New York Times US
THE ARMY OF THE FRONTIER.
Battles of Cane Hill and Prairie Grove
Prospect of Another Fight near Van Buren
Mail Captured
Gen. Herron, &c.
SPRINGFIELD, MO., Wednesday, Dec. 17, 1862.
Another great battle has been fought in Northwestern Arkansas. The speculations of your correspondent, concerning the probability of an immediate, uninterrupted advance to Fort Smith, were premature. The battle of Cane Hill was not decisive. I think that the battle of Prairie Grove was; but MARMADUKE and HINDMAN are fortifying themselves somewhere in the vicinity of Van Buren, and another battle must yet be fought before our army can reach the Arkansas River. The enemy must be conquered in a third engagement. We may hope that then, at last, they will abandon the attempt to Winter in Missouri, and will withdraw the remnant of their disheartened forces into Texas or Louisiana. The idea of wintertering in Arkansas does not enter, I am satisfied, into the plans of either army. ULTRA! BEYOND! is the motto on the banners of both; and whichever party falls to make that purpose good, must, of necessity, fall back, for the want of forage and supplies.
No mail has yet reached us from the battle-field, although more than a week has elapsed since the conflict. Official reports from the Generals came by telegraph; but except from two regiments, not even the lists of killed and wounded have been received. It is supposed that the mail was captured by some roving scoundrels somewhere between Springfield and the army.
Three great battles have now been fought upon the frontier since the opening of the war. The battle of Wilson's Creek, under LYON, was a victory followed by immediate retreat. The battle of Pea Ridge, under CURTIS, was a victory, just at the last hour, when the whole National army had supposed themselves on the verge of defeat. The battle of Prairie Grove, or of Fayetteville, under HERRON and BLUNT, was a brilliant and unqualified success.
Such is the testimony of the officers and soldiers who were upon the field, many of whom participated in both the former fights. This is all the more gratifying, because nearly all the troops at Prairie Grove were raw soldiers, who had never been under fire before. The Twenty-sixth Indiana Volunteers, the Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, the First Missouri Cavalry, and MURPHY's Battery, of the First Missouri Artillery, were all, or nearly all, the veterans in the second and Third Divisions, under Gen. HERRON,-- and these divisions bore the brunt of the battle. Every regiment distinguished itself; all but one, for conspicuous bravery -- one, I am sorry to say, for conspicuous cowardice. I will not name it, but your correspondent is informed that the Colonel waved his sword around his head, and crying aloud "Come on, boys', who'll follow me?" gallantly charged -away from the foe.
Little is known here of the order of battle, except that the enemy seem to have learned a lesson from Gen. BLUNT at Cane Hill, and at Prairie Grove they practiced it upon him, with a slight variation. At Cane Hill, the First Division of our army, under BLUNT, fell upon MARMADUKE's Division, and thrashed it soundly before HINDMAN could come to its assistance. At Prairie Grove, MARMADUKE and HINDMAN, with their whole force, succeeded in passing BLUNT by a flank movement in the night, and fell upon the two divisions under HERRON; but HERRON was obstinate, and would not yield, so that BLUNT coming up, relieved him and won the day. One circumstance serves to show how gallantly our boys fought. Our army numbered one to the enemy's three, yet their dead numbered three to our one.
Gen. HERRON, the hero of this fight, is a young man, only 25 years of age. He is a native of Pittsburgh, but he has been a banker in Dubuque, Iowa, for the last five or six years. At the outbreak of the rebellion, he was Captain of a volunteer company in that city. His men and himself offered their services at once to the Governor, and were connected with the First Iowa Volunteers, one of LYON's regiments in the battle of Wilson's Creek. In that battle, Capt. HERRON escaped unhurt; but at Pea Ridge, himself and his horse were shot at the same instant, I believe. At this time, he had been promoted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the Ninth Iowa, but in fact, commanded the regiment. Wounded in the ankle, and unable to escape, he was taken prisoner by the rebels, and carried to Fort Smith, where he witnessed MCCULLOCH's funeral. After his exchange, he was promoted to a Brigadier-Generalship, and it is supposed that, in a short time, he will be authorized to wear two stars upon his shoulder, instead of one.
KICKAPO.