Part 23 (1/2)
'At this moment the enemy opened on me with two batteries,--one of six pieces, in front, and one, of three pieces, on my right flank,--pouring in an incessant and well directed cross-fire of shot and sh.e.l.l. At the same time he advanced his infantry both in front and on my right flank.
'From the force of the enemy--now the first time made visible--I saw that I could not hope to defeat him, but still resolved to defend the train to the last, hoping that re-enforcements would come up from Camden.
'I suffered them to approach within one hundred yards of my line, when I opened upon them with musketry charged with buck and ball, and after a contest of fifteen minutes duration compelled them to fall back. Two fresh regiments coming up, they again rallied and advanced upon my line, this time with colors flying and continuous cheering, so loud as to drown even the roar of the musketry. Again I suffered them to approach even nearer than before, and opened upon them with buck and ball, their artillery still pouring in a cross-fire of shot and sh.e.l.l over the heads of their infantry, and mine replying with vigor and effect. And thus, for another quarter of an hour, the battle was waged with desperate fury. The noise and din of this almost hand to hand conflict was the loudest and most terrific it has ever been my lot to listen to. Again were they forced to fall back, and twice during this conflict were their colors brought to the ground, but as often raised.
[Ill.u.s.tration: PHALANX CAVALRY BRINGING IN CONFEDERATE PRISONERS.]
'During these engagements fully one-half of my infantry engaged were either killed or wounded. Three companies were left without any officers, and seeing the enemy again re-enforced with fresh troops, it became evident that I could hold my line but little longer. I now directed Maj.
Ward to hold the line until I could ride back and form the 18th Iowa in proper shape to support the retreat of the advanced line.
'Meanwhile, so many of the gunners had been shot from around their pieces that there were not enough to serve the guns, so I ordered them to retire to the rear of the train, and report to the cavalry officer there. Just as I was starting for the line of the 18th Iowa, my horse was shot, which delayed me until another could be procured, when I rode to the rear and formed a line of battle facing in the direction the enemy was advancing.
'Again did the enemy hurl his columns against the remnant of men that formed my front and right flank, and again were they met as gallantly as before. But my decimated ranks were unable to resist the overpowering force hurled against them, and after their advance had been checked, seeing that our lines were completely flanked on both sides, Major Ward gave the order to retire, which was done in good order, forming and charging the enemy twice before reaching the rear of the train.
'With the a.s.sistance of Major Ward and other officers, I succeeded in forming a portion of the 1st Kansas Colored in the rear of the 18th Iowa, and when the enemy approached this line, they gallantly advanced to the line of the 18th, and with them poured in their fire. The 18th maintained their line manfully, and stoutly contested the ground until nearly surrounded, when they retired, and forming again, checked the advancing foe, and still held their ground until again nearly surrounded, when they again retired across a ravine which was impa.s.sable for artillery, and I gave orders for the piece to be spiked and abandoned.
'After crossing the ravine I succeeded in forming a portion of the cavalry, which I kept in order to give the infantry time to cross the swamp which lay in our front, which they succeeded in doing. By this means nearly all, except the badly wounded, were enabled to reach the camp. Many wounded men belonging to the 1st Kansas Colored fell into the hands of the enemy, and I have the most positive a.s.surance from eyewitnesses that they were murdered on the spot. I was forced to abandon everything to the enemy, and they thereby became possessed of the large train.
'With two six pounder guns and two twelve pounder mountain howitzers, together with what force could be collected, I made my way to this post, where I arrived at 11 P. M. of the same day.
'At no time during the engagement, such was the nature of the ground and size of the train, was I obliged to employ more than five hundred men and two guns to repel the a.s.saults of the enemy, whose force, from the statement of prisoners, I estimate at ten thousand men and twelve guns.
The columns of a.s.sault which were again thrown against my front and right flank consisted of five regiments of infantry and one of cavalry, supported by a strong force which operated against my left flank and rear. My loss, in killed, wounded and missing during this engagement was as follows: Killed--ninety-two, wounded--ninety-seven, missing--one hundred and six.
