Chaplain Arthur Sanford of the 8th Indiana Infantry wrote a series of letters to the Indianapolis Daily Journal chronicling the experiences of the regiment in the Trans-Mississippi Theater. In these letters he describes the events leading up to Hill’s Plantation and the battle itself.
Arthur Sanford was a Presbyterian minister who served as chaplain for two Indiana infantry regiments, the 8th and the 36th. His service with the 8th was from September 1861 to August 1862 and with the 36th from April 1863 to February 1864. Sanford resigned his post of chaplain in February 1864 due to health problems. He died in Detroit, Michigan on November 28, 1887.
These letters appeared in the Indianapolis Daily Journal on July 21, 1862 on page 2 columns 1 and 2. The spelling and punctuation are unchanged from the original publication.
Letters from Curtis’s Army.
The Eighth Indiana in Arkansas.
Augusta, Ark., July 5, 1862.
Dear Journal: My last, date of 15th June, left us at Sulphur Rock; having not written since, simply because there has been no opportunity to send out mail, nor have we received letters from home of later date than May 26th.
By the transition from Missouri railroads to Arkansas rivers, as channels of transportation, we have been mostly effectually cut off from communication with the outer world and “the rest of mankind,” and many a poor soldier’s heart has thereby been made to ache with anxiety about the condition of “loved ones at home.”
But, to resume the narrative our migration. We marched from Sulphur Rock to Jacksonport, on Sunday, June 22d;--(could not some of this Sabbath marching be dispensed with?) Jacksonport, county seat of Jackson county is situate on the east bank of White river [sic], just below the mouth of Black, and, in peaceful times, has evidently been a point of considerable business importance, but its citizens, intensely “secesh,” are now reaping most bitterly the fruits of their folly and wickedness.
On the 25th, our bridge having been put down, we crossed Black river in the morning, and, on the 26th, marched down the east side of White river[sic], and encamped on Village Creek; our cavalry advance driving in the enemy’s pickets and capturing two “of them.”
On the 27th, about twilight in the evening, a portion of the 9th Illinois and 3d Iowa Cavalry, escorting a forage train, had a severe skirmish with Hooker’s guerrillas some seven miles below here—fighting them at a great disadvantage, both in position and numbers, until too dark to distinguish them, and losing four killed and over thirty wounded. The rebels retreated under cover of darkness, carrying off all their dead and wounded except two.
Both officers and men of the cavalry thus engaged, are regarded by all as having conducted themselves most gallantly, of which their loss is palpable evidence. The enemy’s loss will probably never be known, but must have been very severe, as our men rode almost into their very faces to deliver their fire and emptied their revolvers.
The 28th, was occupied by the 8th Indiana, 33d Illinois, 1st Indiana Cavalry, and Klauss’ Indiana Battery, in an endeavor to find and capture, or cut up this band of rebels, but ineffectually, they having ran too fast and hidden themselves too well to be overtaken or discovered.
July 1st, we moved some ten miles in the direction of Augusta, driving back the enemy’s pickets and taking some twenty-five prisoners, when we encamped on Dr. Pickett’s plantation, comprising some 1,600 acres of land. Here we found some eighty s[l]aves of all ages, from three to sixty-six years of age, deserted by their master, and having things pretty much their own way, and who seemed most hugely to enjoy the display miltaire, especially the music. Whenever the band commenced playing, little imps, as black as the ace of spades, clad with but one garment, and that, “in longitude most sorely scanty,” might be seen putting down a flat-foot in as accurate consonance with the time, and as utter an abandon
as ever Terpsichore inspired in her most accomplished votaries.
We were compelled to lie here over the 2d, while a pioneer party removed timber, felled by the rebels across the road to hinder our pursuit. On the 3d we marched under scorching sun, through dust about six inches deep, to this place, where we still remain, but expect to move toward Des Are to morrow [sic].
Yesterday the glorious old “Fourth,” was celebrated by a nation salute by Manter’s battery 12 m., and at 3 p.m. the greater part of Gen. Steele’s Division assembled in an extensive grove, where, after prayer, General Benton delivered an impromptu oration in his happiest vein, followed by Col. Hovey, 33d Illinois, Col. Bussey, 3d Iowa Cavalry and Lt. Colonel Washburne, of the 18th Indiana, in very appropriate remarks, all of which were enthusiastically received by the soldierly audience, the whole being interspersed with excellent music, by the well-trained and talented band of the 18th Indiana.
Laban Garner, of Co. C, Capt. Riley on yesterday, sent one rebel to his last account. His name was Bland, resides here, and was one concerned in the attack of our transports at St. Charles Bluff. Garner and a comrade had gone down the river some two miles, and called for dinner at a Mr. Reiff’s; while waiting for it Bland, who had been hiding in the brush, came up, passed into the house and asked Mrs. Reiff for a gun. On being told there was none he came out and seized an axe, which he drew on Garner, demanding his surrender, and calling on Reiff to secure his comrade. Reiff declined. Garner seized the axe with one hand and Bland’s throat with the other, and his comrade having wrenched the axe from Bland, Garner pitched into him and beat him so nearly dead with his fist, that when he released him he staggered to the river bank and tumbled in and drowned.
