At this battle we captured four guns, two of which bore a history of more than ordinary interest.  They were of the old “Bragg’s Battery” that turned the scale at Buena Vista, in obedience to General Taylor’s mandate, “Give them a little more grape, captain.”  After the Mexican war they were sent to the United States Arsenal at Baton Rouge, whence they were stolen when the insurrection commenced.  They were used against us at Wilson Creek and Pea Ridge.

At another battle, whose name I have forgotten, our entire force of about two thousand men was deployed into a skirmish line that extended far beyond the enemy’s flanks.  The Rebels were nearly six thousand strong, and at first manifested a disposition to stand their ground.  By the audacity of our stratagem they were completely deceived.  So large a skirmish line was an indication of a proportionately strong force to support it.  When they found us closing in upon their flanks, they concluded we were far superior in numbers, and certain to overwhelm them.  With but slight resistance they fled the field, leaving much of their transportation and equipments to fall into our hands.  We called in our skirmishers and pressed them in vigorous pursuit, capturing wagons and stragglers as we moved.

A year after this occurrence the Rebels played the same trick upon our own forces near Fort Smith, Arkansas, and were successful in driving us before them.  With about five hundred cavalry they formed a skirmish line that outflanked our force of two thousand.  We fell back several miles to the protection of the fort, where we awaited attack.  It is needless to say that no assault was made.

Van Buren, Arkansas, was captured by eighteen men ten miles in advance of any support.  This little force moved upon the town in a deployed line and entered at one side, while a Rebel regiment moved out at the other.  Our men thought it judicious not to pursue, but established head-quarters, and sent a messenger to hurry up the column before the Rebels should discover the true state of affairs.  The head of the column was five hours in making its appearance.

When the circumstance became known the next day, one of our officers found a lady crying very bitterly, and asked what calamity had befallen her.

As soon as she could speak she said, through her sobs: 

“I am not crying because you have captured the place.  We expected that.”  Then came a fresh outburst of grief.

“What are you crying for, then?” asked the officer.

“I am crying because you took it with only eighteen men, when we had a thousand that ran away from you!”

The officer thought the reason for her sorrow was amply sufficient, and allowed her to proceed with her weeping.

On the day of my arrival at Atchison there was more than ordinary excitement.  For several months there had been much disregard of law outside of the most densely populated portions of the State.  Robberies, and murders for the sake of robbery, were of frequent occurrence.  In one week a dozen persons met violent deaths.  A citizen remarked to me that he did not consider the times a great improvement over ’55 and ’56.