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of his division, came into full view of the field where the battle was fiercely raging.
The Rebels were very strongly posted on high, rolling ground, covered by timber, and only approached from the north over large, open fields, which afforded no cover, save that a part of them bore a crop of ripe corn.
Blunt's eccentric advance had brought him in front of the enemy's left, where they had been massing a large force for the purpose of flanking Herron's position.
The flankers found an enemy much nearer than they expected, and were at once hotly engaged with Blunt's division.
Its three batteries, firing shell and case-shot at short range, soon proved an overmatch for the two Rebel batteries opposed to them, driving them and their supports back into the woods; where they were charged by Col. Weer, leading the 10th, 13th, and part of the 2d and 11th Kansas and 20th Iowa, and a musketry fight of three hours was maintained with equal energy by the contending hosts.
Meantime, our batteries were advanced at various points and served with rare efficiency; Lieut. Tenney, with six 10-pound Parrotts, repelling with shell and canister, while unsupported, a formidable infantry attack.
Here fell the Rebel Gen. Stein, of Missouri.
A battery of 10 guns, well supported, opening upon Tenney, he in ten minutes silenced its clamor, dismounting two of the guns, and driving off the residue.
An attempt to capture Rabb's and Hopkins's batteries, which were supported by the 11th Kansas, Lt.-Col. Moonlight, was defeated with fearful slaughter.
As darkness came on, the firing gradually slackened and ceased; the Rebels recoiling into their woody covert, our soldiers sleeping on their arms in the open field where they had so bravely struggled, expecting to renew the combat at daylight.
Meanwhile, our wounded were all cared for, the trains of the whole army sent to Fayetteville; and Gen. Salomon's brigade, relieved from the duty of guarding them, ordered to the field; ammunition brought up and distributed, and everything made ready for proceeding to business at dawn ; but, just before daylight, Gen. Blunt received a flag of truce from Hindman, asking a personal interview with reference to the burial of the dead and relief of the wounded.
Blunt met Hindman accordingly, and was soon satisfied that the meeting so solicited was but a trick; that Hindman had no force present or near but his staff-escort, and a party left to gather up his wounded; that the bulk of Iris army had commenced retreating several hours before.
Our loss in this battle was 167 killed, 798 wounded, and 183 missing--total, 1,148.
Most of the missing were captured in Marmaduke's initial attack on our cavalry, and were exchanged directly afterward.
Of our loss, no less than 953 fell on Herron's command of hardly more than 4,000 men. Lt.-Col. McFarland, who led the 19th Iowa in its first charge, was killed; as was Maj. Burdett, of the 7th Missouri cavalry. Lt.-Col. Black, 37th Illinois, and Maj. Thompson, 20th Iowa, were among the wounded.
The Rebel loss1 must have been greater, because
1 Gen. Blunt, in his official report, says:
The enemy's loss in killed and wounded can not fall short of <*>,000, and will probably much exceed that number, as many of them, not severely wounded, were taken to Van Buren. Their loss in killed upon the ground will reach 1,000; the greater number of whom have been buried by my command. Pollard, on the other hand, says of this battle:
Our whole line of infantry were in close conflict nearly the whole day with the enemy, who were attempting, with their force of 18,000 men, to drive us from our position. In every instance. they were repulsed, and finally driven back from the field; Gen. Hindman driving then to within 8 miles of Fayetteville; when our forces fell back to their supply depot, between Cane hill and Van Buren. We captured 300 prisoners, and vast quantities of stores. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded was about 1,000; the Confederate loss, in killed, wounded, and missing, about 300.Gen. Blunt further says of this Pollard victory:
Their transportation had been left south of the mountains, and their retreat thereby made unincumbered and stealthy. I am assured by my own men who were prisoners with them, as well as by deserters from their ranks, that they tore up the blankets of their men to muffle the wheels of their artillery.Gen. Herron, in a private letter, dated Dec. 15th, says:
The loss of the enemy is terrific. After their burial-parties had been on the ground for three days, we had to turn in and bury 300 for them. The country for 25 miles around is full of their wounded. We have, as captures, 4 caissons full of ammunition, and about 300 stand of arms. Hindman had prepared himself, and risked all on this fight. His movements were shrewdly managed; and nothing but desperately hard fighting ever carried us through.
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