Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[367] notice of a flank attack. Colonel Shepard, of the Third Missouri, followed him, supported by the Thirty-first Iowa, under Col. Smyth. Next to the left, and in continuation of the line of battle, was the Seventy-sixth Ohio, under Colonel Woods, supported by the Twenty-fifth Iowa, under Colonel Stone. At a given signal Colonel Hassendeubel advanced with his skirmishers through the woods along the bayou, and became hotly engaged. He was attacked on the flank much more violently than was anticipated, and was compelled to divert his whole regiment from its original course to repel this assault, leaving Colonel Shepard in the advance on the original line. The Seventy-sixth Ohio, under Colonel Woods, moved off on the double-quick in gallant style, closely followed by the Twenty-fifth Iowa. This column moving over open ground, and in advance of all others, drew the concentrated fire of the enemy's artillery and rifle-pits, but on they moved, nor stopped until within easy rifle-range of the enemy's works. Colonel Woods's sharp-shooters immediately silenced two of the enemy's Parrott guns, and not another shot was fired from them during the action.

I wish to call especial attention to the good conduct of this regiment. Though leading the advance, exposed to a concentrated and galling fire, and holding, as I believe, during the entire action, a position considerably in advance of any other regiment, not a man fell out of the ranks; there was no confusion, every man did his duty.

By silencing the Parrott guns in front, the advance of the brigade next on the left, Colonel Smyth's, was rendered comparatively safe. The complication on my extreme right, where the rebels had stationed their cavalry to fire from across the bayou on our rear, and two regiments of infantry to fire on our flank, early attracted my attention. Here I ordered a charge on the enemy's works by the Third Missouri, under Col. Shepard, supported by the Thirty-first Iowa, commanded by Colonel Smyth. They moved forward vigorously, and for a time I confidently expected they would enter the works, but the galling cross-fire of the infantry and artillery, bearing directly on their front and flanks, and coming from a quarter unexpected, and therefore not guarded by Colonel Hassendeubel's sharp-shooters, checked the charge, and at length compelled Colonels Shepard and Smyth to resume their original line of battle.

Colonel Hassendeubel, with his regiment of sharp-shooters, continued to do excellent service until his ammunition was exhausted. They were then ordered to the rear to re-supply themselves. Finding the enemy had massed a strong force to protect this, the weakest part of his work, I brought forward two twelve-pound howitzers, with the view of shelling back the enemy beyond rifle-range. Two shots only had been fired when the Fort was surrendered.

I have already spoken of the gallant conduct of the Seventy-sixth Ohio and its Colonel; of the Third Missouri and its Colonel, who captured two stands of rebel colors, and of the good service done by the Seventeenth Missouri; and I will now add that Colonel Stone, of the Twenty-fifth Iowa, and the majority of his regiment, acted like veterans, but the cowardly conduct of his Major in leaving the field in the face of the enemy, thereby giving countenance to straggling and skulking, cannot be too severely censured. The Thirty-first Iowa lost much of its effectiveness through lack of discipline. This and the Twenty-fifth Iowa are now regiments.

I should not do full justice did I close this report without making honorable mention of my staff-officers, Capt. F. M. Crandal, Lieuts. J. E. Bryant, and F. H. Wilson, and Sergeant Sid. C. Morgan. Inclosed are lists of casualties in the several regiments.

I have the honor to be, respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

sir: I have the honor to inform you that on the fourth of January, General McClernand concluded to move up the river upon the Post of Arkansas, and requested my cooperation. I detailed three in iron-clads — the Louisville, Baron de Kalb, and Cincinnati — with all the light-draft gunboats, all of which had to be towed up the river.

On the ninth we ascended the Arkansas River as high as Arkansas Post, when the army landed within about four miles of the Fort. The enemy had thrown up heavy earthworks and extensive rifle-pits all along the levee. While the army were making a detour to surround the Fort, I sent up the iron-clads to try the range of their guns, and afterwards sent up the Rattler, Lieut. Commanding Watson Smith, to clear out the rifle-pits, and the men behind an extensive breastwork in front of our troops. The Black Hawk also opened on them with her rifled guns, and after a few shots the enemy left the works, and our troops marched in. At two o'clock Gen. McClernand told me the troops would be in position to assault the main fort — a very formidable work — and I held all the vessels in readiness to attack when the troops were in position. At half-past 5 in the afternoon, Gen. McClernand sent me a message, stating that every thing was ready, and the Louisville, Baron de Kalb, and Cincinnati advanced to within four hundred yards of the Fort, which then opened fire from their heavy guns, and eight rifled guns and musketry. The superiority of our fire was soon manifested. The batteries were silenced, and we ceased firing; but no assault took place, and it being too dark to do any thing, all the vessels dropped down and tied up to the bank for the night.

The Baron De Kalb, Lieutenant Commanding Walker; Louisville, Lieutenant Commanding Owen; and the Cincinnati, Lieutenant Commanding