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From Hie Southern Magazine.
General Marmaduke's Campaign
Against Maj.-Gen- Steele-
General Marmaduke's official report
of his campaign against the Federal
columns under General Steele which is
here given, is so clear and exhaustive
that bnt little is left to be done by the
editor. The object of Gen. Steele’s
movement, as stated in the report, was
to move southwardly way of Wash
ington and co-operate with the column
under Gen. Banks, then moving on
Shreveport, crushing with their united
forces the army under Gen. E. Kirby
Smith: and that object gained, the
small force under Gen. Magruder
would fall an easy prey to their vic
torious legions, which would leave the
Confederates without an organised
army west o! the Mississippi river,
thus completing the conquest of the
Trans-Mississippi Department.
Gen. Steele, who had expected to
march without serious obstruction to
Red River, found himself impeded at
every stef> —his flankers driven in, his
rear-guard assaulted, and forced, routed
and demoralised, to seek shelter with
his main body, and his advance re
sisted with such skill and determina
tion that he could only proceed by the
slow process of bringing his whole
command into action and fighting his
way step by step. He was opposed by
a foe who, wary and sleepless, seemed
to anticipate every movement ere die
made it, and was ready to take advantage
of any false step that he might make.
He was encompassed by a force which,
though really less than one-fourth of
his own , seemed übiquitous and in
domitable; and his progress, instead
of being a triumphal march, was a suc
cession of sanguinary conflicts, and he
was compelled to halt his jaded army
at Camden. Nor was he allowed to
rest here. His outposts were driven
in daily, and his army kept continually
on the alert—his large forage-train of
225 wagons captured, and its guard ot
2500 men ami four pieces of artillery
killed, wounded, and dispersed.
The administrative ability of Gen.
Marniaduke was eviuced in this short
but effective and brilliant campaign.
His thorough knowledge of the charac
ter and capacity of each of his
brigades was exhibited in the selection
which he made for the special duty to
be performed. Brave, skilful ami ac
complished officers were the three,
Cabell, Shelby, and Greene, but of
diverse characters, and each possessed
a peculiar talent and disposition that
fitted him eminently for a certain
character of duty. A knowledge of
these talents and characteristics en
abled their commanding officer to
assign to each that particular duty
allowing each the freest scope for the
display of individual ability, thus
honoring the command and securing
the most effective service. This habit
of studying the character of his officers
and soldiers, and acting on the know
ledge gained to place them in the posi
tion for which their capacity and dis
position best fitted them, disposed
them with rare exceptions to obey
with alacrity and to execute orders with
fidelity, and his untiring care for his
troops endeared him to them. They
knew that every privation suffered by
them was endured also by him, .that
their every danger was shared by him,
and that their lives would never lie
wantonly sacrificed for the glory of
their chief.
General Marmaduke's Redout.
Headquarters Marmaduke's Division,
In the Field, May 28<A, 18114.
Colonel: —In obedience to orders
from the Major-Geueral commanding,
I have the honor to make the following
report of the operations of my cam
paign against the Federal forces under
Maj.-Gen. Steele, which was ended on
the 30th ult. by their retreat across the
Saline, and to their base, Little Rock.
At the time information was re
, eeived of the advance of Steele’s army
from Little Hock southward on the
military road, and of his arrival at
Benton, my division, consisting of
Cabell’s Arkansas Cavalry Brigade and
Shelby's and Greene’s (Marfhadnke’s)
Missouri Cavalry Brigades, numbering
about thirty-two hundred (3,200) effec
tively armed and mounted men for
duty, was stationed as follows: Cabell's
Brigade sixteen miles west of Wash
ington, and sixty-six miles from
Camden ; Shelby’s and Greene’s Brig
BANNER OF THE SOUTH AND PLANTERS’ JOURNAL.
j ades at Camden. To meet the move !
i ment of the enemy I made the follow-;
ing dispositions: March 22, Cabell’s
; Brigade was ordered to Tate's Bluff,!
