Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/290

 Campaign Against Grant in North Mississippi. 289

tie was restored, and when night fell the Confederates held the field. Nine cannon had been captured from the enemy, and every man in Little's division was confident of victory, should Rosecrantz resume his attack on the morrow. But one reflection saddened every heart that night. General Henry Little had fallen dead, in the very exe- cution of the advance which had won that bloody field. He was conversing with General Price when he was shot through the head, and fell from his horse without a word. He was buried that night by torchlight in luka. No more efficient soldier than Henry Little ever fought for a good cause. The magnificent Missouri brigade, the finest body of troops I had ever then seen, or have ever seen since, was the creation of his untiring devotion to duty and his re- markable qualities as a commander. In camp he was diligent in in- structing his officers in their duty and providing for the comfort and efficiency of his men, and on the battlefield he was as steady and cool and able a commander as I have ever seen. His eyes closed forever upon the happiest spectacle they could behold, and the last throbs of his heart were amidst the victorious shouts of his charging bri- gade.

The night had fallen dark when the battle closed. It had been brief, but was one of the fiercest and bloodiest combats of the war. The Third Louisiana regiment lost half its men; Whitfield's Legion also suffered very heavily. These two regiments and a little Arkan- sas battalion of about one hundred men had charged and captured the enemy's guns.

While Rosecrantz advanced by this Jacinto road, which enters luka from the south, Grant was to attack by the Burnsville road from the west. As generally happens in combined movements, there was want of concert of action. Rosecrantz had been beaten and forced back by Little, when, at about sunset, Grant deployed in front of me. It was then too late to attack me that night.

At dark General Price withdrew me from before Grant, and in- tended to attack Rosecrantz at dawn with all his forces. At ten o'clock that night Rosecrantz dispatched Grant to the following effect: "I have met with such obstinate resistance that I cannot ad- vance further by the Jacinto road; but there are some heights on my right which command the town, and at dawn I shall occupy them." L homme propose, Dieu dispose, is often true in war. At dawn / held those heights. Before midnight I had received from pick* prisoners and others, satisfactory information that Grant had de- ployed a heavy force, estimated at 10,000 men, in front of my skirmish