movement,
but men on horses can't be maneuvered into fighting men on foot unless
the horsemen are willing to engage. Otherwise they will just keep out
of the way.

We remained at Springfield until May 28th. It was a little place and
its population when the war began was probably not more than a hundred
and fifty, or two hundred. It was the county seat of Conway county, but
there was no official business being transacted there now. About all
the people had left, except a few old men and some women and small
children. The houses were nearly all log cabins. Even the county jail
was a log structure of a very simply and unimposing type. It has always
been my opinion that this little place was the most interesting and
romantic-looking spot (with one possible exception I may speak of
later) that I saw in the South during all my army service. The town was
situated on rather high ground, and in the heart of the primitive
forest. Grand native trees were growing in the door-yards, and even in
the middle of the main street,--and all around everywhere. And we were
there at a season of the year when Nature was at its best, and all the
scenery was most attractive and charming. I sometimes would sit down at
the foot of some big tree in the center of the little village, and
ponder on what surely must have been the happy, contented condition of
its people before the war came along and spoiled all. Judging from the
looks of the houses, the occupants doubtless had been poor people and
practically all on the same financial footing, so there was no occasion
for envy. And there was no railroad, nor telegraph line, nor daily
papers, to keep them nervous and excited or cause them to worry. And
they were far away from the busy haunts of congregated men,--

"Their best companions, innocence and health,
And their best riches, ignorance of wealth."

Their trading point was Lewisburg, about fifteen miles southwest on the
Arkansas river, and when that stream was at a proper stage, small
steamboats would ply up and down, and bring to Lewisburg groceries and
dry goods, and such other things as the country did not produce, which
would then be wagoned out to Springfield and into the country
generally. And judging from all that could be seen or heard, I think
there were hardly any slaves at Springfield, or in the entire north
part of Conway county, before the war. What few there may have been
were limited to the plantations along the Arkansas