Parsons' and Churchill's divisions were driven back. They got in confusion and it was impossible for their officers, most of whom are of no earthly account, to do anything with them. The enemy showed little disposition to follow. As soon as Walker's guns were heard off to our right Waul's brigade was pushed forward to support his left, Parsons' division moving in its rear as a support:Waul soon became engaged. The firing was very heavy for about an hour. Our men fired very wildly. Waul's right was slightly overlapped by Walker's left. Waul's troops were repulsed. Randal, in the center, and Scurry, on the right, held their ground, though their troops were in great disorder. Parsons' division did not support Waul as it was intended, but moved somewhere to the right of our line and did no more fighting.

In about an hour from the time Waul's brigade went into action the enemy withdrew along their whole line. Our troops did not follow immediately. They were in great disorder. Churchill's ward. An hour and a half afterward, when our advance reached the river, about 2 miles from the battle-ground, the enemy had crossed. They did not take up their pontoon bridge, but punched holes in the boats and left the wagons on this side of the river. I cannot say to which side the victory, as far as the fighting goes, belongs. The forces engaged were about equal. Their severely wounded were left on the field and just on the other side of the river. They compare to our severely wounded as three to two. We lost about 800 killed and wounded; I suppose that of the enemy to be about 1,200. We did not cross the Saline, for two reasons: First, our men had nothing to eat. The rations issued to them were out the night of the battle and our wagons had not come up, being delayed at Camden by the non-arrival of the pontoon train. Secondly, the incessant rains had so swelled the Saline that it was for four or five days after the next day (which was the earliest we could for the first reason cross) 2 or 3 miles wide, spreading over its bottom in all directions. To campaign permanently beyond the Saline without the establishment of depots of supplies was utterly impossible. When our cavalry got across they found a good many wagons stuck in the mud on the other side. General Fagan, hearing the true state of things while near Arkadelphia the evening before the fight, hurried up to join us. He reached Jenkins' Ferry just after the fight, which closed between 12 and 2 o'clock. He failed to accomplish his mission through circumstances perhaps over which he had no control. The destruction of the stores at Little Rock and Pine Bluff would have ruined the enemy. During this time General Taylor had followed the enemy up very vigorously, capturing and destroying three gun-boats and six eight transports. He insisted that with Walker's, Parsons', and Churchill's divisions he could overwhelm Banks, who was now at Alexandria assisting Porter, who was trying to get his gun-boats over he falls. The infantry in Arkansas was immediately put in motion to him, as it seemed possible the enemy might be compelled to abandon or destroy his fleet. Unfortunately for us he built a dam across Red River, by the aid of which, together with a slight rase, he succeeded in getting all his boats off before our troops arrived in force. General Taylor had thrown his forces all around the place and had entirely cut off communication with the river below. There was some severe skirmishing between the enemy and our cavalry, but the latter were always compelled to retire when the enemy came out in heavy force. It was on the river