17th.

nois.

After his promotion he was placed in command of the District of Cairo, embracing in its jurisdiction Southern Illinois and Missouri and that part of Kentucky west of the Cumberland. The force now under his command consisted of two brigades numbering 2,850 men. The first under Gen. John A. McClernand consisted of the 27th, Col. Buford; 30th, Col. Fouke; 31st, Col. J. A. Logan; Capt. Dollins' company of 4th cavalry and Taylor's battery of light artillery. The second, under Col H. Dougherty, comprised his own regiment, the 21st Illinois, and the 7th Iowa, Col. Lauman. The entire force except the last regiment was from IlliGrant's first movement was to seize Smithland and Paducah respetively at the mouths of the Cumberland and Tennessee, and use them as the base of future operations in the rebel States. Having garrisoned these places, his next movement was to dislodge a rebel force stationed at Belmont, on the Missouri side of the Mississippi. The entire force under his command was embarked on board the gunboats Tyler and Lexington and landed November 7th, 1861, at Lucas' bend, about two miles from the camp of the enemy. As soon as debarkation was effected a line of battle was formed, Buford commanding the right, Fouke the center and Logan the left. The advance toward the camp was a continuous running fight, in which a storm of the enemy's missiles battered and tore down the timber in the faces of our men. Passing over all obstacles and surmounting all opposition the three divisions vied with each other for the honor of first reaching the rebel position. The scene became terrific, men grappled with men, column charged upon column, musketry rattled, cannon thundered and tore frightful gaps in the contending forces. Presently the 57th planted its colors in the midst of the hostile encampment, and a loud and prolonged shout was heard above the din of battle. Next, the 21st captured a 12-pound gun battery, one of the enemy's principal defences, when a final impetuous, irresistible charge drove him in every direction and left the field in possession of the federals. The victory was complete. The captured camp was immediately fired, and all the rebel baggage and ammunition destroved.

In the meantime a heavy rebel force was thrown across the river from Columbus and moved up to repair the disaster, while batteries opened upon our men from the opposite shore. Únable to cope with such formidable numbers, a retreat became necessary to avoid being cut off from the boats. The command was therefore given to retire, but before it could be executed the passage became blocked up with rebel forces. The boys of Illinois and Iowa, however, had fought their way forward, and they now in opposition to a foe of greatly superior numbers fought their way back. Every regiment suffered severely, but it was believed the enemy suffered worse. Grant in his official report gives the loss of the former at 84 killed and 150 wounded; that of the latter was not known.

The object of the battle was to prevent the enemy from sending reinforcements to Price and Thompson in Missouri. But how this was to be done does not appear, when the impossibility of holding the position under the heavy guns of Columbus was apparent. Though the propriety of the expedition

may be questioned the valor of Illinois was undoubted. Gen. MeClernand was in the midst of danger displaying great coolness and skill in handling his forces. Gen. Logan exhibited the intrepidity and judgment which distinguished him in subsequent battles, and Col. Dougherty at the head of his brigade was three times wounded and at length taken prisoner. Says McClernand:

"I cannot bestow too high commendation upon all I had the honor to command on that day. Supplied with inferior and defective arms, many of which could not be discharged, many bursting in use, they fought an an enemy in woods with which he was familiar, behind defensive works which he had been preparing for months, in the face of a battery at Belmont and under the huge guns at Columbus, and although numbering three or four to our one, we beat him and captured several stand of colors, destroying his camp and carrying off a large amount of property already mentioned. To mention all who did well would include every man of my command who came under my personal notice. Both officers and privates did their whole duty, nobly sustaining the character of Americans and Illinoisans. They shed new luster upon the flag of their country by holding it in triumph through the shock of battle and the din of arms. The blood they so freely poured out proved their devotion to their country and serves to hallow a just cause with glorious recollections. Their success was that of citizen soldiers."