: twenty,three miles northwest of Cam
i dem, at this junction of the Little i
| Missouri with the Ouachita river;
j March 25, Shelby's Brigade was or
dered to Princeton, but no forage be- j
ing there, moved fifteen miles north
east of Princeton (47 miles from
Camden,) and on the 28th March, |
with Greene’s Brigade and a section of:
Blocker's Battery under Lieut. Zim
merman, I marched direcly to Tate’s
Bluff*. The several brigades could by
this disposition co-operate against the
enemy’s front, or if need he, Cabell
and Greene against his front, while
Shelby was in position to march directly
to and operate upon his rear. On my j
arrival at Tate’s Bluff, March 30, find
ing no forage nor subsistence in its
vicinity, and ascertaining that the
enemy 9500 strong, iulautay, cavalry
and artillery, had reached Hock port
and were marching upon Arkadelphia,
I ordered Shelby to cross the Ouachita
river and move upon the enemy's rear,
and Cabell's Brigade (which in view of
the probability ot the enemy advanc
ing direct upon Washington and the
dearth of forage and subsistence at
Tate’s Bluff, had been ordered to halt
fifteen miles southwest of that point)
to cross the Little Missouri by the
military road and resist him in front,
while Greene’s Brigade (the middle
column) would cross the Little Missouri
at Tate's Bluff and attack his left flank,
and as he advanced southward from
Arkadelphia co-operate with Cabell,
each command to make short and des
perate attacks, retire, and attack again,
until the enemy reached the Little
Missouri river, when all would concen
trate to prevent the passage of that
stream. Before the several brigades
could cross the river and get into
position, the enemy had entered Arka
delphia.
On the Ist of April, Steele with his
whole force moved out of Arkadelphia,
directing his march on the “miliary
road” toward Washington. Late on
the evening of the Ist the scouts in
advance ot Shelby’s Brigade had enter
ed Arkadelphia, capturing a dozen
stragglers, including one captain, and
closed up to the enemy’s rear*; bnt the
main body of his brigade had not ar
rived. Cabell had, however, moved
up to the Antoine, eighteen miles south
west of Arkadelphia, and his advance
commanded b y Lieut.-Col. Fayth,
struck the advance of the enemy, con
sisting of two regiments of cavalry,
near Spoonville, ten miles southwest of
Arkadelphia. Here several sharp
fights occurred, in which the enemy
suffered considerable loss and were
driven back ujkhi the main body.
Greene, on the enemy’s left, had at
tacked and driven in with loss his
flankers to the main body. On the
night of thajst Steele encamped near
Spoonville, having inarched only ten
miles. Shelby encamped that night
uear Arkadelphia, Cabell on the
Antoine, and Greene was at nightfall
about eight miles east of Spoonville.
The design of the enemy evidently
was to co-operate with the Federal
army under Banks, then moving against
Shreveport. Ilis shortest route to
j Shreveport wm by way of Washing
ton. '1 he crossing of the Little Mis
souri river on the military road was a
good one. The latest information
from my scouts on the Ist (I was then
with Greene’s column) was that Steele
had certainly advanced as far as
Spoonville, on the direct Washington
road. These facts taken into considera
tion, I ordered Col. Greene to leave
Lawther’s regiment of his brigade on
the enemy’s left flank, and, marching
that night, join Cabell at Cottingham’s
Store, fourteen miles northeast of
Washington and three south of Little
Missouri river on the military road.
Before daylight on the morning of the
2d, I had joined Cabell at Antoine.
At Spoonville a good road makes off
southward from the military road by
way of Okalona to Elkin’s Ferry, and
by roads leading from it to several ot
the fords and ferries on the Little Mis
souri river. Fearing that Steele might
take this road and reach and occupy
one of the fords below the military
road crossing, on the morning of the
2d April, after leaving Monroe’s regi
ment, Favth’s Battalion, and a section
of Hughey’s Battery, all under eoin-
■ mand of Col. Monroe of Cabell’s
: Brigade, at the Antoine, I withdrew
the balance of the regiment of Cotting-
I ham’s Store, where it; could either re
inforce Monroe when driven back to
, the river, or resist the occupation
;by the enemy ot any of the fords
! below the military road.
| No change appeared in the direction
jof the enemy’s march on the 2d. His
I supjtosed advance came Sip with Col.
