[CHAP. XXVIII.

Perceiving the necessity of holding the woodland in front, to make my own position tenable, I threw forward, as skirmishers, the Seventh Arkansas Regiment, then under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel [Peter] Snyder, who occupied the position in my advance with but little interruption for the rest of the day and the night following. At nightfall Colonel Wheeler fell back on the road past my lines, after contesting his ground most obstinately until dusk. As my left flank rested on the Springfield road, all on that side, having no support, was exposed to a flank movement of the enemy; but feeling satisfied that he must be in need of water, and that he would push for that point whence it could be obtained from pools lower down on Doctor's Fork, on my right, I separated my battery, and placed one section on a high hill on my right, commanding the woods opposite and open valley below. The other section I retained in advance of my left, as it commanded the field before us, and, to some extent, the fields to the left of the Springfield road. Early on the following morning (8th instant), the enemy began a brisk fire upon my advanced line of skirmishers, and with superior numbers drove them from the woods. Colonel [D. A.] Gillespie having assumed command of his regiment, the Seventh Arkansas, I directed him to try to regain the position; and for that purpose I ordered forward the second line of skirmishers, Fifth Arkansas Regiment, Colonel [L.] Featherston commanding, with Lieutenant-Colonel [John E.] Murray and Major [P. V.] Green, of the same, gallantly assisting. The attempt was promptly and cheerfully made, but the force of the enemy had been increased so largely and suddenly as to force back both lines, the officers and men contesting the ground with resolute determination, unwilling to yield it to even the great odds against them. Whilest this was going on, the enemy pushed a regiment of cavalry around the point of woods and down the valley of Doctor's Fork in front of my right, against which I had directed a few shots from the section of artillery on the hill, causing it to retire under cover of the woods in great confusion. Both sections of artillery now began firing upon the moving lines in the woods from which my skirmishers had been driven, whilst, with rapidly increasing numbers, the enemy was fast nearing my line of battle. All this time his artillery was assuming new positions, and throwing grape and shell among us from many points. Fearing the effect upon my artillery, the sharpshooters now getting in close proximity, I ordered both sections to withdraw from their advanced position, and to united upon the right of my line of battle. This was done with the loss of but one horse, and I now became interested in getting in my skirmishers, when an order came to me from Major-General Buckner to withdraw my brigade in good order to the rear. This was done without confusion across the Chaplin Fork, about 11 a.m. In this morning occurred my principal loss, being chiefly confined to the lines of skirmishers, of which the Fifth Arkansas suffered most. In this action Captain [H. W.] Robinson, of the Fifth, fell, bravely doing his duty. The gallantry of officers and men was conspicuous, rendering comment superfluous. The loss of the enemy must have been great, as they were exposed in double lines to a well-directed fire from both sections of artillery at short range, as well as the heavy firing of the Seventh and Fifth Regiments as skirmishers. I was now ordered to hold my command in reserve, in reserve, and for that purpose was directed by Major-General Buckner to recross the Chaplin Fork at a point some half a mile lower down, and take position on an eminence about 1 mile from the field of battle and nearly in rear of the center. Whilst in this place a shell from the enemy's extreme left fatally wounded Adjutant [S.] Harris