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BATTLE OF PRAIRIEDecemberGROVE, ARKANSAS* ♦ J 1 '7th, 1862By J. E. HO.UGHLAND,' Corpora.1 “Co. E., Nineteenth Iowa Infantry.Gen. F. J. Herron’s division of the army of’the frontier lay at the battle ground of Wilson Creek, Mo., on the 3d day^of December, 11862, when orders came to prepare for forced march to .reinforce Gen. James' Blunt, who was at Cane Hill, Ark., and threatened .by Confederate General Hindman' with ah army of.over 30,000 men. At once-we commenced packing and preparing for the march. Only what‘could be easily .carried was taken and the start was made. The. first division consisted, of the Twentieth Wisconsin, Ninety* fourth Illinois ano the Nineteenth Iowa ..Infantries, and First Iowa Cavalry and Pouts' batteries, first brigade. The march was made'to Fayettville.'Ark., by the night of the 6th, a distance of Ho miles and lay until the morning of the 7th. Here Colonel McFarland of the Nineteenth Iowa made an impressive speech, saying, Men, prepare-’ for battle.. A S o’clock next morning the 7th .of Decemoer; we started on the march southward, and in about six miles we met some cavalrymen who said the Rebs were posted in a splendid, place and that we were soon to .be engaged in a battle. Our brigade was at once formed in. line and fighting trim, throwing away knapsacks, blankets and all other things that would impede progress. Soon we were in sight of the enemy,'posted on a hill back of’an orchard and across Illinois creek. -We were marched under the .banks of the creek, while oiir batteries were being posted ready for the battle. A short distance from where the road crossed, the creek was an old. field sloping ■ back from the creek' to the hill on which the rebels were posted at least 30,000 ftrong. In the old field to the right of the road the Second brigade was formed with Murphy’s battery. Company F, First Missouri Light Artillery, was moved across the creek to .the high grounds to the right of the Second brigade. ^ The rebel batteries having; the pick were posted on the . locations over which our army .were now being placed, which ga ve them the advantage, and they were pouring the shot and shell fast and doing great damage, but our batteries soon commenced their work and were so'deadly .that in two liours the rebel batteries were silenced. ..Then the.First-brigade moved across the open field to'the enemy under the fire of the batteries, again in action and the musketry shots which were like hail amonj? us, killing many, before we had:advanced within one hundred-yards of the batteries. Here the order was, ‘*Fix bayonets! Charge!” And up the hill into the face of the batteries end four lines of rebels went the Twentieth Wisconsin and the Nineteenth Iowa infantry, regiments. . Soon one of the batteries was captured, but the resistance.was more than.could be withstood and they retreated down the hill about , one .hundred yards where they halted and fought fiercely 1 ntil about 4 -ro’cloclc p. m., when shots were heard on our right and soon Blunt’s army of. about 5,000 v appeared arid at'once commenced firing. The battle raged liritiir darkness' closed, the battle scenes and the duty of : the hospital corps was at once increased in carrying the wounded -to the rear, preparing for the early morning when the battle would be renewed. It was. a fearful eight on this battle field. Colonel McFarland, one of the bravest men who ever led a regiment, was killed and hundreds of infantry lay in the arms of death, while hundreds of wounded cried for help. Oh, God. that^never again such cries be heard! The Twentieth Wisconsin lost 200 killed . and 300 wounded-while the Nineteenth Iowa lostabout the same....The rebel dead was over 500 and their wounded never could be counted as in the' darkness they muffled their wheels and when the morning light came on they were gone, and the dreaded battle of the morninpr would not be. The burying of the dead and care of the wounded’was all ;that was to be done and God knows it was enough. Five hundred rebels were buried in one trench and such wounded as they left were taken'care of -the same as our own men. This march and battle, in which J20 miles were marched and battle fought in only two days,and only 5,000 men against 30,000 and a victory gained, caused the Count of Paris to say in hia history: “This was the most aggressive army of the war.” .December 7th at Washington,:Iowa, some of the remnants of the Nintecnth Iowa will assemble and celebrate the forty-fifth anniversary of the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark.
Newspaper Details
Des Moines Capital
Des Moines, Iowa, US
Sat, Dec 05, 1908
Page 21
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USA 01 Feb 2020
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