USA > Arkansas > A pictorial history of Arkansas, from earliest times to the year 1890. A full and complete account, embracing the Indian tribes occupying the country; the early French and Spanish explorers and governors; the colonial period; the Louisiana purchase; the periods of the territory, the state, the civil war, and the subsequent period. Also, an extended history of each county in the order of formation, and of the principal cities and towns; together with biographical notices of distinguished and prominent citizens > Part 36
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The battle began at dawn, the 3Ist of December. The attack took the Federals completely by surprise. They were thrown into confusion, and, where McCown's Division struck them, were driven back nearly four miles, with loss of artil- lery, baggage and ordnance, wagons, all their tents, knap- sacks and camp equipage. General McNair's Brigade was in the first line of attack and moved against the Federal posi- tion, which was in a dense thicket of cedar and undergrowth,
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THE YEAR 1862.
and drove them from it. In pushing on, they encountered a Federal line posted behind a rail fence. Without halting, a charge was made on this line, and the Federals were driven from it, with loss of their artillery and a large number of men. Finding themselves out of ammunition, the brigade was compelled to pause here, until they could be supplied from the ordnance train. Being supplied, they, with Ector's Texas Brigade, were ordered to take a battery of artillery about a half mile in front. While advancing to this attack, through a cedar thicket, they were subjected to a heavy artillery fire. As they emerged from the thicket into the open plain, the fire became heavier and was seen to proceed from three batteries- a center battery, with two supporting ones to right and left- and supported by four columns of infantry.
As they advanced, the fire from the batteries became ter- rific, and was of grape and canister. The brigade advanced to within 20 yards of the front center battery, and the infantry supports began to give way ; but it was impossible to stand such a concentrated fire, which was thinning their ranks at every step, and wavering for a moment, the line gave way, and fell back broken and disordered.
The battle continued with fury all that winter day, and when night came, the Federals had been driven back at all points. General Bragg was occupying the ground he held in the morning, with part of that at first occupied by the Fed- erals. He renewed the combat January 2d, 1863, and the en- gagement was continued with intermissions throughout the day, and at night-fall both sides occupied their respective po- sitions.
In this dreadful battle the losses are given as : Confederate, 10,266; Federal, 13,249. The Confederates captured 6,000 stands of small arms, 9 stands of colors, 800 wagons, and an immense quantity of army supplies.
On the 3d of January, 1863, the Confederates retreated from Murfreesboro unpursued, and halted first at Estell Springs,
32
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
from which point part of the army was moved to Chattanooga and part to Shelbyville. General Rosecranz occupied Mur- freesboro, January 4th.
There were many Arkansas troops engaged in this battle, and their loss in killed and wounded was very heavy. The following particulars concerning them appear in General Cleburne's report of the engagement.
The Eighth Arkansas Regiment, Colonel John H. Kelley, in Liddell's Brigade, captured two stands of colors in the fight. They were handed to Colonel Kelley on the field by private James Riddle, of Company "C," and Corporal N. A. Horn, of Company "E." Colonel Kelley was wounded about half-past one o'clock in the day, and was borne off of the field, and from that hour the regiment was commanded by the Lieutenant-Colonel, G. F. Baucum. Lieutenants T. H. Beard, S. B. Cole, Calvin East and H. J. McCurdy of the regiment were killed.
The Second Arkansas, Colonel D. C. Govan, was hotly en- gaged, and suffered many casualties.
In the brigade of General Lucius E. Polk, Majors Charles H. Carlton, of the Fifteenth Arkansas, and R. A. Duncan, of the Thirteenth Arkansas, were wounded.
The First Arkansas, Colonel J. W. Colquitt, with the Fifth Confederate Regiment, captured a battery of four guns, in which attack Colonel P. B. Hawkins, of the Eleventh Kentucky, was killed defending the battery. Lieutenant- Colonel Don McGregor, of the First, fell mortally wounded; John Arnold, of Company "K," was killed; also Captain W. A. Alexander, of Company "B."
In the First Arkansas Rifles, commanded by Colonel R. W. Harper, Major L. M. Ramsauer and Captain W. P. Campbell were both severely wounded, the latter losing his leg.