Battle of Pea Ridge.-The forces operating in Missouri at the close of January, 1862, were combined under the command of Gen. S. B. Curtis, a distinguished officer of the U. S. army. Early the following month they pushed rapidly toward Springfield, where on the 12th they encountered Price with about 4,000 men. Sharp skirmishing ensued and the rebel general fleeing during the night to avoid an engagement, was pursued for more than 100 miles. Stopping in the vicinity of the Boston mountains he was re-inforced by McCulloch and Van Dorn, whereby his army was augmented to near 40,000 men, and he was again enabled to resume offensive operations. Curtis thus threatened, had distributed portions of his command for garrison duty along his extensive line of communication, and now had left only 12,000 men and about 50 pieces of artillery. His several divisions had been sent in various directions for the purpose of obtaining forage and dispersing rebel bands gathering at different points in the southeastern part of the State. The 1st and 2d were under Sigel near Bentonville, the 3d under Davis near Sugar Creek, and the 4th under Carr at Cross Hollow. Early in March intelligence was received that Van Dorn who assumed chief command, was advancing to make an attack

A correspondent of the Chicago Post, writing of Belmont, says: "An incident wor thy of being recorded occurred during the recent battle. Col. Phil. B. Fouke, of the 31st Illinois, and Col. John V. Wright, of the 13th Tennessee, both members of the last congress, were warm friends and occupied seats together. When the war broke out before they had left Washington, Mr. Wright received the appointment of colonel from the governor of Tennessee. When about to separate Mr. Wright said: “Phil. I am going into the war, and I suppose you will be in it also, and I promise if we neet on the battle field that I will take care of your men if you will take care of mine." The pledge was mutual, and the ext time they met was on the bloody field of Belm, t. At one time during the fight Col. Fouke's men were lying down waiting for the enemy and he was standing on a log in full view waiting for them, when about twenty of Wright's men leveled their muskets at him, which movement being seen by Col. Wright, he looked in the direction and recognized Col. Fouke, ordered his men to desist, saying that man was his friend and he did not want him harmed. This interposition doubtless saved Col. Fouke's life BS these Tennesseeans are crack shots. Col. Wright was was afterwards severely wounded, but the next day sent his adjutant to inform Col. Fouke that he had not forgotten his pledge. Before the battle was ended Col. Fouke's regiment took a number of Col. Wright's men, and he religously obsesved his share of the pledge, looking after the wants of the prisoners as though they were his own men."

and the several divisions of the Union forces were ordered to concentrate on Sugar Creek, a point regarded favorable for effective resistence. Sigel in bringing up his division was assailed by large numbers of the enemy, and for five hours compelled to cut his way through their midst to effect a junction with the others.

On the 6th of March, 1862, the entire force was brought together on the western edge of Pea Ridge, and in anticipation of an engagement, slept on their arms. The battle commenced at early dawn and raged furiously the whole day, during which Van Dorn succeeded in marching round the Federal army, and took a position in the rear. Curtis was thus compelled to change his front, and although exposed to the continued fire of the enemy, the movement was executed with the most intrepid gallantry. In the centre and on the left the battle raged with increased fury, and when evening put an end to the carnage, McCulloch and McIntosh, two of the most efficient rebel officers, were among the slain. The weather was cold and the army lay down to pass a comfortless night, being unable to kindle fires without drawing the attention of the enemy. During the night the rebels effected a junction of their forces, and as the rising sun lighted up the battle ground, they recommenced the conflict, confident of overwhelming the federals by superior numbers. The latter, however, were handled with great skill and Sigel served the artillery with such accuracy that the rebel line in a short time was seriously shaken and finally forced from the field. The routed army fled in the direction of Keitsville and was followed a distance of 12 miles, when further pursuit, in consequence of the wooded and broken country, became impracticable. That portion of the battle field pounded by our artillery presented a ghastly scene of dismounted cannons, shivered carriages and mangled bodies. Price's loss was estimated at 3,000 in killed, wounded and missing. A novel feature introduced at this battle was the employment of some 2,500 Indians seduced from their allegiance by the rebels. They were of little service to their allies in fighting the living but vented their brutal ferocity in mutulating the bodies of the dead.

