splintered timber.... Slowly the air grew lighter -- the wind became less mighty -- and the
sulphurous stench in the atmosphere died out by degrees.... Steele not caring, perhaps, to
uncover his front, and doubtless, busy with preparations to cross the Little Missouri river, retired
his forces, and left only a hard, naked line of massive infantry impossible to be penetrated by a
single brigade of cavalry.'”* :

On the morning of the 3d, their [Union] videttes were encountered about a mile north of
Okolona, which were soon driven in, and I found the entire [Union] army lying quietly in camp,
with their same rear guard, now heavily covered by cavalry, about 2 miles from the town. This I
at once attack[ed] and fought three hours, inflicting on him severe loss. While engaged a terrible
hailstorm came up from the northeast and spread its dark wings over the sky. The scene was
rugged and sublime. Amid the jar and sighing of the pines as the pitiless hail-stones tore through
them, there was mingled the crash of artillery, the sharp rattle of musketry, and... as the wind
ceased there came the wild blare of bugles and the ring of sabers from the valley below, where the
enemy was fighting. Twice during the day I felt their entire line and found it nearly 2 miles long,
and twice they advanced in force, but were driven back each time. I drew off at 2 o'clock and
retired to the little village of Antoine, where I fed men and horses and camped for the night.'”°

April 3d. Weather cloudy. Two companies of our Regiment were placed on picket on the
evening of the 2d, and exchanged several shots with the Rebels during the night. About nine
o'clock our Regiment was ordered out and deployed as skirmishers. The firing from both sides
soon became quite lively and continued till noon, when a drenching rain put a quietus to both
sides for a time. We lost three killed and three wounded, Co. A one, Co. Gtwo. Cassander
Knowles was wounded severely and carried from the field; he afterwards died at Elkins' Ferry.
His father lives at the Falls. About 5 p. m. our Brigade was ordered back to Spoonville to
ascertain the whereabouts of Gen. Thayer; our boys had driven the Rebels two or three miles.
We marched till 11 p. m. and laid down with empty stomachs to shiver in the cold and wet.'”°

April 3 -- At Okalona, Ark., another action was had, in which Illinois and Missouri cavalry,
and Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio infantry participated; the Union loss was 16 killed and
74 wounded; the rebels lost 75 in killed and wounded.!”

 

'* John N. Edwards, Shelby And His Men: or The War In The West (Cincinnati, 1867),
p. 259.

'? James Harris Atkinson, “Forty Days of Disaster", p. 12, quoting from the report of
Bnigadier-General Jo. O. Shelby (Confederate).

% Evergreen City Times, Sheboygan, May 28, 1864, p. 2/1 (no. 11/27 of note).

'” H. O. and M. A. W. Brown, Soldiers And Citizens Album of Biographical Record
(Chicago, 1890), p. 93.

86