Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/335

 three days, reaching the field just in time to take a glorious part in the Battle of Prairie Grove. An account of the gallant service of the Twentieth Regiment has already been given in the description of this battle found in the history of the Nineteenth Regiment. The loss in that conflict was eight killed and thirty-nine wounded out of two hundred seventy who were in the engagement. After the battle the regiment went into camp on the field, remaining until near the last of December resting from its arduous services of the past three months.

The defeat of the Confederate army at Prairie Grove was most beneficial to the Union cause in Missouri, saving that State from pillage, waste and the horrors which an invading army inflict upon the loyal people along its line of march. The army of the Confederates, numbering more than 20,000 at the time of the battle, was now defeated, demoralized and dispersed over the southwest in small bands. It was two years before another large army of Confederates could be mustered in that region north of the Arkansas line.

The Twentieth Regiment participated in General Blunt’s capture of Van Buren, where General Hindman’s army was further dispersed and several steamers and a large amount of army supplies destroyed. Upon the return of the Union army to Prairie Grove, General Schofield assumed command and soon after began a series of hard marches and counter-marches in pursuit of General Marmaduke’s army among the passes of the Boston Mountains. Rain, snow and mud brought great discomfort to the troops in this exhausting campaign. Late in April the Twentieth Regiment was sent to St. Louis and there divided, performing various duties in and about the city until the middle of May, when it was sent to Pilot Knob. In June the Twentieth rejoined the command of General Herron. Captain Barney, in speaking of the services of the regiment in Missouri, says: