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a V. Instantly forming our line of battle, with guns in battery in the centre, and with one squadron on the left and the other on the right, we poured canister into their front and shell in their rear.
As the enemy gave way before this terrific fire, we followed them closely, giving no respite for about two miles, sometimes running up our guns within one hundred yards of their lines.
When the enemy began to waver, by my direction
Major R. M. Clendenning, with companies E and G, made a furious charge upon their right flank, engaging them in a most gallant style for about twenty minutes, coolly receiving the enemy's fire.
These two companies poured volley after volley from their carbines and pistols, cutting up the enemy's ranks in a dreadful manner.
These two companies deserve special notice.
They fought like veteran soldiers.
At one time all the officers of company E were dismounted.
Capt. Wm. W. Sloan, killed;
First Lieut. Wm. V. Weathers, thrown from his horse;
Second Lieut. Chas. L. Lamb (my Adjutant) having his horse shot from under him. Notwithstanding these casualties, the men fought as only brave men can fight; riding into the enemy's ranks they delivered their fire with telling effect.
Unable to stand before these determined men, the enemy broke and fled in great confusion, the cavalry breaking through the infantry, panic-stricken at the intrepid daring of our men. As the enemy fled we poured canister at them and shell over them, following them until further pursuit was useless, and we remained masters of the field.
During the fight
Col. Hovey directed the movements of the skirmishers on our flanks.
The infantry, with the exception of these skirmishers, was not engaged, but followed in the rear, ready, should any contingency arise requiring their assistance.
The rebels suffered very severely.
We have since ascertained their loss to be over two hundred killed and many wounded.
We captured
one prisoner.
Capt. Wm. W. Sloan, company E, First Indiana cavalry, was killed while gallantly leading his men in the hottest of the fight.
Major R. M. Clendenning was very severely wounded, a shot passing through the right lung, and one lodging in his arm. The conduct of
Major Clendenning merits the highest commendation.
He is a brave man.
Corporal Nathan Collins and
private James J. Clark were severely wounded.
These deserve special notice.
Eight others were slightly wounded.
My thanks are due to
Lieutenants William B. Baker and
G. Denneman of the battery, and my Adjutant,
Charles L. Lamb, for their cool and gallant conduct while exposed to the enemy's fire; also, to all the officers and men engaged.
After a short rest, we proceeded, with seven additional companies of infantry, under the command of
Lieut.-Col. Wood of the Eleventh Wisconsin regiment, to the bridge across
Bayou de View, as before mentioned.
I have the honor to be
Your obedient servant,
St. Louis Democrat account.
The battle of the seventh of July, near “
Bayou Cache,” won against tremendous odds, resulted in the death of over one hundred and ten rebels and the utter demoralization of six Texan regiments, who have not ventured to molest us since.
The army under
General 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 sixth, and early next morning
Colonel Hovey, of the Thirty-third Illinois regiment, was ordered by
General 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.
Colonel Hovey detailed for this enterprise the following force:
Colonel Harris, of the Eleventh Wisconsin, with parts of four companies of his regiment, namely, company D,
Captain Jesse Miller; company F,
Lieutenant Chesebro; company H,
Captain Christie; company G,
Captain Partridge; and also parts of four companies of the Thirty-third Illinois, namely, company e,
Captain Elliott; company K,
Captain Nixon; company F,
Captain Lawton; and company A,
Captain Potter, who took charge, and one small rifled gun belonging to the First Indiana cavalry.
The whole force numbered not over three hundred and fifty men.
Colonel Hovey started about six 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 Are, on the
White River.
Detachments were sent forward on each of these roads to reconnoitre.
Colonel Harris, with three companies of the Eleventh Wisconsin, and
Captain Potter, with the small rifle piece, proceeded rapidly down the Des Are 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
Colonel Harris and
Captain Potter.
Our men returned the fire and fell back, the enemy being too preponderating in numbers to withstand with our little force.
Captain 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.
Colonel 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
