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rallying the whole Confederate army in that quarter, to drive Curtis back into Missouri.
The forces of the latter, of all arms, did not at that time exceed eleven thousand men, with forty-nine pieces of artillery, including a mountain howitzer.
Satisfied that he must soon fight a greatly superior force, he at once prepared for the encounter by so arranging his troops as best to present a strong front to the foe from whatever point he might approach.
His Headquarters were near Cross Hollows, on the main road and telegraph line from Fayetteville to Springfield.1
The advent of General Van Dorn in the Confederate camp was a cause for great rejoicing.
Forty heavy guns thundered a welcome, and the chief harangued his troops in a boastful and grandiloquent style.3 For the purpose of encouraging the people to take up arms, he caused telegraphic dispatches to be published, falsely proclaiming a great battle at Columbus, in which the Nationals had lost three gun-boats and twenty thousand men; and he told his dupes that the way was now opened to drive the invaders from the soil of Arkansas, and give a final and successful blow for a Southern Confederacy.4 Van Dorn's preliminaries were followed by vigorous measures.
Two days afterward his troops were in motion for offensive action, and animated by a full expectation of gaining a victory whenever they should meet the Nationals.
1 The following was the disposition of the National forces on the 4th of March. The First and Second Divisions, under General Sigel and Colonel Asboth, were at Cooper's farm, near Osage Springs, four miles southwest of Bentonville, the capital of Benton County, under general orders to move round to Sugar Creek, about fourteen miles eastward. The Third Division, under General Jefferson C. Davis (acting major-general), was at Sugar Creek; and the Fourth Division, under Colonel E. A. Carr (acting brigadier-general), was near Cross Hollows, about twelve miles from Sugar Creek. Large detachments were out for forage and information, under Colonel Vandever, Major Conrad, and others, and some of them were too distant to engage in the battle that speedily ensued.1
2 The following was the composition of General Curtis's army at this time:--
First Division, commanded by Colonel Peter J. Osterhaus, consisted of the Thirty-sixth Illinois, Twelfth and Seventeenth Missouri, a battalion of the Third Missouri; the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-fourth Illinois, under Colonel Coler, two battalions of Illinois cavalry, and batteries A and B, twelve guns. There was also a brigade of two regiments under Colonel Greasel. The Second Division, commanded by Colonel (acting Brigadier-General) Asboth, consisted of two brigades, the first commanded by Colonel Schaeffer, and composed of the Second Missouri and Second Ohio Battery, six guns, under Lieutenant Chapman. The Second Brigade, Colonel Joliet, was composed of the Fifteenth Missouri; the Sixth and a battalion of the Fourth Missouri cavalry; and a flying battery of six guns, under Captain Elbert. These two divisions were commanded by General Sigel. The Third Division, under Brigadier-General J. C. Davis, consisted of two brigades; the first composed of the Eighth, Eighteenth, and Twenty-second Indiana; and an Indiana battery of six guns was commanded by Colonel Barton. The second, commanded by Colonel White, was composed of the Thirty-seventh Illinois and Ninth Missouri, and the First Missouri cavalry, with a battery of four guns. The Fourth Division, under Colonel Eugene A. Carr, was composed of two brigades. The first, under Colonel Dodge, consisting of the Fourth Iowa, Thirty-fifth Illinois, and an Iowa battery under Captain Jones. The Second Brigade, under Colonel Vandever, was composed of the Ninth Iowa, Twenty-fifth Missouri, Third Illinois Cavalry, and a Dubuque battery of six guns under Captain Hayden. There were also two battalions of the Third Iowa cavalry under Captain Bussey, and a battery of four mountain howitzers under Captain Stevens, that were not brigaded. There was also a battalion of cavalry under Major Bowen, acting as General Curtis's body-guard.3 “Soldiers,” he cried, “behold your leader! He comes to show you the way to glory and immortal renown. He comes to hurl back the minions of the despots at Washington, whose ignorance, licentiousness, and brutality are equaled only by their craven natures. They come to free your slaves, lay waste your plantations, burn your villages, and abuse your loving wives and beautiful daughters.” Van Dorn had sent forth a characteristic address to “the young men of Arkansas, Texas, and Northern Louisiana.” “We have voted to be free,” he said. “We must now fight to be free, or present to the world the humiliating spectacle of a nation of braggarts, more contemptible than the tyrants who seek to enslave us. The flag of our country is waving on the southern borders of Missouri-planted there by my hands, under authority from our chief magistrate. It represents all that is dear to us in life. Shall it wave there in melancholy loneliness, as a fall leaf in our primeval forests, or shall its beautiful field and bright stars flaunt in the breeze over the bright battalions of Arkansas, of Texas, and of Louisiana, as they are marshaling to do battle with Missouri for victory, for honor, and for independence? Awake, young men of Arkansas, and arm! Beautiful maidens of Louisiana, smile not upon the craven youth who may linger by your hearth when the rude blast of war is sounding in your ears! Texas chivalry, to arms I Hardships and hunger, disease and death are preferable to slavish subjugation; and a nation with a bright page in history and a glorious epitaph is better than a vassaled land with honor lost, and a people sunk in infamy.”
4 General Curtis's second report to General Halleck.
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