ve off the Union guns, but when
the infantry advanced it met the same terrific fire. This time the
rebels did not give way, but pressed on around the left flank so that
the Second (Vandever's) Brigade had to fall back. The First Brigade
(Dodge's) held its position until night. The log barricades it had built
enabled it to defeat charge after charge of the enemy, and when they
swung around this flank a part of the 8th Ind. and 3d Ill., in a
countercharge, drove the enemy back, protecting and holding that flank
until dusk. In this bloody melee Lieut.-Col. Herron and Lieut.-Col.
Chandler were wounded and captured, and nearly all the field officers
were more or less severely wounded. Col. Dodge had three horses shot
under him, and was himself wounded, and Col. Carr received the fourth
wound of that day. Three of the Union guns were taken.

The Second Brigade when it fell back took up a new and strong position
a quarter of a mile to the rear, facing open ground, and resumed the
battle.

As evening was coming on, Curtis became at last convinced that the
fighting in his front was over, and started the First and Second
Divisions over to the right to the assistance of the Fourth. Gen. Asboth
hurried forward in person with four companies of the 2d Mo. and four
guns of the 2d Ohio Battery, and assisted in checking and driving back
the last assault.

Gen. Curtis came up, formed a new line along the edge of the timber,
with the fields in front, and the men lay down on their arms for the
night.

Let us return to the left, in front of Leetown, where the main battle
had been expected by both sides.

326

Col. Osterhaus does not seem to have formed any very dear plan when
he went out from the center at 9 o'clock to open the battle with
McCulloch's and Pike's forces. Gen. Curtis sent Col. Bussey out in
advance with five companies of the 3d Iowa Cav., four of the 5th Mo.
Cav., four companies of the 1st Mo. Cav., and two companies of the 4th
Mo. Cav., with three pieces of Capt. Elbert's Battery. Col. Greuset's
Brigade of infantry followed the cavalry at a short distance.

Col. Bussey went out to Leetown and thence to the open fields about half
a mile north. The infantry took position in the fields north of Leetown.
Col. Osterhaus came up to the head of the cavalry column where Col.
Bussey was, and they saw the Confederates in plain view about a quarter
of a mile away. It was Van Dorn's trains and cavalry guards which
they saw m