Monroe’s force at tlie Antoine, and was
driven back with loss; Monroe, ac
cording to instructions, then falling
slowly back. At Wolf Creek he again
halted and took position; the enemy
again-advanced, and this time Monroe
by his excellent dispositions, the well
directed fire of the small arms of his
command, ami of the section of
Hughey’s Battery, drove him in w r ild
disorder back upon his main body.
At 2 o’clock p. in. the march of the
enemy was partially developed—he had
taken the road leading of by way of
Okalona. Simultaneously almost with
this information, the small picket which
had been stationed at Elkin’s Ferry
galloped up to inform me that the
enemy had occupied that ford with
a “small force." About 4 o'clock
Greene arrived, having marched when
he heard the firing between Monroe
and the enemy in a northwesterly
direction to the assistance of CabelV—
as he supposed but finding that the
enemy was in strong force, and would
in his then position oveqiower him,
retired to Cottingham’s Store. By
this time the enemy had occupied
Elkin's Ferry with a strong force, and
posted artillery to sweep any line at
tempting to drive them from it; and
his main body was in supporting dia
tance.
In the meanwhile, Shelby, encoun
tering the enemy's rear-guard, consist
ing of a brigade of infantry, regiment
of cavalry, and a battery, had, with
the gallantry and dash which ever ac
company him and his brigade, charged
in line of battle mounted—charged and
charged again until the sun went doom
and driven it to seek safety with the
main body, now encanqted twelve
miles from the scene of his first attack.
Shelby theu*encani|ted. In this day’s
fightj-foreinost in the pursuit, fell mor
tally wounded Second Lieut. Trigg of
my escort, who was sent by me to
Gen. Shelby with despatches, and hav
ing accomplished that duty, and the
fight coming on, joined the advance,
and there fought with a valor worthy
the emulation of the bravest. Captain
Thorpe of Elliott’s battalion, the ad
vance, charged with his company
through a regiment of Federal infantry,
scattering them to the four winds. lie
received a severe though not morfhl
wound in that charge.
Placing a sufficient force at Elkin's
Ferry to hold in check any further ad
vance until it eould he reinforced,
Cabell's and. Greene’s Brigades were
camped so as to reach in time -any of
the lords yet liable to be crossed by the
mam body of the Federal army. The
3d of April was passed by the enemy in
closing up to the river with his main
force, llis poiut of crossing was not
yet ascertained, and Burbriage'.f regi
ment of Greene’s Brigade,.under Lieut. -
Col. Preston, was thrown forward to
make a forced reconnoisance at Elkin's
Ferry. Late in the day, after having
driven in the advanced posts on the
south side of the river with sharp
skirmishing, the enemy was discovered
in heavy masses. Yet during that day
; his main body still remained|on the north
bank. His slow, changeful marches,
his seeming indecision, were inexpli
cable until Shelby's cannon were heard
in his rear. On the morning of the
3d, Shelby had again attacked his rear
guard ; when, finding that it was being
heavily reinforced and closing its flanks
around his small force, he withdrew in
good order. In these actions Gen.
fthelby fought his brigade entirely
mounted 'and time and again the ir
resistible charge of his line thoroughly
demoralised and completely routed the
long and serried lines of the enemy’s
infantry, causing them great loss in
killed, wounded, and prisoners, while
Collins's Battery did most. effective
service, and almost exceeded its usual
superlative excellence in the accuracy
of the fire and the devoted bravery of
the company.
