New York Times US 21 July, 1862
THE WAR IN ARKANSAS.;
Gen. Curtis' March to Helena Particulars of the Fighting on the Way.
THE BATTLE NEAR BAYOU CACHE, ARK. MARCH TO CLARENDON.
MARCH TO HELENA.
The correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette, with Gen. CURTIS' Army, gives a detailed account of the march from Batesville to Helena, from which we extract the following particulars of operations from the 7th to the 12th inst.:
The battle of the 7th, near "Bayou Cache," won against tremendous odds, resulted in the death of over 110 rebels and the utter demoralization of six Texan regiments, who have not ventured to molest us since. The army under Gen. CURTIS was encamped at the junction of the Bayou Cache and Cache River, where our progress was delayed by a blockade of fallen timber. A road had been cut through this blockade on the evening of the 6th, and early next morning Col. HOVEY, of the Thirty-third Illinois Regiment, was ordered by Gen. STEELE to open the road on the opposite side of the Cache, make a reconnoissance in front down to the Clarendon road, along which the army were to march, and also to scour the woods thoroughly. Col. HOVEY detailed for this enterprise the following force: Col. HARRIS, of the Eleventh Wisconsin, with parts of four companies of his regiment, viz.: Company D, Capt. JESSE MILLER; Company F, Lieut. CHESEBRO; Company H, Capt. CHRISTIE; Company G, Capt. PATRIDGE; and also parts of four companies of the Thirty-third Illinois, viz.: Company E, Capt. ELLIOTT; Company K, Capt. NIXON; Company F, Capt. LAWTON, and Company A, Capt. Potter, who took charge, and one small rifled gun belonging to the First Indiana Cavalry. The whole force numbered not over 350 men. Col. HOVEY started about 6 A.M., with Company D, of the Eleventh Wisconsin, ahead. Skirmishers were thrown out, and in this way they proceeded to the Hill plantation, at the forks of the road, four miles distant from camp. On the way, some pickets were driven in. The main road here leads to Cotton Plant and Clarendon. The road to the left is a neighborhood road, while that turning to the side leads across the Cache, four miles distant, and thence to the Des Arc, on the White River. Detachments were sent forward on each of these roads to reconnoitre. Col. HARRIS, with three companies of the Eleventh Wisconsin, and Capt. POTTER, with the small rifled-piece, proceeded rapidly down the Des Arc road, having no cavalry. They passed a cornfield on the left, entered an open wood, and reaching a turn in the road, at the same time rising up in elevation, they fell in with two Texan regiments of cavalry, with a regiment of conscript infantry drawn up on their right, ready to receive them. The rebels fired a murderous volley as soon as our men got into the snare, killing five of our men and wounding Col. HARRIS and Capt. POTTER. Our men returned the fire and fell back, the enemy being too preponderating in numbers to withstand with our little force. Capt. POTTER, though wounded, gave them a few rounds from his piece, and fell back, firing into the enemy's ranks. The rebels then made a charge, and the retreat of our men became temporarily a panic. Col. HOVEY hearing the firing, and judging the turn affairs were taking by the clouds of dust which rose and filled the air above the trees, took the remaining companies of the Thirty-third Illinois and hastened to the scene of action. Some of the men first fired upon, did not stop till they reached HILL's house, rushing past Capt. POTTER, who would unlimber his gun, fire a round, and then retire, thus checking the advance of the rebels until Col. HOVEY came up. The latter had hardly time to place his men in ambush behind the fence, at the angle of the cornfield, when the rebels, coming furiously forward with loud yells, received a well armed fire from Col. HOVEY and his men. Twenty-five rebels were killed the first pop. They were checked. The column reeled and staggered by this murderous fire, broke and the men fled in confusion. At the same time a heavy column of the enemy was seen moving through the woods between Col. HOVEY's position and our camp, and thus surround our brave men. But when they reached the road, and seeing the Wisconsin troops which had fallen back, and supposing them to be a reinforcement come to our aid, they abandoned their design and returned. Thus what appeared to be disastrous at one time, turned to our advantage.
Col. HOVEY rallied the above companies, and advancing one-fourth of a mile to a cotton gin, held the position over an hour.
