under his control, and the rebel troops driven beyond the Red River followed by the most anxious rebel citizens. He was confirmed in his statement, he declared, by the love for the Union exhibited in western Arkansas, the joy manifested at the appearance of his troops, the reports of the delegations from the interior of southern Arkansas which had visited him, and by the arrival of hundreds of refugees to enlist in his army.

"Many applications," he said, at the close of his address, "have been made by citizens for safeguards. None will be issued. The best safeguard you can have is the American flag unfurled over your premises, and if you deport yourselves as becomes good loyal citizens, your conduct must be your safeguard. If it be your desire to disenthral yourselves from the tyranny and oppression to which you have been subjected, organize a civil government under the authority of the United States. Every facility will be afforded you to accomplish that purpose. I leave the matter with you, trusting that wise counsels may prevail."

The success of General Blunt in western Arkansas was soon followed by a triumph of the Union arms, under General Steele, in the north and centre of the State, over General Price's army. The advance of Steele's force, under General Davidson, drove the enemy's cavalry, under Marmaduke, out of Brownsville on the 26th of August, and again on the 28th over the Arkansas River by the Bayou Metairie bridge.

The enemy now hastily fled to the south, leaving Little Rock, the capital of the State, without defence. Accordingly, on the 10th of September, General Steele occupied it with his main body, while General Davidson continued the pursuit. Arkansas was now supposed to be "redeemed from the rebellion and restored to the Union."

General Blunt having improved in health, returned toward the close of September from Fort Smith, Ark., to Fort Gibson, in the Indian Territory. On the 4th of October, he received word that the former post was in danger of an attack, and on the same day he set out for Fort Smith with an escort of a hundred men. Nothwithstanding the smallness of his guard, he felt no great inquietude about his security, as the post at Baxter's Spring, about sixtythree miles from Fort Scott, garrisoned by three companies of soldiers, guarded the roads between the forts. The bold partisan chief, Quantrell, was, however, on his track, and came suddenly upon Blunt's party. The General thus narrates the event in a private letter to a friend :

"The escort, Company I, Third Wisconsin Cavalry, and Company A, Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, behaved disgracefully, and stampeded like a drove of frightened cattle. I did not anticipate any difficulty until we got below this point. We arrived near this camp [Baxter's Spring, from where he writes, October 7, ten P.M.] about twelve M., and halted on the hill almost in sight of the camp, and not more than 400

wagons to close up.

"The escort came up and dismounted to wait for the wagons, which were but a short distance behind. At this time my attention was called to a body of men-about 100-advancing in line from the timber of Spring River, on the left, which you will recollect is not more than 300 or 400 yards from the road. The left of their line was not more than 200 yards from Lieutenant Pond's camp at the spring.

They being nearly all dressed in Federal uniforms, I supposed them at first to be Lieutenant Pond's cavalry, (two companies) on drill. At the same time my suspicions were aroused by some of their movements. I ordered the wagons, which had just come up, to the rear, formed the escort in line with their carbines unslung, while I advanced alone. toward the party fronting us, to ascertain if they were rebels. I had advanced but a short distance when they opened fire; at the same time firing was heard down in Pond's camp. Turning round to give the order to the escort to fire, I discovered them all broken up and going over the prairies to the west at full speed. They did not even discharge the loaded carbines they had in their hands, except in a few cases. Had the escort stood their ground as soldiers should have done, they would have driven the enemy in ten minutes. I endeavored in vain, with the assistance of Major Curtis, to halt and form a portion of them. When the escort stampeded, the enemy, on discovering

another line of about 200 that emerged from the edge of the timber. Being better mounted than our men, they soon closed in on them. The men of the escort were much scattered, and with them it was a race for life.

"After going a mile, I succeeded in halting fifteen men, including Lieutenant Pierce, of Company A, Fourteenth Kansas, who has done his duty well and nobly throughout. As soon as I got them in line and commenced advancing upon the enemy, they fled and fell back to the road, when the whole command (600) formed in line of battle. balance of the escort that had escaped were all out of sight in the advance. Major Curtis had been seen to fall from his horse, which was wounded, and stumbled in crossing a ditch.

The

As

"About one o'clock I sent Lieutenant Tappan (who had kept with me all the time), with four men, to Fort Scott, while with the other nine I determined to remain until the fate of those that had fallen could be ascertained. they fell back to the road, I followed them up over the ground we had come, to look for the wounded, but all, with two or three exceptions (which had escaped accidentally), were killed-shot through the head. All the wounded had been murdered. I kept close to them and witnessed their plundering the wagons. At one time they made a dash at me with about 100 men, endeavoring to surround me, but failed in this purpose.

"As they moved off on the road lead

ing south, I went down to the spring and found them all O. K. Lieutenant Pond, of the Third Wisconsin, and his command, are entitled to great credit for the manner they repelled the enemy and defended the post. The colored soldiers fought with great gallantry.

"The band wagon was captured, and all of the boys shot in this way, after they were prisoners. The same was the case with the teamsters, and Martin O'Neill, my driver, was killed with the band boys. All of the office clerks, except one, were killed. Lieutenant Farr is among the killed; also my orderly, Ely. Major Henning is with me. | But few of the escort who escaped have come in. I suppose they have gone to Fort Scott. The dead are not all buried, but the number will not fall short of seventy-five.

"The enemy numbered 600-Quantrell's and Coffey's command."

178

The General closes his characteristic letter with the resolute declaration :

"I will follow the hounds through the entire Southern Confederacy, as long as there is a prospect of overtaking them. And I will have it well understood, that any man of this command who again breaks from the line and deserts his post, shall be shot on the spot, and there shall be no quarter to the motley crew of murderers."

Blunt's own escape seems to have been marvellous, for he was much exposed.

"I was fortunate in escaping," he says, "as in my efforts to halt and rally the men, I frequently got in the rear, and got considerably mixed up with the rebels, who did not fail to pay me their compliments. Revolver bullets flew around my head thick as hail, but not a scratch. I believe I am not to be killed by a rebel bullet."

THOUGH frequent attempts were made by the enemy to recover what they 1863. had lost in North Carolina, the Union arms succeeded in holding the positions they had established in that State. After General Burnside Burnside was summoned to join the Army of the Potomac, little was done to add to his conquests. The comparatively small Union force left in North Carolina was not more than sufficient to guard the various posts against the attacks of the enemy, which, however, were such at times as to menace their safety. These led to movements and conflicts worthy of being chronicled. General Foster, who had proved himself an energetic subordinate, succeeded to the general command of the Department of North Carolina on the departure of General Burnside. He at once gave proof of his characteristic activity by a series of expeditions or raids into the enemy's territory. On the 16th of January, Colonel Mix set out with the Third New York Cavalry and penetrated the counties of Onslow, Trent, and Jones.

The enemy retired, destroying the bridges and obstructing the roads on the advance of Mix, who returned to Newbern after an absence of five days. The result was stated to be, "that three counties of North Carolina, in which our troops had never been before, were scoured, and the rebels driven out; prisoners, arms, negroes, mules, and colors captured, and much valuable information obtained."

During the first ten days of March, no less than four expeditions were sent out. These succeeded in obtaining some useful information, but beyond an occasional skirmish with some detached parties of the enemy, accomplished nothing worthy of record.

Meanwhile, the enemy in North Carolina, having been considerably reinforced, and placed under the command of an able officer, General D. H. Hill, assumed the offensive. After advancing and making a demonstration against Newbern, General Hill turned and invested Washington. General Foster went there