In the Twenty-third Arkansas, commanded by Colonel W. A. Cotter, Major James J. Franklin was wounded and made
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THE YEAR 1862.
prisoner. Captain S. T. Black and Lieutenant D. J. Wright were killed. The flag bearer of the regiment had his hand shot off while carrying the colors.
In the Second Arkansas Rifles, commanded by Lieutenant- Colonel J. A. Williamson, Captain Thomas F. Q. Spence was killed. Ensign H. W. Hambler behaved with conspicu- ous gallantry, and was shot down with the regimental colors in his hand. He was within a hundred yards of the Federal guns when he fell. Corporal J. W. Pyles, of the Color Guard, took up the colors, and bore them during the remainder of the day. Adjutant C. W. Woods, of the same regiment, was wounded.
In the Fourth Arkansas, Colonel H. G. Bunn command- ing, Color-bearer John B. Bryant, of Company "A," was wounded, and Lieutenant Armstrong, of Company "D" bore the colors until he fell severely wounded. Lieutenant G. D. Goodner, of Company "F," then took them, when he, too, fell, badly wounded. Captain John W. Lavender, of Company "F," then took them, and bore them the remainder of the day.
The Fourth lost ten killed, fifty-seven wounded, and seven missing. The killed were Robert J. Ware, Sergeant Com- pany "A;" J. M. Pate, F. A. Elkins, William Phillips, of Company "C;" J. M. V. Hardin, Thomas Caldwell, of Company "E;"' J. F. Garrett, Sergeant Company "F;" J. M. Vinsen, Company "G;" J. T. Ward, Sergeant Com- pany "F;" J. T. Ainsworthy, Company "K." Color-bearer John B. Bryant, Sandy A. Smith, Company "A;" Lieuten- ant J. T. Clingman, Company "C;" Lieutenant B. F. Logan, Company "F;" C. N. Huddlestone, Company "G;" H. R. Brewster, Sergeant Company "I;" and J. F. Walker, of Company "K," died of their wounds.
In the Fifth Arkansas, C. Mattix, of Company "F," being too badly wounded to carry a gun, asked permission to carry the colors, and did so for the remainder of the day. Three
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color-bearers had been previously shot down. He escaped without farther hurt. At one time Colonel John Edward Murray, commanding the regiment, took the colors-upon the death of one of the color-bearers-and carried them into the thickest of the fight, but was unharmed. Lieutenant A. J. Jones, of this regiment, was killed.
In the Sixth Arkansas Regiment, Captain Joseph W. Martin, Lieutenant J. A. Reeves, and Captain S: C. Brown were ever foremost in leading their men. Captain John G. Fletcher was wounded and taken prisoner. Captain J. Frank Ritchie, of Pine Bluff, was wounded, losing his right arm. W. E. Wilkerson and M. M. Duffie were wounded, as was also Colonel Sam. G. Smith, commanding the regiment. Captain J. T. Armstrong, Lieutenants J. L. McCollum and Henry Fisher were killed. The Seventh Arkansas was con- solidated with the Sixth in this battle, under Colonel Smith's command.
In the Fourth Arkansas Battalion, commanded by Major J. A. Ross, the following casualties occurred : In Company "A," 2 were killed, and 4 were wounded; in Company "B," I was killed, 8 were wounded, and 5 were missing; in Company "C," I was killed, and 4 wounded ; in Company "E," I was killed, and 7 wounded ; total, 5 killed, 23 wounded, and 5 missing. Lieutenant W. C. Douglass of this regiment was killed.
In Humphrey's Battery, Lieutenant William H. Gore was wounded by a shell. Lieutenants Oliver P. Richardson, Henry C. Riggin, privates Samuel M. Tucker, Joseph W. Adams, Dennis Cannen, and Duty Sergeants Thompson, Casey, Greer, Long, Brewer and Burkett did good service.
In closing his report, General Cleburne made special men- tion of the following officers and men, for gallant and merito- rious conduct :
Polk's Brigade-First Arkansas Regiment .- Colonel John W. Colquitt, Lieutenant-Colonel Don McGregor (wounded) ;
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THE YEAR 1862.
