Today in History:

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

Page 403 Chapter XXXIV. ATTACK ON HELENA, ARK.

manded by Lieutenant Leflar, of Company B. For the bravery shown and the terrible execution done by them, you are best able to judge, they having been under your immediate command. By this time Major Owen came up with his detachment, and fell in line with the regiment. Captain [W. V.] Weathers, aide to General Salomon, now came up with word that the enemy had captured a battery on the heights in the rear of General Salomon's headquarters, driving our infantry from their rifle-pits, and were rapidly advancing into town, and I was ordered to take my regiment under the walls of Fort curtis, dismount them, and check their farther advance. I did so, taking the regiment on the top of the hill, to the left of General Salomon's headquarters. On the crest of the hill opposite was the battery the enemy had just captured, and over the breastworks from which our infantry had just captured, and over the breastworks from which our infantry had been driven they were pouring one dark, continuous stream. The boys wheeled into line, and with loud yells, commended firing, pouring in such a storm of bullets that they soon retreated, with the exception of their sharpshooters, who, to the number of several hundred, took possession of a ravine running up the side of the hill, which was filled with fallen timber and stumps, from behind which they poured a continuous and deadly fire. Soon ten or twelve daring spirits now rushed down the hillside and up the step ascent in front, getting a position on the enemy's left flank, just above them, occupying ground from which we had driven them. They held their position for some time, doing terrible execution, but were finally compelled to fall back, bringing with them quite a number of splendid English rifles which they had captured from the enemy's sharpshooters. Another detachment of our men soon went over, accompanied by some infantry, a company of which had come up on the hill where my regiment was stationed. (It may be proper to state here that several companies of infantry were at the foot of the hill to our right, around General Salomon's headquarters, who did good service, acting in concert with us.) The enemy, finding himself flanked, and having no chance of escape, as every one attempting to run up the hill-side was sure to fall, raised the white flag, and about 100 surrendered. Quite a number still held out, seemingly determined to die before they would become prisoners. Here more than half the regiment threw away their carbines, many of them being unserviceable, having been condemned by a United State inspecting officer some time since, and supplied themselves with Enfield rifles captured from the enemy. General Salomon now sent orders for us to charge and retake the battery. Two more hills had to be crossed before reaching it, the sides of which were covered with logs and brush. the hills were several hundred feet steep, almost perpendicular; but at the words "forward" they were accompanied by two companies of infantry, and where it was too steep to walk the boys would crawl on their hands and knees. The enemy did not wait to receive us, but left their works. I was now compelled to beat a hasty retreat in consequence of the shells from the gunboat Tyler dropping in all around us, and we fell back and resumed our former position. The men were now much exhausted from charging over the hills and back. The men were now much exhausted from charging ordered the regiment to the foot of the hill, under the trees around headquarters (the fighting was now over with the exception of some occasional shots), after being engaged for five hours under a continued and severe fire. My killed, wounded, and missing number as follows: Killed 2; wounded, 8, missing, 1.

The officers and men all conducted themselves so as to meet my highest approbation. Such being the ease, I find it impossible to name particular ones as deserving of notice for their bravery without doing


Page 403 Chapter XXXIV. ATTACK ON HELENA, ARK.