men squarely against the railroad leading from Devall's Bluff to Little Rock, knowing that if General Price reached there, as he supposed he would be able to do, I could render him vital and important assistance. I started from the neighborhood of Jacksonport and had to march within twenty-four miles of Little Rock to Austin to cross Big Cypress at the bridge there, which stream was running out bank full and irresistible. After a rapid and hard march I gained the prairie, about six miles form Devall's Bluff, and found the Fifty-fourth Illinois Infantry strongly posted at Ashley's Station Numbers 1, in a mixed fortification of logs, dirt, and hay. The surprise was complete. As I debouched from the timber on the green and emerald prairie little squads of Federals were scattered here and there, and away to the east a dozen or more machines were busily engaged baling hay. My column was well closed up and marching in column of fours, and the white covered wagons with the artillery looked very much like a returning Federal Expedition. Very soon, however, their confidence was destroyed, and the rusticating bands dozing away the hot summer hours were fleeing the wrath to come.

My forlorn hope of an advance under the brave and intrepid Williams immediately charged the retreating enemy, and a wave of steel overleaped and swallowed up the fleeing blue coats. The fort was surrounded, the artillery opened at point-blank range, and high over the white bursts of the powder-cloud that drifted and floated away before the battle breeze a white flag waved out as a token of surrender.

The results of the capture were 150 prisoners, 200 small-arms, besides large quantities of supplies.

Station Numbers 2 was next attacked, captured, and destroyed, and 100 more prisoners added to the first. Station Numbers 3 shared the same fate, while 50 more prisoners swelled the number. Stations Nos. 4 and 5 were stubborn and defiant, and held on for awhile under a pitiless and splendid artillery fire. Veteran Illinois and Indiana infantry were in these redoubts, and they had a hatred of surrendering, although I had never asked them to do so. Time pressed. Five hours had been spent in this operation and I could not wait. Colonel Shanks, commanding my old brigade, than whom a braver nor a better man set a squadron in the field, was ordered to dismount his men. Colonel Jackman also dismounted a portion of his brigade, and these forming with Colonel Shanks dashed forward under their intrepid leader at the pas de charge, while a strong body of cavalry were held well in hand for any emergency. The garrison grew uneasy, but over the sea of dark green prairie, over the white puffs of the bursting bombs, and the rippling shots of the skirmishers, a long blue line of Federal cavalry and infantry came looming up, and as they grew nearer and nearer out from the doomed forts the garrison rushed with frantic speed for help and hope too late. As the dismounted men reached the ditches and palisades the reserve cavalry, whose steeds had all the long forenoon been champing impatient bits, dashed away after them in a long, fierce gallop. Sharp and brief the chase. When within 500 yards of their friends the Federals were overtaken, surrounded, ridden over, and Colonel Mitchell and 450 of his officers and men surrendered unconditionally. They were immediately countermarched and double-quicked to the rear, the bullets of their friends all the while ringing fierce, discordant meter.

The situation was now getting dark and troublesome. A heavy force was coming up rapidly from Devall's Bluff, and the regiment I had disposed under Colonel Hunter, of Jackman's brigade, and a battalion of