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ARKANSAS TROOPS IN THE BATTLE OF WILSON’S CREEK.

BT N. B. PEARCE, BRIGADIER-GENERAL, C. S. A.

I STYLE this short account of my personal recollections of the battle of“Oak Hills” (as the Confederates named the engagement) as above, becauseI was identified with the State of Arkansas and her soldiers. I alsobelieve that subsequent events, developed by the prominence of some of thecommanders engaged in this fight, have had a tendency to obscure that justrecognition which the Arkansas troops so nobly earned in this, one of the firstgreat battles of our civil war.

The ninth day of August, 1861, found the Confederate army under GeneralBen. McCulloch, camped on Wilson’s Creek, ten miles south of Springfield ,in south-west Missouri. It consisted of a Louisiana regiment under ColonelLouis Hebert (a well-drilled and well-equipped organization, chiefly from thenorth part of the State); Greer’s Texas regiment (mounted); Churchill’sArkansas cavalry, and McIntosh’s battalion of Arkansas mounted rifles(Lieutenant-Colonel Embry), under the immediate charge of the commandinggeneral; General Price’s command of Missouri State Guards, with Bledsoe’sand Guibor’s batteries, and my three regiments of Arkansas infantry, withWoodruff’s and Reid’s batteries. More than half the Missourians weremounted, and but few of the troops in the whole command were well armed.The army numbered in all about 11,500 men,— perhaps, ‘ 6000 to 7000 ofwhom were in semi-fighting trim, and participated in the battle.

The Federal forces under General Nathaniel Lyon , between 5000 and 6000strong, occupied the town of Springfield , and General McCulloch was expect-ing them to advance and give him battle. General McCulloch’s headquarterswere on the right of the Springfield road, east of Wilson’s Creek, rather inadvance of the center of the camp. General Price occupied a positionimmediately west, and in the valley of the creek, with his command mostlynorth of the Springfield road. I had established my headquarters on theheights east and south of Wilson’s Creek and the Springfield road, with myforces occupying the elevated ground immediately adjacent.

Detailed reports as to the strength and movements of Lyon’s commandwere momentarily expected, through spies sent out by General Price, as

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