CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY. 193

Fagan formed his division as rapidly as possible, but only Cabell's brigade and some regiments got in line. General Pleasanton, the Federal commander, seemed to divine from these movements that there was something wrong in Marmaduke's rear and ordered a charge. The two regiments in line moved obliquely against each of Marmaduke's flanks, and the one in column of companies spread out and struck straight at his center. Freeman's brigade on the right gave way without waiting to receive the enemy's charge, and Marmaduke ordered a countercharge by Clark's brigade, and led it himself. He met the enemy's charge half way. The charging lines passed through each other, turned and passed through each other again, returning to something like their original positions. During this time the enemy had passed around the right flank where Freeman had been and charged the battery from the rear, captured it and turned its guns upon the Confederates. The Confederates, as well as the Federals, were dressed in blue, and Marmaduke returning from the charge and seeing his battery firing on his command rode down on it, ordered the men to cease firing, and was taken prisoner. The creek was jammed with wagons, and the rout being complete and everything in confusion, the soldiers got across it wherever they could. Cabell's and Slemons' Arkansas brigades on the left charged at the same time Clark's did, and fared very much as it did. Cabell and Slemons were both taken prisoners. So was Colonel Jeffers, of Clark's brigade, while Lieutenant-Colonel Ward and Major Par-rott and Adjutant Coleman of his regiment were severely wounded, Major Parrott fatally. Colonel McGhee, of an Arkansas regiment, was also severely wounded.

Shelby was far in advance, marching rapidly on Fort Scott, and Price was several miles from the scene of the fight. When the news of the rout reached Price and he saw the remnants of the army rushing like a herd of stampeded cattle across the prairie, he sent in hot haste

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