Memoirs Of The Rebellion On The Border, 1863 - free ebook by Wiley Britton

Memoirs Of The Rebellion On The Border 1863.

Wiley Britton...

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Preface

During the year 1863, I chronicled the various events mentioned in the following pages, just as they impressed me by actual observation, or by authorities deemed reliable. Though my manuscript contained all the facts here presented, except a few notes made from official data, I have never considered it in suitable shape for publication. In rewriting it, I have stricken out certain criticisms and passages hastily set down in camp or on the march, and I hope that I have improved the expression in

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I.

When I commenced my Memoirs I felt sure that shortly after peace should be established between all sections of the country, the military operations with which I was connected as an humble participant would be regarded by many with deep interest. I therefore thought it worth while to undertake to chronicle the important events that came under my notice during the year 1863, as I had done during the year 1862. Two volumes of my Ms., for 1862, and 1864, were left in the Adjutant General's Office at

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II.

Before saluting the new year we must notice some further operations of considerable importance. A few days after the Battle of Prairie Grove, General Blunt ordered his supply and baggage trains back from Fayetteville to Rhea's Mills, and our division went into camp again. General Herron's division went into camp on the ground it occupied during the battle. The battle Willprobably always be known in history as the Battle of Prairie Grove, for the Two opposing armies met near Prairie Grove meeting

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III.

Hail, Happy New Year! I welcome you; though I know not what you have in store for us. We have no seer or prophet to unfold to us in doubtful and mysterious language the most important events which you will disclose to us in due time. But we have reason to hope that, with honesty of purpose and persistence in the right, on the part of our leaders and of each of us, we shall have made substantial progress in accomplishing the objects for which we are striving, when you shall have expired. The New

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IV.

In some respects perhaps it would have been more agreeable to me to have remained with that portion of the Army of the Frontier from which we have been detached. But with a soldier, preferences should count for nothing when duty stands in the way. And looking at the matter in this light, I of course accept the situation and enter upon the discharge of my duties in this new field without the slightest dissatisfaction. How he can be of most service to his country is a thought that should animate t

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V.

We arrived at Neosho on the morning of the 23d, having marched Forty-five miles in Twelve hours. Our route was through a thickly wooded region all the way. It continued cloudy and was intensely dark, and there was a drizzling rain nearly all night. We had to trust to our horses keeping on the path, as they see better in the darkness than men. It frequently occurred that we could not tell whether we were on the road or not, for we could not distinguish a white handkerchief an arms length in front

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VI.

The 12th of February I joined the Indian division at Scott's Mills, McDonald County, Missouri, on the Cowskin river, Twenty-two miles south west of Neosho, and about the same distance north of our old camp at Maysville. The bottom lands along the stream are excellent, and there are numerous fine farms, on most of which fine crops were raised last year. The movement of the division to this place is not regarded as retrograde or falling back, bat, simply for the purpose of more easily supplying ou

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VII.

The Indian division struck tents at Scott's Mills and marched leisurely up the Cowskin river about Twenty miles, and encamped near Pineville, the county seat of McDonald county, on the 21st of February. We were several days marching this distance, because, as I suppose, Colonel Phillips wishes to move at his leisure to those localities where our animals can be most easily foraged until spring shall have advanced far enough to justify a forward movement. As we are to go from here to Bentonville,

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VIII.

On the morning of March 4th, Colonel Phillips, with an escort of One hundred men, set out for Fayetteville. The Union citizens of Washington county have called a mass meeting to be held at that place, and as that county is in his district, have invited him to be present, and to address them on current issues, and concerning their future prospects. Of course I have no means of knowing what advice he will give them, but it is easy to imagine that he will advise them to enroll every able-bodied loy

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IX.

On the morning of the 17th of March we struck tents, left Bentonville, and marched Fifteen miles Southwest to Big Springs, at the head of Flint Creek. This is a more desirable section than around Bentonville. The spring here is One of the finest in Northwestern Arkansas, and furnishes an abundance of excellent water for ourselves and animals. It arises out of the earth almost like a fountain, and runs off in a strong, swift current. This would be a delightful spot for a village, for, at a small

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X.

This is April Fool's day, but no One has come to me all aglow with excitement and asked me to prepare to meet the enemy charging down the road. Nor have I heard that some adventurous spirit, amongst us, in a dream last night, commenced to kill all our animals, thinking he was slaying the enemy like mad Ajax. Probably not One in a Hundred of our soldiers here thinks of the First day of April in connection with the custom associated with it in nearly all the large cities of Christendom. A detachme

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XI.

The importance of this position is not likely at First glance to be fully appreciated. It is really the key to this entire Indian country, and great credit is due to Colonel Phillips for having seized it before the enemy received reinforcements. By throwing up breast works and constructing fortifications, we can hold the place against a force of the enemy twice as large as our own, unless he should be better supplied with long-range artillery than we are. I think that we have also gained an adva

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XII.

