on
Colonel Carr had been brought out from the reserve and placed on the right
of Davis. The enemy opened out upon us, and my Brigade holding the right I
commenced swinging my line in over the ground I had fought over the day
before, and discovered that the enemy were withdrawing from us; were not
standing and giving battle; and the fighting on the morning of the 8th was
merely a fight of Price's rear-guard to enable him to withdraw by the
Huntsville road, he having received orders that morning from Van Dorn to
do so, Van Dorn notifying Price that this was necessary, as the Arkansas
troops, after the death of McCullough and McIntosh, had most of them
retreated to the south, leaving Price's Army the only force intact in our
rear, so that he now had the difficult problem of getting away from us.

The fighting lasted but a short time, mostly with artillery, and
occasioned very little loss for that day. We soon discovered the rebels
fleeing over the hills and down the White River Road, and being nearest to
that road I immediately started my Brigade after them. I had not proceeded
far when I received an order from General Curtis to return and hold the
battle-field. I was a good deal astonished at this, as I could see the
enemy demoralized in my front, with their baggage-trains and their
artillery, and I had no doubt, (as I knew the country, having had a
detachment stationed at Blackburn's Mills, at the crossing of White River,
supplying our Army with forage and grain before the battle,) that I could
capture this portion of the army before it could make a crossing of White
River.

When I arrived on the battle-field General Curtis told me that General
Siegel and his Divisions had gone to the rear towards Cassville; in fact,
I myself heard him give one of the Brigades that was passing an order to
halt there, which they did not obey, but kept on. General Siegel wrote
back advising Curtis to form his new line in the rear of Cross Timbers, as
Van Dorn might return to the fight, but Curtis instructed Colonel Carr's
Division to remain on the field and hold it, which it did. General Curtis
afterwards made very severe complaints to General Halleck of the actions
of General Siegel, and in answer General Halleck wrote as follows:

I was by no means surprised at General Siegel's conduct before the
battle of Pea Ridge. It was plainly in keeping with what he did at
Carthage and Wilson's Creek. After your expedition started I re