General Jefferson, C. Davis. The Benton and Fremont Hussars and the Flying Battery were directed to join him from my division. The First Brigade,under command of Colonel Schaefer, and comprising the Second and Fifteenth Missouri Volunteers, with the Second Ohio Battery, was directed to take position upon the heights this side of the Sugar Creek-Bentonville road,commanding it. The battle speedily opened both in the direction of Leesville and Keetsville, at Pea Ridge, and raged furiously, without involving the First Brigade of my division in the action. A few skirmishers from the heights on the opposite side of the valley and several wounded horses of the rebels without riders were all that we saw.

In the afternoon, between 3 and 4 o'clock however, General Curtis, commanding, came personally with the information that the Fourth Division, under Acting Brigadier-General Carr, on our right, was hard pressed. All the troops were immediately ordered forward with the exception of two howitzers of the Ohio battery and six companies of the Second Missouri Volunteers, which were left in their old position on the Sugar Creek-Bentonville road. I myself was directed by you to take four companies of the Second Missouri Volunteers and four pieces of the Second Ohio Battery forward as quick as possible on the Telegraph road, with the view of meeting the remaining part of the First and Second Divisions on the contested battle ground this side of Elkhorn Tavern. Arriving there in advance of your troops, I found the Fourth Division already exhausted, the enemy pressing forward from the woods around Elkhorn Tavern to the open space on either side of the Telegraph road with great force, and seeing that in that critical moment no time was to be lost, I ordered the Second Ohio Battery to take position on the left of the road,and replacing the three pieces of the Iowa battery, under command of Captain M. M. Hayden, to its right, opened at once a brisk and concentrated fire upon the enemy, checking instantly his advance, and at the same time rallying the partly faltering pieces of the Second Brigade, Fourth Division.

The artillery having kept up a steady fire for half an hour, and perceiving that the enemy was forced by it to abandon the woods this side of the tavern, the Second Missouri Infantry to the right and left of the artillery was deployed as skirmishers, under Colonel Schaefer, and advanced steadily to and through the woods the fence, within 200 yards of the Elkhorn Tavern. Thus securing the advance of my artillery, I ordered the Second Ohio Battery forward to follow us to a position on and to the left of the road commanding the enemy's stronghold. Sharp firing and a hard contest were again maintained from this point until the enemy's battery was silenced, and the ammunition of the Second Ohio Battery being nearly exhausted, we retired in good order to our first position, to hold it at all hazards. Night, however, setting in, fighting ceased on both sides, and the four companies of the gallant Second Missouri Volunteers were ordered to remain as guard on the extreme line of our center for the night.

Lieutenant Chapman, commanding the Second Ohio Battery, was severely wounded during the action and was carried away by the surgeon. A musket-ball passed through my right arm, but did not disable me from continuing in command.

I take here the opportunity of mentioning the high valor of the Second Missouri Volunteers and the Second Ohio Battery, as well as the gallant co-operation of the Third Iowa Battery, under Captain Hayden. Officers and men all did their duty well and gallantly until the last cartridge was expended. I have especially to mention the gallant con-

16 R-VOL VIII