MON CAVALRYMAN — THE WATER-CALL.
BY COLONEL THOMAS L. SNEAD.
I HAVE already sketched in this work the chief events of the war west of theMississippi, down to the defeat of Yan Dorn and Price by Curtis, in thebattle of Elkhorn [see Vol. I., p. 263], and the withdrawal of the Confederateforces to Des Arc, whither boats were to be sent by Beauregard to transportthem to Memphis .
Van Dorn , after issuing orders for the transfer of the army from DesArc to Memphis, to reenforce the army of Albert Sidney Johnston , in westTennessee, went, on March 29tli, 1862, to Corinth, accompanied by ColonelDabney H. Maury, in order to confer personally with Johnston and Beauregardas to the movement of his command. He was directed to return forthwithto Arkansas and bring every man that he could to Corinth, in all haste, so asto take part in the projected attack upon Grant, who was then at PittsburgLanding.
Until Van Dorn returned to Des Arc, on April 5th, it was not generallyknown that the Trans-Mississippi army was to be sent across the river,and that Missouri and Arkansas were to be abandoned to the enemy. Thegovernors of both of these States protested earnestly against the movement,and the troops themselves manifested the greatest unwillingness to leavetheir homes in possession of the enemy, while they should go far away tofight for others. But Van Dorn assured them that they were to be broughtback to Arkansas as soon as the impending battle on the Tennessee had been
^Including- the battles of Prairie Grove and the capture of Arkansas Post, Helena, and Little Book.See also “Naval Operations in the Vicksburg Campaign,” to follow.— Editoks.