'Many of those reported missing are supposed to have been killed, others are supposed to have been wounded and taken prisoners. The loss of the enemy is not known, but in my opinion it will exceed our own. The conduct of all the troops under my command, officers and men, were characterized by true soldiery bearing, and in no case was a line broken, except when a.s.saulted by an overwhelming force, and then falling back only when so ordered. The officers and men all evinced the most heroic spirit, and those that fell died the death of the true soldier. The action commenced at 10 A. M., and terminated at 2 P. M. I have named this engagement the action of Poison Springs, from a spring of that name in the vicinity.
'Very respectfully yours,
'J. M. WILLIAMS,
'_Colonel 1st Kansas Colored Vol. Infantry, Commanding Expedition._
'Capt. WM. S. WHITTEN, _a.s.sistant Adjutant General._'
”On the 26th day of April following, Gen. Steele's command evacuated Camden and marched for Little Rock. At Saline Crossing, on the 30th of April, the rear of Gen. Steele's command was attacked by the entire force of the enemy, commanded by Gen. Kirby Smith. The engagement which followed resulted in the complete defeat of the enemy, with great loss on his part. In this engagement the 1st Kansas Colored was not an active partic.i.p.ant, being at the moment of the attack in the advance, distant five miles from the rear and scene of the engagement. The regiment was ordered back to partic.i.p.ate in the battle, but did not arrive on the line until after the repulse of the enemy and his retirement from the field.
”On the day following, May 1st, 1864, Colonel Williams was ordered to take command of the 2nd Brigade, composed of the following Phalanx regiments: 1st Regiment, commanded by Major Ward; 2nd Regiment, commanded by Colonel S. J. Crawford; 11th Regiment, commanded by Lieut.-Col. James M. Steele; 54th Regiment, Lieut.-Col. Chas. Fair; of the Frontier Division 7th Army Corps.
”Colonel Williams never afterwards resumed direct command of his regiment. It const.i.tuted for most of the time, however, a part of the Brigade, which he commanded until he was mustered out of service with the regiment.
”The regiment remained with the Division at Little Rock until some time during the month of May, when it Marched for Fort Smith,--then threatened by the enemy,--at which point it arrived during the same month. This campaign was one of great fatigue and privation, and accomplished only with great loss of life and material, with no adequate recompense or advantage gained.
”The regiment remained on duty at Fort Smith until January 16th, 1865, doing heavy escort and fatigue duty. On the 16th of September, 1864, a detachment of forty-two men of Co. K, commanded by Lieut. D. M.
Sutherland, while guarding a hay-making party near Fort Gibson, were surprised and attacked by a large force of rebels under Gen. Gano, and defeated after a gallant resistence, with a loss of twenty-two killed and ten prisoners--among the latter the Lieutenant commanding. On the 16th of January, 1865, the regiment moved to Little Rock, where it arrived on the 31st of the same month, here it remained on duty until July 1865, when it was ordered to Pine Bluffs, Ark. Here it remained, doing garrison and escort duty, until October 1st, 1865, when it was mustered out of service and ordered to Fort Leavenworth for final payment and discharge. The regiment received its final payment and was discharged at Fort Leavenworth on the 30th day of October, 1865.”
The heroism of the negro people of Kansas was not all centered in this one regiment. Elated with the success of their brethren already in the field, there was a general desire to emulate their heroic deeds. In June, 1863, the second regiment was organized at Fort Scott. The regimental organization was completed at Fort Smith, Ark., by the mustering in of the field and staff officers.
The regiment went into camp on the Poteau River, about two miles south of Fort Smith. Here the work of drill and discipline was the daily routine of duty until the regiment maintained a degree of proficiency second to none in the Army of the Frontier.
On the 24th of March, 1864, the regiment left Fort Smith and started on what was known as the Camden Expedition, forming a part of Colonel Williams' Brigade of General Thayer's Division. Major-General Steele's forces left Little Rock about the same time that General Thayer's Division left Fort Smith, the latter uniting with the former on the Little Missouri river, all destined for active operations in the direction of Red River.