Tavern, whom Col. Carr was ordered to support, and here the enemy made his first vigorous assault. The fire increased rapidly, and soon opened in the centre also. Col. Carr was so closely pressed by the enemy, that Gen. Curtis ordered Col. Davis to his support. Col. Osterhaus had, meanwhile, divided the enemy's forces by a very gallant attack, but the arrival of heavy re-enforcements drove back our cavalry, and they captured our flying battery. The Colonel, however, being well supported by his infantry, checked the enemy here. The danger at this point was so imminent, that Col. Davis was ordered to support the centre. The attack here was under the personal command of McCulloch and McIntosh. Although Col. Carr needed aid on the right, yet the centre was the vital position, and the great point of the enemy's attack. Here the battle raged with terrible fury. Col. Davis held the position against fearful numbers, and our brave troops nobly stood, or charged in steady lines. The success of the enemy depended upon his triumph here. It was the critical time and place. The rebel leaders, McCulloch and McIntosh, had fallen early in the day, and it aided our success. The steady courage of

officers and men discomfited the hordes of Indian horsemen sent against our centre.

Though the great force of the enemy was pressed upon our centre, yet the right was also sorely pressed, and the dead and

THIRD DAY'S BATTLE.

423

wounded covered the field. To Col. Carr's urgent call for reenforcements, a few cavalry and the body guard of Gen. Curtis was the only response that could be made. The gallant division resolutely held out. The enemy had so far confined his attention to the centre and right, while Gens. Sigel and Asboth, on Sugar creek, had not been attacked. About two o'clock P. M., the enemy fell back from the centre, and were believed to be concentrating for attack upon Col. Carr. Thereupon, the division of Gen. Asboth was directed to support Col. Carr, and that of Gen. Sigel to Col. Davis, and, if need be, Col. Carr also. It was near five o'clock before these forces came to Col. Carr's aid, who had already been seven hours in battle, and

had been driven back nearly one half a mile, slowly contesting every inch of the way.

On the arrival of Gen. Curtis, he ordered the gallant 4th and 9th Iowa to make a bayonet charge upon the enemy, while General Asboth opened, at short range, a tremendous fire from his batteries, which continued until the ammunition was exhausted, and until it was quite dark, and the firing ceased for the night.

The soldiers camped on the field, in the midst of their dead and wounded comrades, but such was their exhaustion, that they took broken slumbers and gloomy repose.

During the night, Col. Davis moved to the left of Col. Carr, and the division of Col. Sigel was also placed in aposition, to co-operate in the next day's work. The enemy had not been idle, but had planted new batteries during the night, which opened upon our lines about sunrise, with terrible energy. Our right fell back, in order to avoid their raking fire.

Gen. Curtis was now confident of victory. He had command of favorable positions, on which his batteries were posted, so as to converge their fire upon the enemy. The terrible fire which he was able to pour into their lines, soon threw them into disorder. Everywhere our lines moved forward, and the

enemy fell back. They were pursued for some distance by artillery and cavalry, but they divided and scattered through the gorges of the mountains, where pursuit was impossible. The losses in the several divisions are thus reported by Gen. Curtis :

Commanded by

Kill'd. Wound'd. Missing. Kill'd. Wound'd. Missing. Total.

CHAPTER XIV.

SIEGE AND OCCUPATION OF FORT PILLOW-CAPTURE OF MEMPHIS-PERSECUTION OF

TENNESSEE LOYALISTS.

Expedition to Fort Pillow-Bombardment Begun-Com. Farragut's FleetResignation of Com. Foote-The Battle of the Boats-Long Siege - The Evacuation-On to Memphis-Another Boat Fight-Surrender of the City-Loyalists in East Tennessee―Their Isolation-Terrible SufferingsParson Brownlow-Vote on Secession-Continued Bondage of the East Tennesseeans.

After the surrender of Island No. 10, the next stand made by the rebels on the river, was at Fort Pillow, where they had prepared to make a final and desperate resistance, and for the attack upon which, immediate measures were taken by Com. Foote. The necessary arrangements having been completed, the flotilla started for Fort Pillow, on the 12th of April. That fort was situated about eighty miles above Memphis, and as subsequent events proved, was their main reliance for its defense. The mortar boats were put in position, and opened on the rebel gun-boats, and on the fort, on the 14th of April, and soon scattered the enemy's fleet.

The position of Fort Pillow rendered it difficult for us to successfully assail it. The position taken by the mortar boats was from two, to two and one-half miles from the enemy's works, a wooded point intervening.

From a position thus unfavorable, the bombardment began ; and it was kept up irregularly, and with intervals of suspension, without satisfactory results, until the 10th of May, the enemy replying to our fire, but without effect. In this long