There is much in the official records that conflict with Blunts account of what happened on the morning of December 7th. I recommend Michael E. Banasik's work 'Embattled Arkansas: The Prairie Grove Campaign of 1862'. He discusses these issues in the pages from about 375 to 390. In my estimation there is no satisfactory answer that can be concluded as to what actually happened and how. It comes down to whose report you want to believe. There is much in the form of disinformation on the subject of the early stages of Prairie Grove from both sides.