Adjutant S. N. Greenwood, Captain William A. Alexander, Company ."B" (wounded) ; Captain W. H. Scales, Com- pany "C" (wounded) ; Captain Oscar F. Parrish, Company "D" (wounded) ; Lieutenant John E. Letson (wounded) ; Corporal Green W. Mckenzie, Company "A" (killed) ; John S. T. Hemphill, Company "B" (wounded); pri- vates G. W. Sallee, Company "C," J. C. Bogy, Company. "D," W. W. Chaney, Company "E," Hardee J. Bul- lion, Company "F," A. P. Green, Company "G" (killed) ; James Beesom, Company "H," John H. Curd, Company "I'' (killed) ; O. C. Choat, Company "K" (killed).
The Thirteenth and Fifteenth Arkansas Regiments, consol- idated-Captain Thomas H. Osborne, of the Fifteenth ; Lieu- tenant John Dolan (deserving promotion), Felix E. Lisse of the Thirteenth (wounded); First Sergeant, J. M. Harkelroad, of Company "F" of the Fifteenth, Private William Sandford, of Company "E"' of the Thirteenth (wounded) ; Lieutenant William H. Pearce, and Captain W. H. Kinsey, of the Fif- teenth. '
Liddell's Brigade-Second Arkansas Regiment .- Lieuten- ants H. C. Collier, B. L. Clegg (wounded); Lieutenant- Colonel Reuben F. Harvey, Captain J. K. Phillips (deserving promotion); Lieutenants C. S. Emerson, Company "A," M. D. Brown, Company "K," R. E. Smith, Company "G."
The Eighth Arkansas .- Adjutant H. J. McCurdy (killed) ; Lieutenant S. B. Cole, Company "I," Lieutenant Calvin East, Company "H," Lieutenant T. H. Beard, Company "F" (killed) ; Lieutenant W. M. Bass, Company "E," Captain W. H. Lankford, Company "H," and Lieutenant B. A. Terrett, Company "E."
The Fifth Arkansas .- Captain A. B. Washington, Com- pany "K," privates John Atkinson, Company "C," B. W. Maset, Company "I," C. Mattix, Company "F" (wounded).
The Sixth and Seventh consolidated .- Captain Joseph W. Martin, Lieutenant J. A. Reeves, Captain C. S. Brown, Cap-
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tain John G. Fletcher, Company "A" (wounded) ; W. E. Wilkerson (wounded) ; M. M. Duffie (wounded) ; Sergeant Major Eddins, Sergeant Bratton, of Company "H," private Hulse, of Company "K," and the Color Bearer (name not known).
In General Order No. 131, General Samuel Cooper, Adjutant-General of the Confederate States, caused the fol- lowing "Roll of Honor" to be published as to this battle, in accordance with an Act of the Confederate Congress of Octo- ber 13th, 1862, to-wit :
ROLL OF HONOR :
Battle of Murfreesboro, December 31st, 1862, Arkansas Troops .- First Regiment of Infantry .- Lieutenant-Colonel Don McGregor,* Adjutant S. N. Greenwood, Captain Oscar F. Parrish, Company "D ;" Lieutenant J. E. Letson, Com- pany "D;" Captain W. H. Scales, Company "C;" Cor- poral G. M. Mckenzie, Company "A;"* private J. S. T. Hemphill, Company "B;" private G. W. Sallee, Company "C;"" private G. Bogy, Company "D;" private W. W. Chaney, Company "E;" private H. J. Bullion, Company "F;" private A. P. Green, Company "G;"* private J. Bee- son, Company "H;" private J. H. Curd, Company "I;" private O. C. Choat, Company "K."
Second Regiment Arkansas Mounted Rifles .- Corporal James W. Pyles, Company "A;" private Tilman Peavy, Company "B;"" private J. H. Eagle, Company "C;"* private E. A. Ballew, Company "D;" private W. A. Thompson, Company "E;"* private William Till, Com- pany "F;"* Sergeant Jesse Shepherd, Company "G;" pri- vate M. M. McGhee, Company "H;" Sergeant H. M. Graves, Company "I;" Sergeant F. C. Jett, Company "K."
Fourth Regiment of Infantry .- Sergeant S. H. Smith, Company "A;" private James W. Pate, Company "C;"* private Daniel Hudson, Company "D;" private Thomas
(*) Those noted with an asterisk, thus *, were killed in the action.
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THE YEAR 1862.
