Arkansas True Democrat, Little Rock CS
The official reports of Major Rogers of Colonel Parsons’ Texas Cavalry, and Captain Chrisman of White County, who accompanied him as guide, of the little fight near Searcy, in White County, 50 miles north of this place, will be found in our columns today. It is the first of a series of attacks that will result in the evacuation of the state by the Federals in less than 20 days. We have every reason to rejoice over it. The enemy are in a starving condition, and must fight or run without delay. In either advance we shall be rid of them. We would prefer them to fight, and shall pursue if they run. General Roane has that in store for of them on White river that will astonish them in less than a week.
The re-enforcements, provisions and ammunition asked for by Major Rogers, is being rapidly sent forward.

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6 miles south of Searcy
May 21, 1862
To General J.S. Roane, Commanding Dept of Arkansas:
On yesterday, with 100 of my men, I attacked the enemy, some three or four hundred strong, infantry and cavalry. I was aided in the attack by Capt Hicks’ and fifty men, making my force one hundred and fifty. The battle lasted about three quarters of an hour. Enemy’s loss supposed to be from fifty to one hundred. Our loss–Texas troops, 1 killed, 6 missing, 2 wounded. Arkansas troops, 2 killed and several missing. We had some eight or ten horses killed.
The Federals are laying waste the country. I will remain here, provided you will send reinforcements, provisions and ammunition.
E.W. Rogers
Com’g Detachment Parsons Regiment,
Texas Dragoons

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Des Arc Bridge
White County, Arkansas, May 19, 1862
Capt. Portlock, Assistant Adjutant General, Little Rock:
Sir: On yesterday, the 18th, I left the camps at this place as guide to a party of one hundred Texans (a detachment of Colonel Parson’s Texas Dragoons) to ascertain the locality of the enemy foraging parties, and to cut them off if possible. We found them about 2 miles east of their camp on the road leading from Searcy to West Point, about three hundred strong. On our route in search of them we were join by about fifty being under Captain Hicks. We got between the enemy and their camps and charged them, finding them will protect it behind fences and secreted in the bushes. The most of them were posted behind the locks of fence in a lane running north from the road. The charge was gallantly led by Major Rogers, who ordered a flank movement on the left of the lane, while he gallantly led a charge down the lane himself.
About the same time, perceiving that the enemy were flying to the right through the field, I immediately had the fence thrown down and charged them by a flank movement on the right. When we had completely routed them and cut them to pieces, a large reinforcement of the enemy’s cavalry coming up, compelled us to withdraw to a point about a mile back in the woods, whence we sent for reinforcements, who soon appeared in number about 300, a detachment of Texas Dragoons, when we again formed and took position again on the road between the enemy and their camps, where we would certainly have intercepted and captured the whole command, had not the most of our forces then called off by some accident or false information that misled them and to look them off in search of the enemy in a wrong direction. I, however, remained there with Lieutenant Ayers and a squad of men, capturing eight horses and three ambulances, and also a Federal surgeon, who was on his way to the battlefield to take care of the wounded.
Who have we also killed at this point two of the enemy who had arrested Captain Decius McCreery, at his residence, and were taking him to their camps at the Searcy landing. One of these was killed by Lieutenant Ayers, the other by James Word, of West Point. Finding no further opportunity for service at this point, I left with my squad and captured property, (except the ambulances which were broken), and proceeded in the direction of the camp, but meeting of party on the way to the battlefield, went with them to recover the dead. We the got there just as the enemy had left, who had carried off three wagon loads of their dead, and leaving nine more in the lane. Their loss was from fifty to seventy-five killed. Ours only three, so far as we have been able to ascertain, whose bodies were recovered and will be decently interred. Lieutenant McDonald fell at the mouth of the lane, fighting as bravely as any man that ever lived. Dr. Tapscott, of West Point, and one of Cap’t Hooker’s men, also fell fighting with great gallantry.
It is proper to state that Cap’t Stokes and Lieutenant Grady led their command into the thickest of the fight with a steady and a daring courage, of which they may justly feel proud, and that all, both officers and privates, fought with a daring and intrepidity which was never surpassed. After recovering our dead, I returned to our camps.
The enemy, about six hundred strong, with two pieces of artillery, went up to Searcy, expecting us to return that white, but returned again to their camps in a short time. They have one and a half regiments of infantry and a battalion of cavalry at Searcy landing –three regiments of infantry and two batteries of artillery 12 miles north of the river. This is from information that I rely on. They are without provisions–have had no flour for three weeks, and robbing the country of all meat and grain that they can reach, also of all good horses and mules, and many negroes.
Very respectfully, your ob’t serv’t,
F.M. Chrisman