The Illinois troops participating in the engagement were the 35th, Col. G. A. Smith; 36th, Col. Grensel; 37th, Col. J. White; 57th, Major Post; 3d cavalry, Col. E. A. Carr; a battalion of the 15th cavalry, Capt. Jenks, and Davidson's Peoria battery. All acquitted themselves in such a manner as to reflect honor upon the State. Day Elmore, a drummer of the 36th, exchanged his drum for a musket and fought with the bravery of a veteran during the intire battle.

After this engagement large numbers of the Missourians who had fought with the rebels, were permitted to return home, and on taking the oath of allegiance, the State for a short time enjoyed comparative quiet. In June, at the suggestion of Gen. Curtis Missouri was erected into a separate military district, and Gen. J. M. Schofield, who had served with distinction as chief of the lamented Lyon's staff, was placed in command. Marauding bands again began to be troublesome, and Schofield, on the 22d inst., issued a proclamation holding rebel sympathizers and their propery responsible for the depredations committed in their respective districts. Encouraged by Price at Helena, numerous rebel emissaries next spread themselves over the State, and while openly profess

ing Union sentiments, they secretly organized a force estimated at 40,000 men, and agreed upon signals whereby they could suddenly seize all the important points in the country. To prepare for the conspiracy Schofield obtained from the general government authority to organize the militia, and as the loyal people readily submitted to the enrollment, and the disloyal refused, thus disclosing the real character of each man. Some 20,000 men were reported for military duty, and to raise funds for their support, the wealthy in St. Louis county who refused to serve, were required to furnish $500,000. A bloody struggle was now going on in the north-east portion of the State between bands of guerillas and the militia. By the 1st of September as many as a hundred small engagements had occurred in which Illinois troops largely participated, and some 10,000 rebels were killed, wounded or driven from the State. At this date the rebels under Hindman, in northern Arkansas, numbering 50,000, were also contemplating an invasion of south-western Missouri. As the result, battles of considerable magnitude were fought at Fort Wayne, Cane Hill, and Fayetteville, in which the rebels sustained such serious losses that Hindman abandoned his designs.

CHAPTER LVII.

1861-1862-ILLINOIS ON THE CUMBERLAND, TENNESSEE AND MISSISSIPPI.

Battle of Forts Henry and Donelson-Capture of Columbus. New Madrid and Island No. 10.

We must now go back to the commencement of the operations for opening the Mississippi. The course of this magnificent river from north to south and the intercourse necessarily existing among the inhabitants of its fertile valley will always render it impossible to form them into separate nationalities by arbitrary boundaries. Running entirely across the rebel confederacy and making it vulnerable to the assaults of a fleet, the government at an early day commenced making preparation for offensive naval operations. Columbus, Kentucky, situated on the east bank, 20 miles below Cairo, had been seized as early as Sept. 1861, and so fortified as to be termed the rebel Gibralter. Its massive works and heavy guns rendering capture by a direct assault almost impossible, it was determined to cut off its supplies and thus compel its abandonment by an expedition up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. Near where these streams flow across the northern boundary of Tennessee, the rebels had erected two strong fortifications known as Forts Henry and Donelson. After mature deliberation, Gen. Halleck decided first to attack the former of these strongholds, and then moving across the intervening land, attack the latter. For this purpose Commodore A. H. Foote, as gallant an officer as ever sailed the deep, with a fleet of 7 gunboats, the St. Louis, Cincinnati, Carondelet, Essex, Tyler, Lexington and Mound City, and Gen. Grant, with a co-operating land force from Cairo and Paducah, were sent up the Tennessee. On the 5th of February, 1862, the land forces disembarked from their transports and prepared to spend the night, during which a thunder storm burst on the encampment, portraying in its terrific grandeur, the fury of the coming battle. Grant ordered Gen. McClernand commanding the first division, to take a position in the rear of the fort for the two-fold purpose of guarding against reinforcements, or preventing the escape of the garrison as the exigencies of the engagement might require. His division consisted of 2 brigades commanded respectively by Cols. Oglesby and W. H. L. Wallace; the first comprising the 8th, 18th, 27th, the 29th, 30th and 31st Illinois infantry, Dresser's and Schwartz's batteries; the 2d, the 11th, 12th, 45th and 48th Illinois infantry, Taylor's and McAlisters' batteries and 4th cavalry.