Caldwell,. Company "E;" private J. F. Garrett, Company "F;"* private J. M. Vinson, Company "G;"* Sergeant S. T. Ward, Company "H;"* private .Simpson Jackson, Com- pany "I;"' private T. P. Williams, Company "K."
First Regiment of Mounted Rifles .- Private Patrick Calli- nan, Company "A;"' private W. T. Blakemore, Company "B;" private James Pearson, Company "C;" Corporal C. . D. Jenkins, Company "D;" Corporal T. J. Underwood, Company "E;"' private W. W. Cole, Company "F;" First Sergeant W. S. Colburn, Company "G;" Corporal Thomas Thomson, Company "I;" private G. B. House, Company "K."*
Twenty-fifth Regiment of Infantry .- Private J. Alphin, Company "A;" Corporal J. S. Ferguson, Company "B;" private W. G. Evans, Company "C;" private M. N. Jones, Company "D;" private S. H. McBride, Company "E;" private John A. Wright, Company "F;" private J. S. Gard- ner, Company "G;" private J. W. McNabb, Company "H;" Corporal A. M. Ragsdale, Company "I;" Corporal H. D. Holdaway, Company "K.".
Fourth Battalion of Infantry .- Private James Vines, Com- pany "A;"* Corporal L. Heggie, Company "B ;"* private George W. Ayler, Company "C;" private C. G. Warren, Company "E."
Humphrey's Artillery Company .- Private John Campbell. Summary of casualties among Arkansas troops in this battle :
Liddell's Brigade .- Second Arkansas, Colonel D. C. Go- van, 15 killed, 94 wounded, 9 missing; total, 118; Fifth Ar- kansas, Lieutenant-Colonel John E. Murray, 12 killed, 135 wounded, I missing; total, 148; Sixth and Seventh Arkan- sas, Colonel Sam. G. Smith, 29 killed, 140 wounded, 8 mis- sing ; total, 177; Eighth Arkansas, Colonel John H. Kelley, 29 killed, 124 wounded; total, 153 ; Swett's Battery, I killed,
(*) These noted with an asterisk, thus *, were killed in the action.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
7 wounded; total, 8. Total loss of brigade was 604 in killed, wounded and missing.
Polk's Brigade .- First Arkansas, Colonel J. W. Colquitt, I I killed, 90 wounded, I missing; total, 102; Thirteenth and Fifteenth Arkansas, 12 killed, 59 wounded, 5 missing; total, 78. Total loss of brigade was 180 in killed, wounded and missing.
McNair's Brigade .- First Arkansas Rifles, Colonel R. W. Harper, 9 killed, 82 wounded, 4 missing; total, 95 ; Second Arkansas Rifles, Colonel J. A. Williamson, 10 killed, 99 wounded, II missing; total, 120; Fourth Arkansas, Colonel H. G. Bunn, 8 killed, 61 wounded, 10 missing ; total, 79; Fourth Arkansas Battalion, Major J. A. Ross, 5 killed, 19 wounded, 5 missing ; total, 29; Thirtieth Arkansas, Colonel W. A. Cotter, 10 killed, 63 wounded, 22 missing; total, 95 ; Humphrey's Battery, 6 wounded ; total, 6. Total of Brigade was 424 in killed, wounded and missing.
The total of loss sustained by Liddell's Brigade was 604 ; by Polk's Brigade 170 ; by McNair's Brigade 424. The total loss of Arkansas troops in the battle was 1, 198.
This was the last of military operations during the year, in the progress of which there had been fought the enormous number of 102 battles, great and small, and with a loss of life which was absolutely frightful.
In civil affairs some few incidents transpired in the State, necessary to be noted. The regular biennial session of the Legislature, the Fourteenth session, convened November 5th, and remained in session until December Ist, 1862. Thomas Fletcher, of Arkansas county, was elected President of the Senate, and John D. Kimbell, of Pulaski county, Secretary. In the House, John Harrell, of Crawford county, was elected Speaker, and Alden M. Woodruff, Clerk.
Among their important transactions were Acts creating the counties of Cross and Woodruff, the war children in the State's family.
-
.. Hon . IL
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.... . . .
HARRIS FLANAGIN. Seventh Governor of the State.
.