On the 4th, as afterward appeared,
bteele commenced crossing his main
army. Having concentrated Greene
and Cabell in front of the ferry, posted
I the main portion of Cabell's Brigade
| as a reserve on a naturally strong posi
j tion at the edge of the bottom, with
I Greene's Brigade, Col. Greece com
manding, one piece ot Blocker's Bat
' tery, under Lieut. Zimmerman, Mon
: roe's regiment, Col. S. C. Monroe com
manding, and a section of Hughey’s
Battery under Lieut. Miller of Cabell's
Brigade, 1200 in all, I advanced and
attacked the enemy to finally determine
if he intended to cross his whole force
I here, and to relieve Shelby. The
troops were rapidly formed and the at
. tack quickly and vigorously made,
! which resulted in my driving the
enemy two miles before he could mass
his forces against me. Lieut. Fackler
of niv staff was captured in this affair.
From the official reports of
captured afterwards, it appeared that I
fought a greatly superior force and
killed ana wounded a great number.
I cannot pay too high a tribute to the
alacrity, steadiness, and splendid
bravery of Greene’s Brigade and Mon
roe's regiment, nor compliment the ar
tillery of Lieutenants Zimmerman and
Miller more fittingly than in the
enemy’s own language, who complain
ed that our “artillerists must have
measured the ground before the brit
tle.” The enemy’s design of crossing
here was now made fully manifest.
Shelby was enabled to join me on
the evening of that day without
molestation, and agaiu my whole force
was united. No forage being in the
vicinity of the ferry I was compiled
to withdraw my main force, on the
morning of the sth, to the south side
of Prairie d'Anne, on the Washington
road, about sixteen miles from the
ferry. Here I had breastworks of logs
and small earthworks thrown up, with
which to deceive the enemy into the
belief that I would here give hi in battle.
1 his day my outpost, Greene’s regiment
j under Lieut.-Col. Campbell, skirmished
heavily with him, ahd again on the
| tith. On the 7th the enemj continued
, to advance slowly, under
. Capt. Porter of Burbridge’s regiment
skirmishing with him the entire day.
Gen. Price now arrived with Dockery
and Crawford's Brigades and Woods’
Battalion, and took command. Cabell’s
Brigade was taken from me and placed
in Fagan’s Division. On the Bth the
enemy again advanced, driving Capt.
Porter with my outpost to the north
east edge if the prairie. Greene's
Brigade was then relieved from out
post duty by troops of Fagan's Divi
sion.
On the eveningof the 9th the enemy,
having been reinforced by Thayer’s
Division from Fort Smith, 4009 strong,
cavalry, infantry and artillery, marched
upon the outposts of our army under
Gen. Dockery, drove them in, and was
| preparing to flank Gen. Shelby’s camp
! when he evacuated it, and being or-
I dered to keep in the enemy’s front,
threw Uis force into line of battle
across the Elkin’s Ferry and Washing
ton and Camden roads, ordered
Dockery to protect his flank, and at
tacked the advancing enemy. The
picket fighting soon assumed heavy
proportions. The enemy moved up
and opened upon Shelby with fifteen
pieces of artillery and continued to
advance: but the resistance was a*
dogged as their advance was over
whelming. The section of Collins’
Battery under the immediate command
ot Captain Collins with almost un
exampled courage held the artillery
column of the enemy at bay, while the
brigade, swept from flank to flank by
the fierce tire of artillery, and small
arms, budged not until the order for
retiring came. At nightfall the entmv
had advanced but half a mile s.uth of
his position in the morning. At mid
night I withdrew Shelby. The enemy
had now reached the point where the
roads from Washington, Camden and
Louisville join, looking northward.
He wished to move to Camden, but he
could not leave a force so near on the
Washington road to attack his rear,
and he feared to attack the fortified
position oirthe southwest edge of the
prairie. Two days he spent, the 10th
and 11th, in preparing for battle. On
I the 12th, with his whole force in line
|of battle, a glorious sight in the open
prairie, lie moved upon the w-orks,
flanking them on the left—to find them
| abandoned. The works had served
| their purpose admirably, deceiving the
j enemy and forcing him to waste his
time and keep his anny starving in a
barren country for nearly three' days.
