"The next morning, October 23rd, opened cold and clear. The enemy was in heavy force along our entire from, frm Westport on the right and beyond our help. Shelby’s division was on our right, with Jeff Thompson in command of Shelby’s old brigade facing Westport. Here was the key to the situation. If our line could be broken at this point, the enemy would pas to our rear and the day would be lost. Here he had his best troops, and as they were driven by the impetuous onslaught of Shelby, they were re-inforced and made a counter charge, driving Shelby in turn. Fagan was on Shelby’s left, my regiment touching his Division and for a time I was under his orders. The whole line was now fiercely engaged with varying fortunes. The enemy redoubled his efforts to break our right, where Jeff Thompson were fighting desperately and Collins, with his four gun battery, was simply slaughtering the Federals with grape and canister. One of his guns burst, but he fought with the other three. The enemy came in fifty yards of his battery, the old brigade was with him, and he had no fear of losing his guns. A part of Fagan’s Division, next to Shelby showed signs of giving way. As Fagan was not on that part of the field, Shelby rode down the line cheering and encouraging the men to hold their ground. He had just driven the enemy militia and dismounted cavalry, who took position behind a stone wall, some three hundred yards in our front. There was a farm house on top of [page 224 ends] the hill and a wide lane, the fencing of stone, extending to our position. In the lane and just over the hill there was a battery in position pouring shell into us. Our lines were reforming and being placed in position by Shelby, when Fagan, at the head of his escort, commanded by Major Terry Roberts (as gallant a soldier as was in the service) rode up. Shelby saluted him and said: "General I am ready to obey any order you may give." Fagan looked at the battery a moment through his field glasses and said: "Shelby, I propose to take that battery. Have a regiment of Cavalry to form in platoons and charge up the line and support the charge on foot." Colonel Magee commanding a regiment about three hundred strong - new regiment from Northeast Arkansas, formed by platoons, which about filled the lane with a living mass of cavalry. A part of Fagan’s division was dismounted on the left side of the lane, a part of Shelby’s on the right. When the bugle sounded the charge, Magee led his regiment at a gallop; not a man faltered. The battery opened with grape and canister and cut the men down by the scores, but still they went on until the few who had escaped death were in fifty yards of the battery, when the infantry from behind the stone fence opened on them with small arms and almost demolished the regiment. Never was a more criminally foolish order given, nor one more gallantly and recklessly obeyed. This occurred in full view of that part of the army and the enemy behind [page 225 ends] the stone fence opened on our whole line. It faltered and went in two hundred yards of the enemy - they retreated and mounted their horses. The enemy now began a general advance along the whole line. Marmaduke was giving way on our extreme left and Shelby ordered Jackman to his relief. Before he could reach him, however, Fagan asked for help and he was stopped to support him. But the day was lost. The enemy, continuing to drive Marmaduke, were very soon past our left and in our rear, forcing Fagan to retreat hurriedly. Thompson, weakened by the detachment of Jackman, could not longer hold back the avalanche of cavalry which was hurled against him. All this took place on an open prairie, in full view of every man of either army,. No timber anywhere in which to reform and make a stand. Dozens of batteries were playing upon our demoralized forces. Shelby, with Collins’ Battery, held in check the Westport force, until Fagan and Marmaduke had escaped and until he was almost surrounded. Then he charged through and over the enemy and retreated rapidly for two miles and forming his Division behind the friendly shelter of farm buildings and stone fences, held them at bay until night, when he followed after General Price and and overtook him in camps twenty-four miles from Westport. The desperate and heroic fighting of Shelby and his gallant officers and men unquestionably saved the army from utter destruction." [page 226 ends] Memoirs of John C. Wright, pages 224-226