At this time (about 10 1/2 o'clock) Lieut.-Col. WOOD came up with the second battalion of the First Indiana Cavalry, bringing with him two steel rifled guns. This detachment had been ordered by Gen. CURTIS to proceed in the Bayou de Vue -- fifteen miles from camp -- with orders to save the bridge at that point from being destroyed by the enemy. The arrival of this reinforcement proved extremely opportune. Col. HOVEY was posted about 150 yards from Col. HILL's house on the Des Arc road, and the army were not in view. Coming up at full speed, having heard the firing, the First Indiana were welcomed with enthusiastic cheers from the brave little command of Col. HOVEY. The latter exclaimed, "There comes Col. Wood; we are all right now, boys;" and advancing to Col. WOOD, he said: "you'll find them (the enemy) down there, Colonel, thick enough; pitch into 'em." The cavalry, with shouts and yells, then plunged forward at a furious rate toward the rebels. The horses leaped a ditch four feet in width, which crossed their path, the bridge being torn up. One of the horses had a leg broken, and some of the men were pitched to the ground, while making the perilous leap. Fortunately, none were seriously hurt. A few rails were piled into the ditch and the steel rifle guns were passed over. A solitary rebel was now seen advancing to within one hundred yards of our front. He wheeled about and fled. The pieces, under charge of Lieut. BAKER were unlimbered and the cavalry brought into line of battle. The command was given: "Pieces by hand to the front; forward march." The cannoniers seized their pieces by hand, and advanced on the enemy, the latter being now discovered advancing in with extended wings in the form of a V. the concave side facing toward our men. Their intention, it appeared evident, was to surround us. The rebels were dismounted, no horses being seen. Our pieces were loaded with cannister, and getting within point-blank range -- some 200 yards -- we opened upon them with a terrible fire. The enemy halted and replied by a heavy volley from their cross-fire on our gunners. Several of the latter were wounded, but not disabled. The steel rifled guns now belched forth a continued round of firing, when the enemy finding it too hot, fell back into the woods out of sight. The command was given again, "Pieces by hand to the front; forward march." Col. HOVEY himself, caught hold of the trail of one of the guns, and exclaimed, "Let's push them forward, boys." Col. WOOD and Lieut. BAKER also took hold of the drag rope hooks, and assisted in moving the guns forward. On the guns were pushed, the cavalry under Major CLENDENNING, following in line of battle, ready for the charge. Our men pressed on with enthusiastic ardor. Advancing in this way a quarter of a mile, the enemy were descried formed in the same mode as before. We got up to within 100 yards, when they opened fire upon us. We returned the fire with canister from the little guns, with occasional carbine and pistol shots from the cannoniers. The fire proving too galling for the enemy, he again retreated, leaving a number of dead strewn on the ground, and the blood besmeared the bushes in the vicinity.
The order was given by Col. WOOD, to Maj. CLENDENNING to draw saber and charge. Taking Companies E and G, the Major shouted, "Come on, boys, it's our turn now;" and plunged down the road into the brush, where they were met by a tremendous volley, poured in on them by the rebels. At the first fire the Major was wounded severely, receiving a ball through the left lung; and Capt. SLOANE of Company E, who was bravely charging in front, was instantly killed by a shot in the head. The Major, unmindful of his wound, still led on his men, and the latter poured in several volleys on the rebels from their carbines and pistols, unhorsing one and killing a number of the enemy. The rebels were staggered, and turning on their heels, fled in confusion. Our artillery followed close up, when the recall was sounded, and the cavalry fell back behind the pieces. Maj. CLENDENNING, in returning, fainted and fell from his horse, and was picked up by one of the men, who carried him off the field on his shoulders.
The pieces were then limbered up and pushed forward in hot pursuit, the cavalry keeping close in the rear. In this way we advanced three fourths of a mile, when small parties of the rebels were discovered, still retreating. The guns were again unlimbered, and a dozen shells were thrown after them, killing four, who were found at a long distance ahead in the road, soon afterward, by the pursuing cavalry. Col. HOVEY now ordered the infantry to the front, intending to deploy them as skirmishers, with an extended front, and follow up the foe. A consultation was held by the officers, and it was decided to hold the ground already won, and wait further developments -- as our force was getting too far from succor, in a country with which we were perfectly ignorant. The woods were thick -- the force of the enemy unknown. We had driven the enemy three miles. After halting there two hours, and no enemy making his appearance Lieut.-Col. WOOD returned to the Clarendon road and went to the Bayou du Vue to carry out his original intention. Gen. BENTON came up with his brigade and took command. In camp it was supposed that the fight took place on another road, and consequently Gen. BENTON's orders were to make a rapid reconnoissance down the Des Arc road. BOWEN's howitzers were pushed forward down one road after the enemy. A shot was fired on the rebels and three men killed. Four kegs of powder were found concealed. The houses along the road were filled with rebel wounded, and the porches and door steps were besmeared with blood, from those which they carried away. They abandoned their camp and fled across the Cache River, destroying a bridge they had constructed, with boats. The bank on the opposite side was also cut out very steep so as to prevent pursuit from our cavalry. It has been subsequently ascertained that 6,000 Texans, under RUST, crossed at Des Arc on Sunday, the 6th, for the purpose of fighting us near the blockade, and annoy and obstruct our advance in every possible way. But the whipping they received has entirely knocked the conceit out of them.
