One hundred fifty years ago, on April 28, 1864, Confederate and Union troops clash at Whitmore’s Mill: HEADQUARTERS ELLIOTTS BATTALION, Camp Bullock, Ark., May 8, 1864. On April 28, I was ordered to take my battalion to or in the direction of Princeton and ascertain whether General Steeles whole force had left Camden. I sent Lieutenant Tucker with a scout on the main Princeton and Jenkins Ferry road. I also sent Lieutenant Walker to the left of Princeton, with orders to report as soon as he could ascertain their force. I sent other scouts on the different roads leading from Tulip to Princeton. I arrived at Tulip with the rest of my command at 11.30 a.m.; halted my command to await reports from the different scouts. I had to wait but a short time, when I received a dispatch from Lieutenant Tucker that he had come in contact with the enemy and was fighting them. I sent him the remainder of his company, immediately ordering him to hold them in check, if possible, until I could ascertain what force it was; but overpowered by numbers, he was compelled to fall back. I then sent Captain Walton, and soon after Captain Schnabel; also Lieutenant Walker with a portion of Captain Holts company, who held them in check until dark. I received word from Lieutenant Walkers scout that General Steeles whole force was on the march. I immediately took up the line of march, which was continued, and the next day until 4 p.m., when we arrived at Pratts Ferry, the place where I was ordered to report. No person at the ferry could give me any information as to where General Fagan was. My men and horses were tired down, having been on a continued march for thirty-six hours without sleep or anything to eat. No forage or subsistence could be had at the river, and my only chance was to cross, which I did, finding plenty of forage and subsistence. On Saturday morning (the 30th) a force of 2,000 Federals came to Whitmores Mill, which was 4 miles from my camp. They sent out a scout of 150 men and drove in our pickets. I ordered two companies immediately, who repulsed the scout. The whole force at the mill seemed to have taken fright. Thinking General Fagans whole cavalry force was after them, they commenced setting fire to their train and burned 200 wagons in one place, destroying a great amount of camp and garrison equipage. Ordnance and ordnance stores were strewn for miles on the road, a great deal of which might be easily taken care of. Hundreds of blankets, oil-cloths, and overcoats were piled and burned. On Sunday (May 1) I sent out a scout on the different roads leading from the Benton and Pratts Ferry road to the Little Rock and Jenkins Ferry road, driving in their pickets at every point. I also sent Captain Greenwoods company to make an attack on their foraging parties that might be started for Little Rock. He routed them in great confusion. I followed the next morning in their rear. They continued burning their wagons so far as I followed them, which was in 20 miles of the Rock. I counted 65 mules and 10 wagons burned in the first 8 miles we passed over, and I think there was equally as many the balance of the way. We there turned to the left and went to Benton, and from there back to Pratts Ferry, where we received orders to join our brigade. I would respectfully suggest that an officer be sent to that side of the Saline to see to the property, as there are wagons there which can be repaired easily, and iron, shot, shell, lead, and any quantity of mules and harness which has been picked up by the citizens. B. ELLIOTT, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Battalion. Captain MCARTHUR, Assistant Adjutant-General.
Posted on: Mon, 28 Apr 2014 11:00:00 +0000
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