Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[513] McRae's force, or to divert McRae's attention from that post for the time.

A force of one hundred and fifty of the Third Minnesota infantry, and fifty of the Eighth Missouri cavalry, under Colonel C. C. Andrews, left Little Rock at eight P. M. of the thirtieth ultimo, reached Duvall's Bluff at four o'clock next morning, and embarked on the steamer Dove. With the iron-clad No. 25 we reached Gregory's Landing at dark. Secrecy being indispensable, we took every man we met prisoner. Disembarking, we moved in the dark toward the understood locality of the rebel McRay's camp, five miles distant. After fording the muddy branch of White River, we learned that Ray and his band had gone up the river to attack our transports then on their way to Batesville.

Returning to our boat, we reached Augusta and landed at sunrise; then took up our line of march on the Jacksonport road, having learned that the enemy was posted in strong force near it. Less than a mile ahead, we discovered McRay's advance. They ran like Indians, and we chased about one mile, making several prisoners, and at length approaching a body of rebels who snowed some disposition to stand, but soon dispersed in the woods. We followed McRay twelve miles over the Jacksonport road, and then, learning nothing more of him, started back near night for our boats. We had gone about five miles when we were suddenly attacked on the left rear. Our brave lads sprang to position and went to work. The battle lasted two hours and a half. The rebels were at least three to our one. They struggled powerfully to surround us, at one time forming in a complete semi-circle and inflicting a severe cross-fire. They showed little disposition to advance far from the swamp, for whenever they attempted to leave it, our fire was most effectual. To draw them from the timber, we fell back a few hundred yards to a strong position near a farm-house. Every attempt they made to approach us was repulsed with loss. Being five miles from our boat, the sun getting low, and the rebels retiring in their swamp, we leisurely resumed our march, and at sunset reached the boat, singing the “Battle-cry of freedom,” giving three cheers for the flag and three for Colonel Andrews.

We were away from Little Rock three days, travelled three hundred and twenty miles, chased McRay's boasted band of eight hundred twelve miles without being able to get a fight out of them, and repulsed an attack of five hundred rebels. We lost twenty-five killed, wounded, and missing, and are sure the rebels lost not less than one hundred. We saw several of their officers unsaddled, one of them doing his best to get his men to charge. He was killed — a brave fellow, and may have deserved a better fate.

The moral effect of this successful expedition in this section will be excellent. A majority are praying for the overthrow of the rebellion.

I would be doing injustice to my own feelings if I were to close this article without speaking of Colonel Andrews's noble behavior in this engagement. His horse was shot from under him, and the strap of his sabre was shot in two, and balls whistled thick as hail all around him. Through all this he was cool and deliberate as a judge upon the bench. He inspired his men with bravery, and the enemy with terror. He is certainly one of the ablest commanders west of the Mississippi.