Part 23 (2/2)
Colonel Crawford, in reply to the writer's circular letter asking for information respecting the 2nd Regiment's service on the frontier, thus pungently details the operations of the army of which his regiment was a part:
”WAs.h.i.+NGTON. D. C., Dec. 31st., 1885.
”JOSEPH T. WILSON, Esq., Richmond, Va.
”MY DEAR SIR:
”The Second Kansas, afterwards designated as the 83rd United States Colored Troops, was organized at Fort Scott, Kansas, on the 3rd day of October, 1863. Most of the companies were organized and mustered into service during the spring and summer preceding. The regiment, when organized, was full to the maximum, or nearly so, and composed of active, able-bodied young men. Immediately upon a.s.suming command of the regiment, I moved to the front through Missouri, to Fort Smith, in Arkansas, where the regiment was stationed during the winter 1863-4, and when not on other duty or in the field, spent the time in company and regimental drill.
”On the 24th day of March, 1864, with the Kansas Division of the Frontier Army under the command of General Thayer, I moved south and joined the 7th Army Corps under the command of Major-General Fred. Steele, in an expedition against the rebel armies under Generals Price, Kirby Smith and d.i.c.k Taylor, then encamped in the vicinity of Shreveport, La.
”While Steele was advancing from the North, General Banks was at the same time moving up the Red river from the East.
Price, Smith and Taylor, seeing the two armies of Steele and Banks, closing in upon them, concentrated their forces, first upon Banks, and after defeating and routing his forces, turned upon Steele, who was then near Red river, in south-western Arkansas.
”Steele hearing of the Banks disaster, changed his course and moved eastward, to Camden, a strongly fortified town on the Was.h.i.+ta river. From the point at which he turned eastward, to Camden, a distance of about sixty miles, the march was almost continuous, except when it became necessary to skirmish with the enemy's cavalry, which hovered unpleasantly close during the greater part of the distance.
”In each of the light engagements which took place on this march from Red river to Camden, the 2nd Regiment partic.i.p.ated, and behaved in a manner creditable to itself and the army.
”After remaining at Camden about three days (so as to give the victorious rebel armies full time to concentrate upon him) General Steele crossed the Was.h.i.+ta to the North and commenced a disgraceful retreat or run back toward Little Rock.
”The enemy, under Price and Kirby Smith, followed in close pursuit, and within a few hours were again upon our flank and rear. The march or retreat was continuous, night and day, until the village of Princeton was reached, where Steele's army encamped one night, and received a full ration of fresh beef and New Orleans sugar, the latter of which had been captured, or rather found in Camden. Early on the following morning the army resumed its onward march, towards the North Pole as the apparent objective point.
”Now mind you this was an army (the 7th Army Corps) about thirty thousand strong; mostly Western troops, and splendidly armed and equipped. Better soldiers never wore spurs or carried muskets. Yet under the command of a tenor singing dog fancier, that magnificent army was thus retreating before an army in every way its inferior save, and except, the Commanding General.
”Thus things went, disgracefully, until the afternoon of the day on which we left Princeton, April 29, 1864. Then, for the first time after turning our backs to the enemy, in the vicinity of Red river, there seemed to be a bare possibility of escape,--not from the enemy, but from absolute disgrace and humiliation.
”At no time during that disgraceful retreat, was there a moment when the whole army corps, except the Commanding General, would not have welcomed a battle, with one universal shout.
”About 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the day mentioned, the rebel Cavalry appeared in force and commenced skirmis.h.i.+ng with our forces in the rear, which continued, more or less, until darkness set in. Meantime our distinguished leader, the Major-General Commanding, had arrived at the crossing of the Saline river, thrown a pontoon bridge over that swollen stream, and made good his escape to the north side, taking with him the whole army, except one Section of artillery and two brigades of infantry of which the 2nd Kansas colored formed a part.
”These two brigades--six regiments in all--stood in line of battle all night long, while the rain poured in torrents most of the time.
”During the night the enemy's infantry moved up and formed in our immediate front; in fact made every necessary preparation for battle, while the dog fancier, who was unfortunately at the head of our army across the river, was either sleeping or devising the ways and means by which he could most easily elude the enemy.
”But when daylight came the six regiments were there in line, every man ready, willing and determined to return, volley for volley, and if necessary force the fighting, so as to bring on a general engagement.
”There were but six regiments of us south of the river, with two pieces of artillery. But we were there to stay until a battle was fought.
”General Rice of Iowa, formed his brigade in the center; the 12th Kansas Infantry, commanded by Col. Hayes was on his left, and the 2nd Kansas Colored Infantry, commanded by myself, was on the right.
”As soon as it was fairly light, the battle began; both lines moving slightly forward until within close range. From the beginning, the crash of musketry was terrific. Our men stood firm against the advanced Division of the enemy's infantry, and used their Springfield and Enfield rifles with deadly effect.
”The enemy seeing our weakness in numbers, pressed heavily in the center and upon both flanks, with the evident design of breaking our line before re-enforcements could reach us.
”But in this they were disappointed. We held our position until re-enforcements arrived.
”At one time my regiment was under a heavy fire from the front and also from the flank, but not a man wavered. In fact it seemed to inspire them with additional courage. The re-enforcements as they arrived, pa.s.sed to the rear and formed on the left, leaving me to hold the right. After about three hours hard fighting, the enemy having failed to dislodge my regiment from its position, which was regarded as the key to the situation, brought into position a battery of artillery, planted it immediately in front of my regiment and opened with canister.
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