Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/324

 three days and nights. Returning to Camp Curtis, twelve miles south of Springfield, the regiment enjoyed a rest of two weeks, when it was ordered to join the army of General Blunt just before

THE BATTLE OF PRAIRIE GROVE

General J. G. Blunt, in command of the Army of the Frontier, had recently defeated a Confederate army under Marmaduke at Cane Hill in Arkansas and was camped near the battle-field. In the meantime Marmaduke had effected a junction with a large army under General Hindman and the combined forces turned back, making a rapid march to overwhelm the Union army. Blunt called upon Herron to come to his aid. Herron started on the morning of December 3 with his two divisions, and moving by forced marches reached Elkhorn on the evening of the 5th. From there he sent a large part of his cavalry, including the First Iowa, to General Blunt’s assistance, while the infantry made a night march over the mountains to within fifteen miles of the battle-field. In the meantime General Hindman, with his large army, had taken a position between the two Union armies to prevent their junction. The battle began on the 5th, when General Blunt’s pickets were attacked by a large force of the enemy’s cavalry, which was repulsed. The next morning, largely reënforced, the enemy renewed the attack and drove the pickets several miles. General Herron was hastening forward to reach Cane Hill and had sent two more regiments of cavalry to join Blunt. These regiments, the Seventh Missouri and Fifth Arkansas, soon encountered a greatly superior force under Marmaduke and were driven back in confusion. Upon a further advance General Herron found the main body of the Confederate army drawn up on a high ridge, covered with timber and underbrush, beyond Illinois River. The approach must be made over an open prairie of meadows and corn fields. General Herron formed his line of battle with the Second Division on