At this time his force was divided into three divisions, as follows:
General Sigel’s Division.—First Brigade, Colonel Gruesel.—36th Illinois, Col. Gruesel; 25th Illinois, Col. Coler; 44th Illinois, Col. Knoblesdorf. Second Brigade, Col. Osterhaus.—12th Missouri, Col. Osterhaus; 17th Missouri, Col. Hassendeufel; 2d Missouri, Col. Schaeffer. Third Brigade, Col. Asboth.—3d Missouri, Col. Friala; Illinois Cavalry, (one battalion,) Capt’s. Jenks and Smith; 3d Iowa Cavalry.
General Davis’s Division.—First Brigade, Col. Benton.—8th Indiana, Col. Benton; 18th Indiana, Col. Patterson; 22d Indiana, Col. Hendricks. Second Brigade, Col. Julius White.—59th Illinois, Col. Fredericks; 37th Illinois, Col. Burnes; Missouri Cavalry, (battalion,) Maj. Broen; 2d Ohio, battery, Col. Catin; 1st Missouri Light Artillery, one battery.
General Carr’s Division.—First Brigade, Col. Dodge.—4th Iowa, Lieut.-Col. Galighan; 35th Illinois, Col. G. A. Smith; 24th Missouri, (battalion,) Maj. Weston. Second Brigade, Col. Vandenier.—9th Iowa, Lieut.-Col. Herron; 25th Missouri, Col. Phelps; 9th Iowa, battery, Capt. Hayden; 1st Iowa, battery, Lieut. David. Third Brigade, Col. Ellis.—1st Missouri Cavalry, Col. Ellis; 3d Illinois, ——; 6th Missouri, battalion, Maj. Wright.
Opposed to the forces of General Curtis, just enumerated, the rebel army had fully ten thousand Missouri State troops under Major-General Price; six to eight regiments of Arkansas troops under General McCulloch; six regiments of Texans under General Earl Van Dorn; three thousand Cherokee, Choctaw and Seminole Indians under Colonel Albert Pike, all under command of Major-General McIntosh. Besides those mentioned, there were two or three regiments of Louisiana troops and companies of Mississippi and Alabama regiments under the command of their respective colonels, majors and captains.
Upon this occasion the Union troops were well armed and equipped, while the weapons of the rebels varied in character and effectiveness. Many of them were excellent, embracing Minie rifles, Enfield muskets, and good United States muskets. The larger portion, however, were hunting rifles and shot-guns. The rebels had eighty-two field pieces, twenty of which were rifled, while General Curtis’ forces had but forty-nine; nearly all, however, were of superior manufacture and destructive power.
On the evening of the 5th of March, the scouts of General Sigel brought in word, that large forces of the rebel cavalry were on the Pineville road at Osage Spring. Sigel was evidently in a bad position, and on the following day he commenced moving back, his pickets being driven in before he could get his wagon train in motion. His route lay a few miles to the north, when he struck the bed of Sugar creek, along which he travelled six miles. It was there the battle first began. General Sigel with two battalions of Missouri infantry and a squadron of cavalry formed the rear guard of his division, and were delayed by the train which moved slowly along the rough roads. He determined not to desert a single wagon to the rebels, although by so doing, he could have easily reached the main body of the Union forces.
The enemy made his appearance with 4,000 cavalry, at about 10 o’clock in the morning, a few miles out of Bentonville, and immediately commenced the attack by a desperate charge. Sigel had with him nearly 1,000 men. He sent forward two hundred infantry to prevent the enemy cutting him off, and with the remainder he received the whole of the vast army. He ordered his men to stand firm and take good aim. The teams were put upon good pace, and the enemy came rushing on in several lines. The horsemen on the flanks and infantry in the rear awaited their approach until within about 200 yards, when they delivered a terrible volley of Minie balls into the rebel ranks, which had the effect of throwing them into temporary confusion. In a few minutes the leaders succeeded in getting them into something like order. This time they came up to close quarters. The same volley, succeeded by a second and a third, greeted them. The enemy came on in crowds, and their cavalry closed all around the little band, notwithstanding horses and riders were falling thick and fast before its steady fire. General Sigel rode undismayed along the whole line, inspiring his men. Some of the cavalry on the flank had succeeded in getting across the road so cutting the train in two. Here the enemy set up a shout of triumph.
It was short lived. In a minute more the bayonets of the Union men had done their work, leaving hundreds of dead and wounded in their tracks. The enemy was driven off, broken and dismayed. Galled and maddened at the repulse, his scattered ranks could be seen reforming to renew the attack.
The column was yet seven miles from the encampment. A dispatch had been sent forward to General Curtis, explaining the position and asking for assistance. It was hardly possible that the messenger could have been captured. The enemy was advancing on the road and along the ridges enclosing the stream. At about two o’clock a second attack was made and desperately carried forward. The rebel cavalry spurred their horses right on to the irresistible bayonets, delivering their load of buckshot from their miscellaneous guns, and then brandishing huge knives, which every one of them carried in place of sabres.