Excuse me, Bill, I did not express myself clearly in my previous message. Let me try again. I meant to say that the two diaries contain lengthy passages that are identical or essentially identical. One of the authors copied from the other, possibly in order to "fill in" missing entries in his diary. I have several pages from both diaries spread out on my desk now and I am looking at them. Whether the copying took place during the war or later, I cannot tell.

Here is the sort of thing I am talking about.:

LESUEUR / 7 Dec. 1862: "At daylight still marching in the direction of Fayetteville. We again leave the main road and take to the left in the direction of Canehill. Strike the Canehill and Fayetteville road about eight miles from Fayetteville. . . . We now take a position about six miles from Canehill and send out cavalry to decoy the enemy within the reach of our guns. They are unsuccessful . . . ."

WALLER / 7 Dec. 1862: "Daylight. Still marching in the direction of Fayetteville. We again leave the main road and take to the left in the direction of Canehill and strike the Canehill road eight miles from Fayetteville. . . . We now took our position on the Canehill road six miles from town and sent the Cavalry forward to decoy them in reach of our guns. They are unsuccessful . . . ."

And the following day:

LESUEUR /8 Dec. 1862: "We resumed our course southwardly and at daybreak found ourselves ten miles from the late battlefield. This morning the command was halted and rested for two hours, then again took up the line of march and camped on Cove Creek eight miles from the mouth and spent an unpleasant night. . . ."

WALLER / 8 Dec. 1862: "We resume our course south and at daylight find ourselves ten miles from the late scene. This morning the command is halted and rest two hours then resume the march south and camp on Cove Creek some eight miles from its mouth and spend an unpleasant night. . . ."

Now I have not compared the two diaries from start to finish, as I was interested primarily in information about Prairie Grove, but I am convinced only one of the diaries contains original information about the days immediately before and after the battle. The other is largely a copy. Having graded undergraduate history essays for more than three decades, I like to think that I recognize plagiarism when I see it.

Hope this helps to clarify matters.

Bill