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

Page 401 Chapter XXXIV. ATTACK ON HELENA, ARK.

ravine, from all sides cutting off retreat. The reserve of the Forty-third Indiana formed across the mouth of the ravine, and two Parrott guns of the First Missouri Battery, under Lieutenant [J.] O'Connell, were also brought to rake the enemy's position. Captain John G. Hudson, of the Thirty-third Missouri, commanding Battery D, then demanded the surrender of the entire force. The men at once threw down their arms, and Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, of Bell's regiment, made a formal surrender of his command, mustering 21 officers and between 300 and 400 men, with all their arms and one stand of colors. At about 10.30 a. m. the main body of the enemy had entirely drawn off from in front of our batteries and the firing ceased.

Companies E and H returned to Battery C, capturing some 50 of the enemy, and finding both guns of the battery turned upon Fort Curtis and loaded with shell, but not discharged, for want of friction primers. The route of the enemy was materially assisted by flank fires from Batteries A, B, and D, and 10-inch shell from the gunboat Tyler.

Upward of 300 killed and wounded were left by the enemy in the vicinity of this battery, 70 of these being killed outright, and a great number so wounded that they cannot survive. Nearly the same number were found in front and on the left flank of Battery D. The immense power of the batteries supporting each other, and with the guns of the fort affording the most perfect concentration upon any given point, entirely demoralized the enemy, who broke at the first few rounds, and could only be coaxed and forced forward after that in a shapeless and disorganized mob. Considering that the gunners in Fort Curtis had no target practice, the firing from the fort, as well as the batteries, was, in the main, remarkably good, and our riflemen and the infantry supports sent to the batteries behaved with rare courage and steadiness, being in position from 2 a. m. until 11 a. m., without food, and fighting steadily for six and a half hours of that time.

I desire especially to mention Majors Norris and Gibson, Captains [E. S.] Schenck and [G. H.] Tracy, and Lieutenant [M.] Reed for gallantry in leading their men, upon the suggestion of Captain Hudson, against Bell's regiment. Of the men of the Thirty-third Missouri, who distinguished themselves by coolness, activity, and determination, may be mentioned Major George W. Van Beek, superintending Battery A and B; Capts. William J. McKee, commanding Fort Curtis; Daniel D. Carr, three siege guns; William M. Blake, Battery A; Alexander J. Campbell, Battery B; Thomas M. Gibson, Battery C; John S. Hudson, Battery G; Stuart Carkner, Company G (wounded); George H. Tracy, Company I; Elias S. Schenck, Company K; Lieuts. Henry Cochran, commanding Company H; Stephen J. Burnett (wounded), Adam b. Smith (killed at his post)., Luther P. Eldridge, Isaac S. Coe, Charles L. Draper, F. E. Lombar, Joseph W. Brooks (killed while gallantry leading a charge), Moses Reed, R. M. Reed, Edgar L. Allen, Henry H. Knowlton, and James M. Conner; and gunners, Sergt. E. Bates, J. W. Wells, L. D. Alden, company F, Sergt. Henry S. Carroll, Corpl. James K, Frier, Private J. S. Martin, Company D; Private John Driscoll, Kansas Cavalry, all in Fort Curtis. Battery A, Sergts. D. R. McClammer and George B. Maher; Battery B, Corpl. George W. Wheeler and Joseph W. Phillips; Battery D, Corpl. Robert McPhate (Dubuque Battery) and Luke P. Maxen. Nathaniel Leavitt, commissary sergeant, killed at his post; Color Sergt. Patrick Collins, a regular soldier of twenty-six years' standing, wounded in the face while bravely fighting over the

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Page 401 Chapter XXXIV. ATTACK ON HELENA, ARK.