THE PEA RIDGE CAMPAIGN.
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and so it happened that after the disaster which befell our cavalry, \ theadvance and onslaught of McCulloch’s troops were checked by the commandof Osterhaus . The speedy arrival of Colonel Jeff. C. Davis’s division on theright of Osterhaus , and its energetic advance, turned a very critical momentinto a decisive victory of our arms. McCulloch and McIntosh fell whileleading their troops in a furious attack against Osterhaus and Davis. Hebertand a number of his officers and menwere captured by pickets of the 36thIllinois (cavalry) under Captain Smith and of the 44th Illinois infantry underCaptain Russell. Thus the whole of Mc-Culloch’s column, deprived of its leadersand without unity of command, wasthrown into confusion and beaten back.
During the night of the 7th scarcelytwo-thirds of it reached the wing underPrice , near Elkhorn Tavern. ☆
Though a great advantage was gainedon our side by the death or capture ofthose leaders, the piuncipal cause ofour success was rather the quick ral-lying and the excellent manoeuvring ofOsterhaus ’s and Davis’s forces, as wellas the coolness and bravery of theirinfantry, supported by Welfley’s, Hoff-mann’s, and Davidson’s batteries. Os-terhaus changed his front twice under the fire of the enemy, to meet thedangerous flank attack and pressure of Hebert’s Louisiana and Arkansas infantry, while the brigades of Davis, by striking the left of McCulloch’sadvancing column, threw it into disorder and forced it to retreat. It wasduring this conflict that two officers, Major John C. Black of the 37th Illinois and Major Sidney Post of the 59th Illinois , although both severely woundedin the right arm, refused to leave the field until peremptorily ordered todo so. Here fell Lieutenant-Colonel John A. Hendricks of the 22d Indiana ,receiving two mortal wounds.
While our left wing was thus successful against about 11,500 of the enemy,the right wing under Carr had been sorely pressed by the 6500 Missouriansunder Van Dorn and Price. In spite of the heroic resistance of the two bri-gades of Dodge and Vandever, and the reenforcements sent to them during
\ Elbert, Bussey, and the Hussars were repulsed Of McCulloch’s column, Drew retreated to the
by Pike with Drew’s and Stand W r atie’s Indian south-west toward Bentonville . Watie, Welch, andregiments, and Sims’s and Welch’s cavalry. Me- Greer joined Van Dorn in the night, but WatieCulloch was farther to the left with Hebert and retreated to Bentonville during the next day’sMcIntosh, who became engaged with Davis’s di- fight. Pike himself remained. Greer, who sue-vision — at first with the brigade of Julius White, ceeded McCulloch in command of the wing, movedwho retired a short distance when Pattison with the remainder of the force and joined Vancame up and aided him in flanking McCulloch’s Dorn, taking position on the left, as shown on theline.— Editors. map, page 322.— Editors.