Greene’s Brigade was again in action,
skirmishing in the enemy's front and
bringihg up the rear of our army with
its usual cool, desperate courage.
On the night of the 12th my division
encamped on Prairie de Rhoan, arid
for the first time in fourteen nights
enjoyed uninterrupted quiet. On the
morning of the 13th, at 10 a. m., we
were again en route to reach the
enemy’s front and oppose his advance
on Camden. At 4p. m. on the 14th
we were in his front, fourteen miles
from Camden, at the junction of the
Prairie d'Anne and Camp Bragg and
Camden and Washington roads, having
marched sixty miles. That evening,
night aud the next day were spent in
continued fighting. Late on the even
ing of the 15th, finding that the enemy
was determined to reach Camden that
night, and that turther resistance was
unwise and unprofitable, and having
sent Captain C. Moore, my A. A.
General, to Camden to destroy such
Government property there as would
benefit the enemy ; and leaving Col.
Lawther’s regiment with orders to con
test the enemy’s advance, ami after
being driven from Cam ren to move
out on the Shreveport wire-road and
watch the enemy on that approach—l
crossed my command from the Prairie
d'Anne and Washington road to the
Camp Bragg aud Camden road, and
encamped eight miles from Camden.
Col. Lnwther fought the enemy’s ad
vance in gallant style to the town,
and encamped as directed. That night
the enemy occupied Camden.
Such were the operations of my
command upon the entrance of Steele's
anny into Camden. For over three
weeks no day passed without hard
marching and fighting; few nights in
which it had rest. Its rations consist
ed mainly ot jerked beef, with oc
casionally corn meal. Daring that
time no complaint was ever heard;
their courage was high and confident;
their conduct in battle admirable anil
and worthy the highest praise—indeed
in and out of battle it was noble. For
the last six days we were assisted by
other troops; during the remainder of
the time were opposed alone to the
enemy, and Gen. Steele’s army of
13,000 men consumed twelve days in
marching about as many miles.
The enemy was now encamped in
and around Camden. On the lGtli
Shelby’s Brigade was ordered to Miller's
Bluff to watch the river, and, I then
had only Greene’s Brigade of about
500 effective men with me. On the
ltith Greene drove in the enemy’s
pickets on the Prairie d’Anne road.
They were driven in on the 17th on
various roads by portions of that
b.-igade. On the morning of the 17th
Col. Greene's scouts informed ine that
a large train, 225 wagons, with a guard
ot' three regiments, two of infantry
and one of cavalry, and two pieces of
artillery, had moved out on the Prairie
d'Anne road from Camden. I wrote
to Gen. Fagan for assistance, as I had
only 500 men. He sent me immediate
ly Cabell’s and Crawford’s Brigades.
That night I marched to attack this
train, but was met with information
that the guard had been reinforced by
I two regiments of infantry and two
pieces of artillery, making their force
now 2500 and four pieces of artillery.
With the reinforcement of Cabell and
Crawford my force was but 1500, and
as I was certain the train could not re
turn until next morning, I wrote to
Gen. Fagan for more assistance, and
requested him to send my letter to
Gen. Price for his approval. The plan
was for Greene, Cabell and Crawford
to intersect the road ten miles from
Camden, for the other troops to enter
the road at Poison Springs, fifteen
miles from Camden, at 8 o'clock next
morning. This plan was agreed upon.
With Greene’s, Cabell’s and Crawford’s
Brigades I inarched early, and about
10 o’clock met the enemy’s advanced
(tickets at Poison Springs, drove it
back with my escort and staff, and oc
cupied an advantageous position on
the brow of a hill, deployed my escort
as skirmishers on the slope, and held
the enemy in check until Cabell and
Crawford came up, dismounted and
deployed in front »of the enemy.
Greene was held in reserve dismount
ed. At this time Gen. Maxey’s troops,
chieffy Indians, and Wood’s Battalion
[Concluded on Sixth Page. ]