tory of his first.

Gen. Sterling Price's report, made March 22, gives no idea that the
retreat was determined on after the events of the first day, but says
with relation to the close of the struggle on the evening of March 7:

The fiercest struggle of the day now ensued; but the
impetuosity of my troops was Irresistible, and the enemy was
driven back and completely routed. My right had engaged the
enemy's center at the same time with equal daring and equal
success, and had already driven them from their position at
Elkhorn Tavern. Night alone prevented us from achieving a
complete victory of which we had already gathered some of
the fruits, having taken two pieces of artillery and a
quantity of stores.

My troops bivouacked upon the ground which they had so nobly
won, almost exhausted and without food, but fearlessly and
anxiously awaiting the renewal of the battle in the morning.

The morning disclosed the enemy strengthened in position and
numbers and encouraged by the reverses which had unhappily
befallen the other wing of the army when the brave Texan
chieftain, Ben McCulloch, and his gallant comrade, Gen.
Mcintosh, had fallen, fearlessly and triumphantly lead-. ing
their devoted soldiers against the Invaders of their native
land. They knew, too, that Hebert--the accomplished leader
of that veteran regiment, the Louisiana Third, which won so
many laurels on the bloody field of the Oak Hills, and which
then as well as now sustained the proud reputation of
Louisiana--was a prisoner in their hands. They were not slow
to renew the attack; they opened upon us vigorously, but my
trusty men faltered not. They held their position unmoved
until (after several of the batteries not under my command
had left the field) they were ordered to retire. My troops
obeyed it unwillingly, with faces turned defiantly against
the foe.

339

It will be noticed that Price is not as frank as usual in giving reasons
for his rapid retirement at the moment when, he claims, he was in the
full flush of victory. "The retirement of several batteries not under my
command" is a conspicuously inadequate excuse.

In the course of a month or so Van Dorn managed to gather himself
together again so as to begin voluminous communications with Richmond,
explaining that "I was not defeated, but only foi