The fact, fertility of resource, and military qualities displayed by Col. HOVEY has won the admiration of all. He is cool and brave in the trying hour of danger. I was present on the evening of the fight, when Gen. STEELE congratulated the Colonel on the successful issue of the day. Among the heroes of the day who behaved with distinguished gallantry, the names of Col. HARRIS, of the Eleventh Wisconsin, Capt. PETTER, of the Thirty-third Illinois, Major CLENDENNING, of the First Indiana Cavalry, stand conspicuous.
The enemy's killed has been placed at 110, and by the Arkansas people, in sympathy with the rebels, still higher. They think 200 were killed. We buried 97 of their dead, and I think this will be the number that Col. HOVEY will adopt in his report. The number of rebel wounded will not probably amount to the usual proportion with the killed, as our Minie balls hit to kill.
Our killed amounted to 5, and wounded 47. The enemy's shots flew too high to take effect. One of our messengers, taken prisoner by the enemy, was found riddled with balls in the side. His wrists were pricked raw, and the report was current that he was tied to a tree and dispatched, but this is doubted. Corp. MEDLEY, of Company F, Eleventh Wisconsin, was wounded in the arm, and brought away a wounded comrade, and then went back into the fight. Our wounded were taken to the house, and every care was taken of the sufferers which the circumstances of the case demanded, by Dr. F.N. BURKE, Brigade Surgeon of the First Division, assisted by Dr. ISAAC CASSELBURY, First Indiana Cavalry, Dr. STRONG, Eleventh Wisconsin, and Dr. N.T. ABBOTT, of the Thirty-third Illinois Regiment.
JULY 8.—The army marched to Bayou Du Vue. Reconnoitering parties were thrown out on all the different roads. Halting about four miles out, with Gen. CURTIS to see everything on the march in good order, we heard what we supposed was the distant report of howitzers. The deception arose from the dropping of a bucket into a well on a neighboring plantation.
We encamped for the night on the side toward Clarendon. Major BOWEN dashed down eight miles before dark and reported the road clear.
JULY 9. -- The army was in motion at dawn for a hard day's march of twenty-five miles to Clarendon, the Mecca of our hopes. The "general" was sounded an hour before daybreak.
Gen. OSTERHAUS took the advance to-day, STEELE's Division next, and then ours. Each division had its own advance and rear guards. Following in one column, the army, with the long train of baggage wagons, extended over six miles. The country was level, with no hills or rocks to be seen.
We suffered extremely for the want of water. The wells, few and far between, were drained by the troops in advance. The buckets were broken or hid by the owners; pails were used to draw up the precions beverage, with a hundred persons crowding round to get a dip. Up would come the pail with the hoops off, the bottom containing a sediment of mud, a few drops of dirty water straining between the staves. We heard of a bayou three miles from the road. Skirmishers were detailed, but did not succeed in finding this oasis. About noon a small frog pond of a bayou was seen near the road, mantled with a green slime. Many drank from this and filled their canteens. Those having acid and soda made a tolerable drink. At one well the men had an iron pot attached to a rope, which they were vainly trying to sink in the muddy sediment at the bottom.
OSTERHAUS and Maj. CURTIS now pressed ahead for Clarendon, and charged into town. We soon heard the booming of a twelve-pounder. A messenger reached us four miles this side, and informed Gen. CURTIS that the boat had left the evening before, and the Major tried to signal our arrival in case the fleet was within the sound of cannon. The disappointment was provoking. We had sent forward messengers to Col. FITCH, who were probably captured. From one of the citizens we learned that the Indiana regiments were on the eve of marching for our columns; that a dispatch boat came up, and in half an hour the fleet moved down the river. It stopped till morning twelve miles below.
The same informant gave us the first intelligence from Richmond. MCCLELLAN had lost 20,060 men and had fallen back seventeen miles. We also learned that the rebels were evacuating Duvall's Bluff, and had already taken the ammunition and stores to Little Rock. Gen. CURTIS had his headquarters at Col. HARRIS', who was killed at Shiloh. The town is empty.

FRIDAY, July 11.
At daybreak, an advance of 2,000 cavalry, under Sen. WASHBURN, started for Helena, sixty-five miles distant.
Nobody was aware of our coming. We charged into town, heard of a boat with men crossing to the opposite side. Brought a brass four-pound howitzer on the levee, fired a few shots and brought up a white flag on the boat and the latter to this side. A few negroes and citizens were aboard. We did something smacking of war and the town was ours.
The army will be here in due time, holding communication once more with the outward world --
"Mighty glad to get out of the wilderness."