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HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
During the course of the session, Oliver H. Oates became Secretary of State, succeeding John I. Stirman, November 13th, and in the same month Colonel Sam. W. Williams be- came Attorney-General, succeeding Pleasant Jordan.
Another important incident was a change in the governor- ship. It was discovered that by reason of a defect in the Constitution of 1861, the term of Governor would in a short time draw to a close, instead of running four years, as was supposed, and on a decision by the Supreme Court to that effect, Governor Rector resigned November 4th, and was suc- ceeded by Thomas Fletcher, of Arkansas county, then Presi- dent of the Senate. A special election for Governor was held November 15th, at which Harris Flanagin was elected. His majority was 10,012 in a total vote of 26,266-regiments in the field participating in the vote. At the time of his election, Colonel Flanagin was commanding the Second Arkansas Riflemen, then in active service.
Colonel Harris Flanagin, who thus became the seventh Governor of the State, was born at Roadstown, Cumberland county, New Jersey, November 3d, 1817. He was the son of James and Mary Flanagin, and attended a country school in New Jersey, teaching in the intervals of his attendance. He moved to Illinois, and from there came to Arkansas about the year 1837. He settled at Greenville, Clark county, but when, in 1842, the county seat was moved to Arkadelphia, he moved to that place, and resided there for the remainder of his life. He read law, and was admitted to the bar in Illi- nois, and engaged in the practice of law as his profession in Arkansas. He was a member of the Legislature in the session of 1842, and a member of its Constitutional Conven- tion of 1874. On the breaking out of the war, he entered the Confederate Army as Captain, of Company "E" of the Second Regiment of Arkansas Mounted Rifles, and became Colonel of the regiment. He was serving as Colonel when elected Governor. He served as Governor till the end of
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the war, and then resumed the practice of law at Arkadel- phia, where he died October 23d, 1874, in the 57th year of his age. On the 3d of July, 1851, he was married to Martha E. Nash, daughter of Phineas and Phoebe Nash, of Hemp- stead county, Arkansas, who survives him. By this marriage there are three children living: Duncan Flanagin, Nash Flanagin, and Mrs. Laura F. Howison.
An election for Confederate Congressmen was held, at which Thomas B. Hanley was chosen from the First Dis- trict ; Grandison D. Royston from the Second; A. H. Gar- land from the Third, and Felix I. Batson from the Fourth District.
By the end of 1862, the rigors of war made themselves felt in domestic life with pitiless severity. The ordinary neces- saries of life had become scarce, and oftentimes were not to be had under any circumstances. Not only had Confederate money steadily depreciated, and its purchasing power become lessened, but many articles of ordinary use, which are usually imported, such as tea, coffee, pepper, spices and the like, had become exhausted, and were not to be had at any price. In lieu of them, people were compelled to employ substitutes.
For tea, the substitute was the ordinary sassafras, with which the woods abounded; but this found little favor, and was only used in cases of necessity. In sickness, other tea substitutes were employed, according to circumstances.
For coffee substitutes, a number of things were employed, such as chickory, parched rye, parched okra seeds, or combi- nations of these. The best substitute was sweet potatoes, sliced thin and roasted crisp, with a little sugar or molasses stirred in at the browning, and the preparation ground like coffee, or pounded with pestle and mortar. This made a decoction which one could swallow and subsist on, but could not relish. Roasted peanuts, ground or pounded in the same way, were also used. This made a drink richer even than chocolate, but too rich for constant use.
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Sugar also became scarce, owing to the fact that so large a part of Louisiana was in Federal possession, and the sugar plantations there were largely uncultivated; but the absence of this article was supplemented by large crops of Chinese sugar cane, which planters generally turned their attention to, and for the conversion of which into material, many sorghum mills arose all over the South. So that this ordinary requisite was not so much missed.
There were no facilities for the evaporation or drying of fruit, like there are now ; but every farmer turned his attention to fruit-drying by whatever means he could devise, and in this way saved much of the large fruit crop of that year.
