The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 8. Page: 310
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310 OPERATIONS IN MO., ARK., KANS., AND IND. T. [CHAP. xvrl.
as that we might consider ourselves out of range, as I had at first sup-
posed.
Captain Good's battery, now coming up, was placed to the right of
Burbridge's regiment, and opened fire upon the enemy's battery from
its position. The enemy, having got the range of our lines, threw in
the shells with great precision and rapidity, concentrating their fire on
one point. Wade's battery was ordered up to Good's support, but had
scarcely unlimbered when Good's battery retired from the ground.
Hart's battery was now ordered to take the place evacuated by Good.
Hart's battery did not prove more steady than its predecessor under
the enemy's fire, and immediately left the field. Wade's battery, hav-
ing exhausted its ammunition and several horses, was now ordered to
retire to the rear and replenish the caissons. Wade's battery and
position was supplied by Captain Clark's battery, which continued to
answer the enemy's fire until, by slacking his previous impetuosity, it
became evident that a new maneuver was contemplated by the enemy.
From close observation I concluded that we might expect momenta-
rily to be assailed by a charge of infantry. The enemy's line extended
for nearly a mile and was supported by heavy reserves. Having or-
dered the left of my line to move close to the fence on the left of the
woods and Whitfield's battalion to the support of Burbridge's regiment,
on the right, I reported the expected advance of the enemy's infantry
to General Van Dorn, who, in reply, ordered me to hold my position
as long as possible.
The enemy advanced. On, on they came, in overwhelming numbers,
line after line; but they were met with the same determined courage
which this protracted contest had taught them to appreciate. For more
than half an hour our greatly diminished and exhausted troops held
their hosts in check. Their intention of turning our flanks by their
widely-extended line becoming now clearly evident, we slowly fell back
from our advanced position, disputing every inch of ground which we
relinquished.
It was at this critical juncture that the gallant Rives fell mortally
wounded, and, as though fortune sought to dispossess our resolutions
by multiplying disasters, within a few minutes after the fall of Rives
we suffered an irreparable loss in the fall of the young and chivalrous
Clark, whose battery kept up a galling fire on the advancing foe as
our lines retired; and as we had now fallen back on a line with his
position, being ordered to withdraw his guns, he fell, decapitated by a
round shot while executing this maneuver; the last battery in action.
Captain MacDonald, was now compelled to retire by the intervention
of our retiring line between him and the enemy, and it was with regret
the order was issued for him to cease firing, so gallant was the conduct
of the commander and his men, so terrible was the effect of every round
which he delivered into the advancing lines of the enemy with a cool-
ness and courage unsurpassed.
Our latest order from General Van Dorn directed our line to retire
by the Huntsville road. To accomplish this movement with safety
and success it was first necessary to withdraw Burbridge's and Whit-
field's commands from our right wing across the main road, on which
their left rested. This movement was successfully effected by their
respective commanders after they had retained the enemy in check a
sufficiently long time for Captain MacDonald's battery to limber up and
retire.
During this movement three companies of Burbridge's regiment be-
came detached from their command, and most happily effected their re-
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 8., book, 1883; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154611/m1/316/?q=Hart: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.