prevented is from achieving a complete victory, of which we had already gathered some of the fruits, having taken two pieces of artillery and a quantity of stores.

My troops bivouacked upon the ground which they had so nobly won almost exhausted and without food, but fearlessly and anxiously awaiting the renewal of the battle in the morning.

The morning disclosed the enemy strengthened in position and numbers and encouraged by the reverses which had unhappily befallen the other wing of the army, when the brave Texan chieftain, Ben. McCulloch, and his gallant comrade, General McIntosh, had fallen, fearlessly and triumphantly leading their devoted soldiers against the invaders of their native land. They knew, too, that Hebert - the accomplished leader of that veteran regiment the Louisiana Third, which won so many laurels on the bloody field of the Oak Hills, and which then as well as now sustained the proud reputation of Louisiana - was a prisoner on their hands. They were not slow to renew the attack; they opened upon us vigorously, but my trusty men faltered not. They held their position unmoved until (after several of the batteries not under my command had left the field) they were ordered to retire. My troops obeyed it unwillingly, with faces turned defiantly against the foe.

It was then that I lost two officers of whom any nation might be proud. The one, Colonel Benjamin A. Rives, fell in the prime of his manhood, at the zenith of his usefulness. No braver or more gallant officer, no more accomplished gentleman, no more unselfish patriot ever led a regiment or died for his country's honor. The other, [S.] Churchill Clark, was, as Colonel Little justly observes in his report, "a child in simplicity and piety of character, a boy in years, but a soldier in spirit and a hero in action." They fell at the very close of the hard-fought battle, well-deserving the glowing praises which their immediate commander bestows upon the,.

My forces were withdrawn in perfect order without the loss of a gun. For the details of all this I beg leave to make reference to the accompanying reports of my subordinate officers.

The conduct of nearly every officer and soldier under my command was such as to win my admiration; it is the less necessary that I should commenced any one particularly to the notice of the major-general commanding, as the operations of my arms were conducted under his eye, while his presence and gallant bearing, as well as his skill, contributed immeasurably to the success of our cause.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

STERLING PRICE,

Major-General, Commanding Missouri State Guard.

Colonel D. H. MAURY, Assistant Adjutant-General.

Numbers 43. Report of Colonel Henry Little, commanding First Brigade Missouri Volunteers (Confederate).

HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, MO. VOLS., C. S.,
Camp Ben. McCulloch, Ark., March 18, 1862.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of the First Brigade on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of the present months: