with which he executed them and
concentrated his troops shows him to have been an officer of ability and
great energy. General Halleck's prompt movement of General Curtis's army
from Rolla southwest in January, thus driving Price out of Springfield,
compelled Van Dorn to change his plans, and instead of moving towards St.
Louis he moved his troops by Van Buren and the Boston Mountains, making a
junction with Price's force in the Boston Mountains below Fayetteville,
and while General Curtis's Army was laying at Cross Hollows, evidently in
full security, thinking his campaign was over and expecting Price and Van
Dorn to be drawn away from his front by the movement down the Mississippi.
General Curtis was obliged to scatter his forces in that destitute country
over a wide expanse so as to obtain food and forage. Van Dorn, without our
having any knowledge of the fact, marched over the Boston Mountains, and
it was March 3d before General Curtis was aware that Van Dorn was almost
in his front and on his flank. The Union refugees flying before Van Dorn's
movement gave us the first reliable notice of the new combination and the
new movement. General Curtis immediately sent out orders, and, by marching
all night, during heavy snows and severe cold weather, was able to
concentrate most of his force on Sugar Creek, near Bentonville. General
Siegel and his force did not move promptly, as ordered by Curtis, and was
almost cut off before reaching Bentonville. He had to cut his way through
a portion of Van Dorn's Cavalry, which he was able to do without much
loss, and our line was formed on the north side of Sugar Creek, facing to
the south,--a strong position,--expecting to receive Van Dorn's attack on
the main telegraph road from Fayetteville to Springfield. We were on a
plateau with a broad open valley in our front. In the rear of us was what
was known as the Cross Timbers, a deep gorge. To the west of us was much
open ground, over which was a road parallel to the main road, passing down
what was known as Little Cross Timbers, and entering the Springfield and
Fayetteville road about midway between Elkhorn Tavern and Cassville, some
four miles in our rear.

While I was in command at Rolla I had organized by details from the
Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Missouri Regiments a Corps of scouts who
lived in Northern Arkansas and Southern Missouri and were thoroughly
acquainted with that country. During the day of the 6th of March, while