THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN MISSOURI.

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the winter and provide for their families. McCulloch’s brigade was on theArkansas River , and Pearce’s had been disbanded. Under the treaty whichhad been negotiated at Richmond , the enlistment of Missourians in theConfederate army was at once begun and was continued at Springfield ,whither Price moved his army just before Christmas . Before the end ofJanuary, 1862, two regiments of infantry (Burbridge’s and Rives’s), one regi-ment of cavalry (Gates’s), and two batteries (Wade’s and Clark’s) had beenmustered into the Confederate service, and on the 28th I started to Richmond to deliver the muster-rolls to the Secretary of War, and to inform the Presidentas to the strength and condition of the army in Missouri , and to communi-cate to him Price ’s views as to the future conduct of the war in that State.

On the way I met Major-General Earl Van Dorn at Jacksonport in Arkansas .He had just assumed command (January 29th) of the District of the Trans-Mississippi, constituting a part of General Albert Sidney Johnston ’s extensivedepartment. He was a dashing soldier , and a very handsome man, and hismanners were graceful and fascinating. He was slight of stature and hisfeatures were almost too delicately refined for a soldier, but this defect, if itwas a defect, was converted into a charm by the martial aspect of his mustacheand imperial, and by an exuberant growth of brownish hair. Quitting theUnited States army when Mississippi seceded, he first entered her service,and was afterward appointed to that of the Confederacy and placed in com-mand of Texas. Transferred thence to Virginia in September, 1861, he wascommissioned major-general and ordered to report to General J. E. Johnston ,commanding the Army of the Potomac. Johnston ordered him to Beau-regard, and Beauregard assigned him to the command of a division, October4th, 1861. He was assigned to the command of the Trans-Mississippi District,January 10th, 1862. We Missourians were delighted; for he was known to bea fighting man, and we felt sure he would help us to regain our State. Iexplained to him the condition of affairs in Missouri, and General Price ’s views.

Van Dorn had already decided upon a plan of campaign, and in executionof it ordered General Albert Pike , a few days afterward, to Lawrence county,Missouri , with a mixed command of whites and Indians estimated at 7000men; ordered McIntosh to report to Price at Springfield with McCulloch’sinfantry; ordered McCulloch to Pocahontas with his mounted men; andcalled upon Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas to send reenforcements. Hope-ful and enthusiastic by nature, he believed that Price would have 15,000effective men at Springfield by the last of March, and himself 18,000 at Poca-hontas, and that they could then march against St. Louis . The two col-umns were to effect a junction north of Ironton, and, moving thence rapidlywithout tents or baggage, take the city by assault. Possession of the citywould give him possession of the State, and the enemy would supply thearms for the thousands of volunteers that would flock to his standard.

From this day-dream he was rudely awakened a few days later by newsthat Price had been driven from Springfield on the 12th of February, and washotly pursued by a Federal army which Halleck had sent against him underGeneral S. R. Curtis. With this army was Captain P. H. Sheridan, doing duty