Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 6.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[64] soon following. Reaching Elkhorn on the evening of the fifth instant, I there received your order to send forward all my cavalry to you, and in obedience thereto I ordered forward Col. Wickersham, with the Tenth Illinois cavalry, First Iowa, Eighth Missouri, and first battalion Second Wisconsin cavalry, all of whom reached you safely.

On Sunday morning, the seventh instant, at four o'clock, I arrived at Fayetteville, having marched all night, and was pushing rapidly forward, expecting to join you by ten o'clock of same day, when six miles south of Fayetteville, my advance, consisting of two companies of First Missouri cavalry, under Major J. M. Hubbard, discovered a body of cavalry falling back on the road in great disorder. It proved to be the First Arkansas and Seventh Missouri cavalry, that were moving forward to join you and had been attacked by a large body of rebel cavalry under Gen. Marmaduke, near Illinois Creek, ten miles from Cane Hill. After some effort, the retreating cavalry were checked and re-formed; but in holding the rebel advance the First battalion First Missouri cavalry were severely handled, and Major Hubbard taken prisoner. Here the rebels formed in line of battle, but on opening fire upon them with a section of battery E, First Missouri artillery, they were soon put to flight and driven back four miles to Illinois Creek. Here I discovered the enemy in position directly in front, on each side of the road, occupying a high ridge, about three quarters of a mile from the ford of the creek, covered with timber and thick underbrush.

Wishing to feel the position of the enemy, I ordered the Ninety-fourth Illinois infantry, with a section of battery E, First Missouri light artillery, across the creek, and opened fire upon them. Their batteries were in good position, commanding the ford of the creek, and having excellent range, compelled my advance to fall back. It being impossible to move my command across the ford, under their fire, I then ordered Colonel Halston, commanding Second division, to cut a road through the timber and move Captain Murphy's battery (F, First Missouri artillery) to a point on the south side of the creek, and half a mile from the regular ford, my intention being to draw the fire of the enemy to enable my infantry to cross the creek at the ford. The movement was entirely successful, the battery dividing, getting into position, and opening fire on the enemy before they discovered the movement. Under cover of its fire, I ordered forward the batteries of Capt. Backof, Lieut. Foust, and Lieut. Boeries, supported by the Nineteenth Iowa, Twentieth Wisconsin, and Ninety-fourth Illinois infantry.

So rapidly was the order obeyed that the whole eighteen pieces were at work before the enemy could obtain our range. The fire was rapidly replied to by the rebel batteries, which had every advantage in position ; but so accurate was the firing that in one hour nearly all their batteries were silenced. During this time I had formed the infantry, the Second division, Col. Houston commanding, occupying the right, and the Third division, under my immediate command, the left of my position. It required but a short time to satisfy myself that the rebels were present in largely superior force, and I immediately determined to give them the best fight I could until you could come up with additional forces. The enemy making a movement of their infantry toward my left, I ordered forward the Second brigade of Third division, under Col. W. W. Orme, to the base of the ridge occupied by them; and while their attention was attracted by the fire of the Second brigade, I moved up the First brigade, under command of Lieut.-Col. Bertram. The batteries advanced across the open field, with the infantry, pouring in a terrible fire of grape and canister.

When within one hundred yards of the ridge, the Twentieth Wisconsin and Nineteenth Iowa infantry were ordered to charge a battery placed near a farm-house on the edge of the hill. The charge was made in gallant style, the enemy driven back, and the battery taken, but the ground could not be held; regiment after regiment of infantry was hurled upon them, and they were compelled to fall back. This was followed by a charge of the rebels en masse upon the batteries of Capts. Foust and Backof and Lieut. Boeries. Never was there more real pluck and courage displayed, and more downright hard fighting done, than at this moment by tile above-named batteries. Advancing to within one hundred yards of the guns, the rebels received a fire that could not be withstood, and retreated in disorder — receiving, as they ran, a terrible fire, causing great slaughter among them. For the management of his battery, and the soldier-like qualities displayed by Capt. Foust, company E, First Missouri light artillery, at this time especially, he deserves very great credit.

Col. Houston was then instructed to move one of his brigades from the right to the support of the centre. Arriving at the point, and discovering the rebel infantry again moving down the hill, Col. Houston ordered the Twenty-sixth Indiana and Thirty-seventh Illinois regiments to charge them, which they did, Colonel Houston leading in person. It was a repetition of the first charge. The same battery captured, the enemy again driven back, and we in turn compelled to abandon don the position by force of numbers. About this time, half-past 2 o'clock P. M., a battery opened some distance from my right, which I soon discovered to be from your division. With the knowledge that you had really arrived, a new spirit was infused into my command, now almost worn out by the severe work, and they went at it again with increased vigor. When your column moved up, the Second brigade of Second division, Colonel Wm. McE. Dye, commanding, also advanced on your left, having a severe fight in the timber, and driving the enemy from the hill-side. From this hour until dark the firing was steady and terrific, the batteries of the First division firing the last round.

My command slept on their arms nearly one