The health of the regiment remains extremely good. Out of seven hundred enlisted men, only eighteen are unable to march, and there are no cases of dangerous or even severe sickness among them. The weather is very uniformly hot—about like our Indiana extreme midsummer—but the boys have become so gradually accustomed to it that they seem to mind it no more than an ordinary summer at home.
Where we are going, or by what route, is a military secret, which Gen. Curtis does not yet permit to transpire. As it becomes developed, I will endeavor to keep your readers posted, so far as opportunity serves.
A. W. Sanford,
Chaplain 8th Indiana.
Helena, Ark., July 14, 1862.
Dear Journal: My last, mailed with this, left us at Augusta on the 5th inst. On the 6th we marched to Cache river [sic] on the road to Clarendon. Our cavalry advance had a little skirmish on the river bank, with a party of rebels, killing three—no lost to themselves, though one of the 3d Iowa cavalry was shot while watering his horse, and in return Capt. Klauss shelled the woods, whether with effect we did not stay long enough to inquire. On the 7th we marched some two or three miles, when our advance guard, composed the 1st Indiana Cavalry and detachments of the 33d Illinois and 11th Wisconsin, became engaged with a rebel force of 7,000, into whom they pitched most gallantly and never lost an inch of ground, but, after an obstinate fight, drove them off, killing from 150 to 200—we buried 103 on the ground.
On the commencement of the action Col. Hovey sent back for reinforcements, when Gen. Benton, at the head of the “Old Eighth,” set forward at “double quick,” but being too far in the rear, could not get up in time to participate in the principal fight. They pushed on, however, after the retreating foe for several miles, to where it was supposed they were making a stand, and formed line of battle, deploying skirmishers and offering battle, which not being accepted, Gen. Benton ordered their cover shelled by the 1st Indiana cavalry’s [sic] howitzers—the result of which, is said by captured rebels, to have been the killing of 40 to 50 of their number. From rebel sources, regarded as reliable, we learn that they lost in killed alone, from 260 to 300 in the entire affair.
Particular credit is due Col. Hovey, 33d Illinois, who is in command of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division, for the courage, coolness and skill with which he conducted the fight, until the arrival of Gen. Benton, who, of course, then assumed command; and who informed me that Col. Hovey on being directed to deploy skirmishers to feel the enemy’s position and develop their fire, placed himself at their head, and remained in front until it became evident the rebels had no further intention of fighting.
Gen. Benton is justly entitled to all praise, for making every exertion, on this and all other occasions, to get himself and his command into action, and it is only because it was impossible, without disobedience of orders, that he has not exposed himself to all danger in accomplishing this object. Still, with all his impetuous daring, I know of no other commander who takes more pains, or displays more coolness in arranging everything for the safety and comfort of his men, in the battlefield, on march and in camp.
I must not forget to most honorably mention the 1st Indiana Cavalry, Colonel Baker. They are always ready to go anywhere, and “go in on their muscle” on every practicable occasion. It is said by those who ought to know, that they have performed more active and efficient service, than the dozen other cavalry regiments in the Southwest. I know that they are the terror of rebeldom, from Pilot Knob to Jacksonport—not for stealing, but for fighting.
From Mound Hill, or Cache Crossing, the place of the above-named fight, we arrived at Clarendon, on White river, on the 9th, only to find that we had moved so slow that the boats from which we had expected supplies of provisions and clothing had gone down the river so far that our signal guns could not reach them.
On the 11th we moved toward Helena, on the Mississippi River, which we reached yesterday. By some miserable blunder (outside of our brigade, however,) our division was sent on one road and our wagons on another. This resulted in our making a march of some fifty miles or more without tents, blankets, or provisions, except four crackers per man, which, providentially, Col. Carr happened to be able to furnish us-his Division taking the same road in our rear.
I do not pretend to locate the responsibility for this blinder, but simply it is the most inexcusable outrage upon the men of the First Division that I have ever known perpetuated in the service.
There is another fact which I state with pain, and only from a sense of justice to others—particularly to vindicate Indianaians from charges which the impartial historian must hereafter make against the Army of the South-West. It pains me particularly because I must implicate, primarily, those whom I have always heretofore sought to vindicate. I allude to the German soldiers under Gen. Osterhaus. Their outrageous violation of the rules of civilized warfare on our march from Jacksonport to this place has been too intolerable to pass without notice. That they have plundered and burnt private dwellings, stolen and destroyed property not contraband of war or capable of being used in the army, and marked the line of their march with terror and devastation, seems to be a fact admitting of no dispute; while the dark cloud of contrabands intermingled with the command—riding in ambulances and wagons and following in the in the rear, while sick soldiers walk—indicate that this Division at least has taken the business of negro confiscation into its own hands most effectively.
The health of the regiment, previous to the last four days, has been remarkably good, but I fear that our starvation march will result in considerable sickness.
I will write again in a few days if we remain here, till when au revoir.
A. W. Sanford,
Chaplain 8th Indiana.
N. B.--Country papers, in counties from which the regiment was raised, please copy—I have no further time to write.
A. W. S.