Salt was plentiful in this State, an unlimited supply being put forth by the Lake Bisteneau Salt Works, in Upper Louisiana, from which long wagon trains would go in every direction ; but the article which was most unobtainable was black pepper. A pound of it would bring $300 in Confed- erate money. The only substitute for it was the ordinary garden pepper, the red pods, and as there were few or no mills for grinding them, the usual method was, after their being thoroughly dried in the sun, some one closely veiled would improvise a discarded coffee-mill for the purpose, or put into use the primitive mortar and pestle; but it was always a process accompanied with profuse weeping or un- limited sneezing, and was undertaken as rarely as circum- stances would permit.
Every kind of poultry was becoming scarce; also sheep, cattle and hogs. A turkey was worth $20, and a sheep would bring as high as $50. Whoever had a milch cow re- garded her as a veritable fortune; and if bread, either corn- bread or wheat-bread, could be had to add to milk for a meal, it was considered a sufficient cause for thankfulness. Pota- toes-sweet and Irish-and peas, composed the staple diet whenever they could be had, and whenever any one could bring in game from the woods, it seemed like a feast.
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Cloth, both cotton and woolen, while not abundant, was not scarce, owing to the fact that a loom was at work in every possible place ; but it was a tedious task, spinning the thread out of which the cloth was woven by the old-time methods of the spinning wheel, and the cloth itself was coarse ; but it was warm and was very durable.
Hats and shoes were extremely difficult to obtain, and when once worn out or lost, could scarcely be replaced. The Southern Army was in great need of shoes. A large number of soldiers in the field were barefooted in the very dead of winter, and were inadequately supplied with clothing for either health or comfort. Summer hats were easier to be had, and ladies commonly became proficient in plaiting them from wheat and rye-straws, from palmetto leaves, and from fine shucks of corn; but a felt hat lost could hardly be replaced.
In the way of drugs and medicines, nothing was to be had. The supply was exhausted, and the people had to fall back upon their knowledge of simples, and the roots and herbs of the field to supply their places. Quinine was not to be had, but, as a substitute, people used with some effect the root of a wayside herb, called vervinex, and also balls of the button- willow of the swamps, as antidotes for malaria, and in fevers.
Oils for medical purposes were obtained from the seeds of the palma Christi plant, pressed in rude mills-like cider presses. The medical practitioner of the day was compelled. to eke out his knowledge with the scantiest appliances, and with the fewest obtainable remedies.
For lights, tallow-dips and pine-knots were used, and many employed the balls of the sycamore tree, floating in grease, which made a flickering light, about of the power of an ordi- nary night-lamp.
And thus, with armies contending daily with each other in the field; with the people at home having a hard struggle with privation and want; with the heart-ache at every fire- side, and death stalking everywhere in the land, this dreadful year drew to a close.
CHAPTER XXII.
1863.
THE PROGRESS OF THE WAR, CONTINUED .- -GETTYSBURG-VICKSBURG HELENA-PORT HUDSON.
THE opening of the year 1863 found the Confederacy pro- portionally weaker in men and material than it had been since the first year, but its war-spirit was undaunted. The very first days were ushered in by the booming of cannon in the fierce conflict of Murfreesboro.
An early incident of the year in Arkansas was the capture of Arkansas Post by the Federal General McClernand and Admiral Porter. The place was garrisoned by a force of about 3,000 Texans and Arkansians, under Brigadier-General T. J. Churchill. On the morning of the 8th of January his pickets reported a fleet of gun-boats and transports coming up the river, and General Churchill made ready to receive them. They landed on the 9th, and advanced, supported by cavalry and artillery. Although greatly outnumbering the Confeder- ates, their attack was signally repulsed. In the afternoon the gun-boats opened fire, and a spirited engagement ensued, lasting about two hours. About noon of the 10th, the Fed- erals made another advance, attacking the whole line of works, simultaneously, by land and water. On the right they were twice repulsed in endeavors to turn the works, and on the left were driven back with great slaughter, in eight differ- ent attacks. The Confederate force was, however, unable to repel the vastly superior numbers which entirely surrounded their position, and after having stood against their tremend-
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ous assault for two days, they could hold out no longer. Ac- cordingly, on the IIth, General Churchill surrendered the place with the garrison. The men were paroled and subse- quently exchanged. General Churchill was carried a prisoner to Camp Chase, Ohio, where he was imprisoned three months, when, being exchanged, he reported to General Bragg for service, and was assigned to the Trans-Mississippi Depart- ment.
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