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THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN MISSOURI .

MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY W. HALLECK . FROM A PHOTOGRAPH.

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as quartermaster. Price sought refuge in the mountains of Arkansas , andFebruary 21st was within thirty miles of Van Buren , near which place wasMcCulloch.

On learning all this Van Dorn hastened to Van Buren and thence toPrice ’s headquarters, which he reached on the 1st of March. After a hurriedconsultation with Price and McCulloch, he decided to instantly attack Curtis,who had taken a strong position among the mountains near Bentonville . Hemoved on the 4th of March with about 16,000 men, of whom 6800 wereMissourians under Price , and the rest Confederates under McCulloch andPike. When almost within reach of Curtis (who reported his own strength at10,500 infantry and cavalry and forty-nine pieces of artillery) Van Dornunwisely divided his army, and leaving McCulloch with his own commandand Pike’s to attack Curtis in front, himself made with Price and the Mis-sourians a long circuit to the rear of Curtis, and out of communication withMcCulloch. Both columns attacked about the same time on the 7th. Pricewas completely successful and carried everything before him, taking during