soon driven away, it being only a party sent up from Lewisburg to watch operations. Hearing of the capture of Dardanelle and the subsequent crossing of the river, the garrison hastily evacuated Lewisburg, retreating to Little Rock, leaving everything them. I sent a scout into the town, but the small was raging there so malignantly that nothing was taken, although ny command greatly needed supplies.

Being satisfied that great numbers of men were at home int he mountains beyond the Arkansas-men who were deserters, yet pardoned by President Davis' proclamation-I gave Colonels Jackman and Coffee authority to raise one or mere regiments, besides recruiting powers to fifty or more captains fort companies, and hastened on White River, knowing a large force would be sent up from Little Rock to intercept me in the mountain gorges of the Ozark. The Federals at Clarksville left in dismay, and the were of terror spread even unto Yellville and Forsyth. On through Dover and Clinton over rough and sterile roads, over the Blue and Ozak Mountains, through Richmonds and Buck Horn, I hastened forward. At the latter place the notorious Bill Williams, who commands a company of hybrid deserters, negroes, woman-ravishers, and Federals, was encountered by Captain D. A. Williams, of my advance, charged routed, scattered, and 47 killed, 2 captured, who were shot next day. Young girls and old woman met us the next day and called down Heawewn's blessing on my command for what they termed a glorious and a righteous deed.

Crossing White River safety on the 26th at O'Neil's Ferry, 20 miles west of Batesville, I arrived in the town about nightfall finding it entirely abandoned by the enemy, who had heard of my approach several days before. There was no forage whatever in the country. My command was almost worn out and I determined to rest here week to recuperate everything; but on the 28th, news came in that the Federal garrison at Jacksonport, having taken boats for Devall's Bluff, were hard aground at Grand Glaise. I moved in an hour, marched all night, and reached the coveted point early the next morning the next morning, but the prize had escaped having gotten off the night before and during down the river. I found the entire country overrun with able-bodied men; recruiting officers quarreling or sunk in total apathy; predatory bands of thieves roaming over the country at will, killing some, butting the feet of others, and all hungering with the lust of robbery; one officer refusing to report to another, no organizations, no discipline, no arms, no leader no desire to fight, no anything. I immediately ordered every man who climbed authority to report to me and told them plainly my orders; exhorted them to became united, and gave them to understand that I was after every subject to military duty; that I would hang tories and jayhawkers, protect the people, and by the help of God it should be done. McCray, Dobbin, Freeman, Rutherford, and all put their shoulders to the wheel manfully, and soon from all over the hills and up from the swamps a vast stream of volunteers and conscripts came into camp with a determination to make good soldiers. I lingered in the soft spring weather between Batesville and Jacksonport, waiting for my command to region its elan and their horses their strength. Captain Langhorne, who had been sent to Searcy to look out for a large force of Federals that had gone to Clinton to cut off my approach to batesville, but were a day too late, ran into their approaching column, and with his little company