I have already mentioned Colonel Harrison leaving Fayetteville with his troops and marching to Cassville, Missouri. When the information First reached us, I suspected that Colonel Phillips was not entirely satisfied with the movement. It has been generally understood here that the troops at Fayetteville belonged to Colonel Phillips' districts, and would not be expected to leave that station without his orders. Friday Evening, May 1st, Captain William Gallaher, Assistant Adjutant General of the d

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XIII.

After returning to my post of duty at Gibson, I found that the enemy had become much bolder than when we left on the night of the First instant. They have moved all the forces from the neighborhoods of Webber's Falls, North Fork and other points in the Indian Territory to the heights on the south side of the Arkansas River, nearly opposite the post, and not more than Five or Six miles away. During the entire day, at intervals of a few minutes, we heard the firing between their pickets and ours a

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XIV.

After returning from the Rapid Ford yesterday evening, and getting our suppers, and resting a few hours, we started out again to meet our train. While marching along during the night on the old military road upon which the train was coming, we saw several fresh trails, the prairie grass having been tramped down flat by horses' feet, showing that the enemy were moving in several divisions, doubtless with the intention of attacking simultaneously from several quarters, the front and flanks, or fro

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XV.

On June 9th some sort of an agreement was arrived at between General Cooper and Colonel Phillips, by which the pickets of the Two opposing armies along both sides of the river shall cease firing at each other as much as possible. This to my mind is a very sensible arrangement, for very little is accomplished by banging away all day long at each other, as if the Two armies were skirmishing preparatory to going into action. We can sometimes hear from this post the volleys of small arms at differen

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XVI.

The rebel pickets shouted across the river on the 24th instant, that our commissary train was on the way down, and that Colonel Dodd was commanding the escort to it, which is composed of Two infantry regiments and Four pieces of artillery. This is really news to our officers here, as we have not heard what troops and how strong a force would guard it down. Our hostile neighbors across the river seem to be better informed of the movements of our train and troops in the country above than we are.

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XVII.

The supply train started back to Fort Scott July 7th, and as the battalion of the Sixth Kansas cavalry, which has been with Colonel Phillips' division of this command since the First of last January, was ordered to accompany the train as a part of its escort, my chronicles of the operations of the Federal troops in the Indian Territory will not hereafter be so full as usual. As my duties may take me to some other field, or so far away that I will not be conscious of all that is going on here, a

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XVIII.

The train and escort, composed of the battalion of the Sixth Kansas cavalry, arrived at Fort Scott July 14th. We shall remain here a few weeks, subject to the orders of Major Blair, the Post Commander. In the meantime, the dismounted men of the battalion will be remounted upon fresh animals, and those who have brought their horses through will draw full rations of forage for them for a few weeks, which will greatly improve their condition. There is a strong contrast between our sun-faded and bad

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XIX.

A small detachment of our soldiers who have just; come up from Carthage, Sixty miles southeast of this place, state that rebel bands are collecting in considerable force in Jasper County, under Colonel Craven, who formerly lived in that section; and that there is; a fair prospect of a fight between them and the militia in a few days. They have recently burned the court house, and a fine brick academy at Carthage, to keep our troops from using them as a means of defense, as they used the brick bu

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XX.

A detachment of the Third Wisconsin cavalry was ordered by Colonel Blair to Baxter Springs, on the morning of the 17th, for the purpose of occupying that place as a regular station. Several months ago, in looking over the route of our trains from Fort Scott to Gibson, I remarked, that there was great need of a detachment of cavalry at Baxter. There is no point between this place and Gibson, where a small force of cavalry can be stationed to better advantage. And had not all his cavalry that coul

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XXI.

General Schofield, the Commanding General of this department, visited Leavenworth City a few days ago, and was coldly received by the citizens. At a recent mass meeting held there to take action in regard to the Lawrence massacre, resolutions denouncing him as a sympathizer with the enemy, and demanding his removal, were adopted. Throughout the State the feeling against him is quite bitter, for nearly every One holds that he is exceedingly stupid or careless of his duty, to permit such a large f

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XXII.

General Blunt and Staff, his fine band, and everything pertaining to the Headquarters District of the Frontier, left this post the evening of the 4th inst., for Fort Smith Via Fort Gibson. His escort is made up of detachments from the Fourteenth Kansas cavalry and One Company Third Wisconsin cavalry, and his band all belongs to the latter regiment. The soldiers belonging to the-escort, the members of the band, and the officers of his Staff, altogether number about One hundred and fifty men. The

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XXIII.

We are able to welcome the First day of November with the expression, “All is quiet along the, border.”There have been very few days during the last Three months that One would think of making such a remark. It is almost unnecessary to state here that we need not congratulate ourselves with the thought that this peaceful state will continue very long.. Not many weeks are likely to elapse before we shall hear of guerrilla depredations in some of the border counties, causing at least a ripple of d

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XXIV.

Another great battle has been fought between the forces of General Grant and General Bragg, at Lookout Mountain, above the clouds, near Chattanooga, Tennessee, resulting in a grand victory for the Union arms. After the temporary check to the advance of our army under General Rosecrans, on the 19th and 20th of September, the rebel leaders determined to prevent General Grant from reinforcing it, and to use every means in their power to crush it. Jeff. Davis is reported to have stated recently, tha

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