Col. John C. Moore, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 9.2, Missouri
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

On the 17th, about 10 o'clock at night, the command reached Cross Hollows, Ark., a strong defensive position, where it camped in line of battle, cold and without provisions. At this point Generals Price and McCulloch met and had a conference, the result of which was that after remaining there one day the command moved to Cove Creek, in the depths of the Boston mountains, where it awaited the developments of the future. At Cove Creek several Arkansas regiments joined the Missourians and they fraternized, for there was always the best of feeling between the troops of the two States. Gen. Albert Pike also came with a body of Indians, who possessed the vices of their civilized conquerors and their uncivilized ancestors and the virtues of neither. As soldiers they were worthless, but it may not have been entirely their fault. General Pike was not the kind of commander to develop a very high order of soldiership in any body of recruits, and least of all in a body of half-civilized Indians.

When Price and McCulloch met, their old differences were revived, and prevented any cordial co-operation between them. The main causes of difference were those of rank and precedence. Price was a majorgen-eral in the Missouri State Guard, and McCulloch was a brigadier-general in the provisional army of the Confederate States. At Wilson's Creek, Price and Pearce waived their rank and gave McCulloch command of the united army—the Arkansas and Missouri State troops as well as the Confederate troops. But this concession did not seem to satisfy him, for when the Federals were defeated he refused to make pursuit or in any way assist Price in the perilous position he occupied. Events since the battle of Wilson's Creek had not tended to give either of them a better opinion of the other. In the shifting scenes of war they were again thrown together, under