th. His strength consisted in part of the following
rebel Divisions, as was subsequently ascertained: Frost's, Slack's,
Parson's, and Rains's; and the batteries of Ghebor, Clark (six
pieces), E. McDonald (three pieces), and Wade (four pieces). There was
present also one Regiment of Indians, the whole commanded by General
Van Dorn in person, and General Price, who directs the Missouri
forces.

Early in the morning, while General Curtis was in consultation with
his officers regarding a change of front, consequent on the approach
of the enemy on the west of us, news came that the enemy were in close
vicinity to the Elk Horn Tavern. The General then immediately ordered
Colonel Carr to proceed to effect a dislodgment of the enemy. The
formidable numbers present at the time not being known, Colonel Carr
directed Colonel Dodge, with the First Brigade of the Fourth Division,
to take a position near the Elkhorn Tavern, Colonel Carr accompanying
the expedition himself. The point indicated was about a mile and a
half distant from our camp, the ground being level and gradually
ascending, with open fields on either side of the road, interspersed
with an occasional belt of timber.

Colonel Dodge having discovered the enemy in the timber to the right,
opened the First Iowa Battery on them, causing considerable execution;
two rebels on horseback were seen to fall, and the rest fled. The
enemy having fled to the hollow, Colonel Dodge deployed his line,
covering as much ground as possible, the Thirty-fifth Illinois being
on his left. He sent forward a company of skirmishers from the Fourth
Iowa, who soon became sharply engaged with the enemy and the latter
opened on us a perfect tornado of round shot, shell, and grape. The
Thirty-fifth Illinois became engaged, fighting with determined
bravery, and about, this time Colonel Smith was wounded in the head by
a shell, which took off a part of his scalp. He also received a bullet
in his shoulder, and his horse was shot under him, all about the same
time. Just before he was wounded, several ammunition-chests exploded,
one after the other, wounding Captain Jones and Lieutenant Gamble, who
were standing near Colonel Carr, the latter making a fortunate escape.
The explosion of a caisson was terrific.

There was a short lull in the storm of leaden hail, during