On the 3d, Engleman's brigade was ordered to remain at Okolona, with orders to proceed
back to Hollywood, in conjunction with Colonel Ritter's cavalry brigade, and communicate with
General Thayer. Before the cavalry forces arrived at Okolona, Colonel Engleman was attacked.
The enemy were driven back and pursued by the Twenty-seventh Regiment, under Colonel Krez,
for two miles.'”8

April 4th. Reached Spoonville 8 p. m.; remained here till 10 p. m. of the 5th and hearing nothing
of Thayer put back again to Oakalina and four miles farther on, where we camped for the night in
a swamp, near the Little Mo. River.’”

General Steele crossed the Little Missouri river the next day [following Okalona skirmish]
with his entire army, after having been reinforced by several thousand troops from Fort Smith,
under General Thayer, and General Shelby crossed the same river five miles below, marching to
Steele's front and taking position on Prairie d’ Ann, a beautiful stretch of smooth, level land
bordering the bottom, in whose muddy and pestilential marshes Steele still struggled, having to
corduroy every mile of ground before he could advance his huge train to firmer soil.... General
Gano came from the Indian nation with several regiments of Texans and Choctaws, making the
whole cavalry force, when united, about seven thousand. Three days passed slowly away waiting
for Steele to get ready, broken by incessant skirmishing and occasionally a shock or two of
outlying regiments.”

The cavalry arrived (to join the infantry at Okolona), and Colonel Engleman proceeded
to Hollywood, in pursuance of orders, and rejoined the division near Elkins' Ford, on the 5th.””

The [Confederate] enemy had been severely punished in the several skirmishes, for we found all
along the road to Spoonville new-made graves, and in the houses his wounded and dying.
Another noticeable feature was that when we had first come over the road but rarely a man had
been seen in any of the houses, while when going back to Spoonville any number of young men
were seen loitering about. This was noticed and commented upon by all.”°

The division left camp on the 6th, and moved forward in rear of the cavalry division of General
Carr, and encamped about midway between the river and Prairie del Ane, near the abandoned

 

198

E. B. Quiner, Military History of Wisconsin, p. 762.

' Evergreen City Times, Sheboygan, May 28, 1864, p. 2/1 (no. 12/27 of note).

200

John N. Edwards, Shelby And His Men, p. 263.

*°! E. B. Quiner, Military History of Wisconsin, p. 762.

“0” James Harris Atkinson, "Forty Days of Disaster", p. 8, quoting from the report of Lt.

Col. Adolph Dengler (Union forces).

87