Today in History:

327 Series I Volume XXII-I Serial 32 - Little Rock Part I

Page 327 Chapter XXXIV. SKIRMISH AT TAYLOR'S CREEK, ARK.


Numbers 3. Report of Colonel George, Twenty-first Texas Cavalry.

COLONEL GRAHAM'S

May 15, 1863-6 p. m.

GENERAL: Have received reports from all my pickets and scouts. The enemy went direct to Helena, and has made no movement in any direction. The scouts report only 3,000 men there, all told. I have ordered Dobbin to rendezvous near the Saint Francis, on the Military road (2 miles from Saint Francis). There are 2,000 bushels of corn there and plenty of water. I have ordered Greene to keep his headquarters near Colonel Cross', and to consume all the forage in that vicinity. I have ordered Carter's brigade into camp, between Military road and Colonel Graham's place. Have ordered Young's battalion to picket and guard Seaburn's Bridge; I am afraid to trust Dobbin there; besides. Dubbin still has some cases of small-pox, and I want to separate him from the other commands. I furnish from Carter's command the pickets for Saint Francis and L'Anguille; from Greene, pickets above Harrisburg, and two lines of couriers, and at bridge. Have sent a select scout of my own men to Helena; will to-morrow night, I hope. Lieutenant [D. A. T.] Walton re[ports that Dobbin reached the bridge time enough to have destroyed it, and subsequently reached Hughs' Ferry before the enemy had crossed points, and forward them to you. I will forward to-morrow my report of the movements of my command on the day of the fight. Lieutenant [William B.] McGehee and Private Benton have died of their wounds. Lieutenant Anderson is sinking rapidly; also Lieutenant [Wellington] Triplett. The other wounded, including Captain [M. M.] Kenney and Hosbrook, are doing well, and have some prospect of recovering. Have put all the shops to work shoeing horses; have sent detail to [work] upon road and repair bridge. have ordered [S. G.] Kitchen to establish line of couriers to Greene's camp. Have taken all precaution to prevent spread of small-pox. Shall start to-morrow to visit my whole line of pickets. Will now give you the news:

Lee's report or dispatch to President Davis of the battle of Fredericksburg has been received. He reports a glorious victory, stating that our loss was comparatively small, and the enemy's was 30,000 or 35,000 killed and wounded. This does not embrace Stoneman's command, which is believed to have been captured. The Memphis papers also state that on the 9th and 10th Johnston had attacked Rosecrans' reenforcements from Kentucky, near Shelbyville, and had destroyed them, and then attacked and routed Rosecrans, who retreated in great confusion to Nashville. This item comes by way of both Helena and Memphis, and is brought by Mr. Harris, of Louisiana, a friend of mine, who took the paper to Little Rick yesterday. A fight also at Vicksburg. There are two versions of the Vicksburg fight- one from Memphis and the other from Helena. The first states that the enemy had gotten in the rear of Vicksburg, and that we had been largely re-enforced from Mobile and Port Gibson, and were confident of whipping him, and that he was then striving to get back to the river. The second report is that three or four of our batteries were taken, and 700 men captured but when the boats and transports moved upon the others we received


Page 327 Chapter XXXIV. SKIRMISH AT TAYLOR'S CREEK, ARK.