The War in Arkansas.
We publish below the official reports of the recent fight near Searcy, in White county, Arkansas. The Little Rock True Democrat says. ‘"It is the first of a series of attacks that will result in the evacuation of the State by the Federal in less than twenty days. The enemy are in a starving condition, and must fight or run without delay. In either event we shall be rid of them. We would prefer them to fight, and shall pursue if they run.--General Roane has that in store for them on White river that will astonish them in less than a week."’ The reinforcements, provisions and ammunition asked for by Maj. Rogers, is being rapidly sent forward.Commanding Department Arkansas. On yesterday, with one hundred of my men, I attacked the enemy some three or four hundred strong, infantry and cavalry. I was aided in the attack by Capt. Hicks and fifty men, making my force one hundred and fifty. The battle lasted about three quarters of an hour. Enemy's loss supposed to be from fifty to one hundred. Our loss Texas troops, one killed, five missing, two wounded; Arkansas troops, two killed and several missing. We had some eight or ten horses killed. The Federal are laying waste the country. I will remain here, provided you will send me reinforcements, provisions, and ammunition.
On yesterday, the 18th, I left the camps at this place a guide to a party of one hundred Texans (a detachment of Col. Parson's Dragoons) to ascertain the locality of the enemy's foraging parties, and to cut them off if possible. We found them about two miles east of their came on the road leading from Searcy to West Point, about three hundred strong. On our route in search of them we were joined by about fifty men under Capt Hicks. We got between the enemy and their camps and charged them, fading them well protected behind fences and secreted in the bushes. The most of them were posted behind the locks of a fence in a lane running north from the road. The charge was gallantly led by Maj. Rogers who ordered a ll movement on the left of the lane, white he gallantly led a charge down the lane himself. About the same time, perceiving that the enemy were living to the right through the field, I immediately had the fence thrown down and charged them by a flank movement on the right. When we had completely routed them and cut them to pieces, a large reinforcement of the enemy's cavalry coming up compelled us to withdraw to a point about a mile back in the woods, whence we sent for reinforcements, who soon appeared, in number about 300--a detachment of Texas Dragoons--when we again formed and look position again on the road between the enemy and their camps, where we would certainly have intercepted and captured the whole command, had not the most of our forces been called off by some accident or false information that misled them and took them off in search of the enemy in a wrong direction. I, however, remained there with Lieutenant Ayers and a squad of men, capturing eight horses and three ambulances, and also a Federal surgeon, who was on his way to the battle field to take care of the wounded. We also killed at this point two of the enemy who had arrested Capt. Declus McCreery at his residence, and were taking him to their camps at the Searcy landing. One of these was killed by Lieut. Ayers, the other by James Word, of West Point Finding no further opportunity for service at this point, I left with my squad and captured property (except the ambulances, which were broken,) and proceeded in the direction of the camp, but meeting a party on the way to the battle field went with them to recover the dead. We got there just as the enemy had left, who had carried off three wagon loads of their dead, and leaving nine more in the lane. Their loss was from 50 to 75 killed; ours only three, so far as we have been able to ascertain, whose bodies were recovered, and will be decently . Lieut. McDonald fell at the mouth of the lane, fighting as bravely as, any man that ever lived Dr. Tapscott, of West Point, and one of Capt. Hooker's men, also fell fighting with great gallantry. It is proper to state that Capt. Stokes and Lieut Geady led their command into the thickest of the fight with a steady and daring courage, of which they may justly feel proud, and that all, both officers and privates, fought with a daring and intrepidity which was never surpassed. After recovering our dead I returned to the camps. The enemy, about 600 strong, with two pieces of artillery, went up to Searcy, expecting us to return that way, but returned again to their camps in a short time. They have one and a half regiments of infantry and a battalion of cavalry at the Searcy landing, three regiments of infantry and two batteries of artillery twelve miles north of the river. This is from information that I rely on. They are without provisions — have had no flour for three weeks, and robbing the country of all meat and grain that they can reach — also of all good horses and mules, and many negroes.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't,
F. M. Chidman
F. M. Chidman
