The Missouri in the Civil War Message Board

Skirmishing/Confederate positions at Chalk Bluff
In Response To: 3rd Mo. Cav. at Chalk Bluff ()

Bryce, here are two more accounts that might help you, as well as sort out who the “infantry” was. It might also help you determine the positions the Confederate units held before they made the river crossing. Both accounts were written by the same person and provide different details. Perhaps if you provided your point of reference for your original question regarding the saber attack, it might assist me at my end. Anyway, Confederate William Physick Zuber wrote a letter to the Houston Weekly Telegraph shortly after the battle at Chalk Bluff. Zuber was in Company H, 21st Texas Cavalry, and finished out the war at the rank of sergeant. You may be familiar with Zuber’s autobiography, “My Eighty Years in Texas" that was published by the University of Texas Press in 1971.
Here is part of what Zuber had to say to the Telegraph about the events at Chalk Bluff (he breaks down the expedition by date, and there was nothing noted for April 30. The spelling remains as it was in the original….)--
"OUR RETREAT
"...We now commenced a masterly retreat, by way of Jackson and Bloomfield to Chalk Bluff, on the St. Francis river, which occupied six days, in which the enemy skirmish with our rear every day, in every instance of which, we beat them back. Carter’s, Burbage’s, and Shelby’s brigades were each, once or more in the rear; so that every part of the command, with the exception of Greene’s brigade, did some fighting. Gen. Marmaduke’s policy, seemed to be to draw the enemy into a general fight, at such place as himself should so select. Greene’s brigade, was always dismounted and formed in some advantagious position, to receive the enemy, in case they should be drawn out; and this is why Greene’s brigade, missed all the fighting. A detailed account of this retreat would be too lengthy for present use. A few items are all that I can offer....
"...May 1st--In the morning, the enemy charged the 19th Texas, and were warmly received. Capt. Pratt, who had longed for a fair showing at them, masked his battery, and as the 19th gave the road, gave the Federals a raking round with his four brass pieces, and killed a handsome number of them.
"On the same day, Shelby’s and Burbage’s brigades being in the front, halted for dinner. Carter’s division passed them, and halted at a deep ravine or mountain pass about 5 miles from Chalk Bluff.... Greene’s brigade crossed the ravine, and formed down it, to the westward. Pratt’s battery crossed, and halted some distance in advance. The 21st crossed, and formed mostly in the road, on the acclivity of the hill; but companies E, K, and B, formed down the ravine, towards Greene’s brigade. The 19th and Morgan’s Squadron, did not cross the ravine, but formed down it, opposite to companies E, K, and B, of the 21st, and part of Greene’s brigade.
"We were preparing for dinner, when a firing in the rear informed us that he enemy were charging Shelby and Burbage. We mounted and held ourselves ready. In 15 or 20 minutes, the firing ceased, and we thought the enemy had been repulsed. In 5 minutes more, the Missourians began to come up in a gallop. We thought they were only going forward to give us a chance, and would soon form again in advance of us. They called to us to give way to the right and left, and we did so. They passed rapidly up our lines, dividing each company into two parts. The first that passed looked cheerful, and many of the young men were whistling, “The girl I left behind me;” but those that followed, looked serious, and the last appeared to be frightened. They kept coming, coming, coming, till we began to mistrust that all was not right. Before they got through, the enemy opened a fire on their rear, from the thicket, a little above the road, close behind us. Company K and part of Company E crossed the ravine, with intent to charge them; but finding their way blocked up by the retreating Missourians, they returned, Col Giddings, who happened to be a few steps from his regiment, rode up, and ordered us to form on the left side of the road. Those of us that were on the other side, dashed across the road, through the flying Missourians. Their officers bawled out to us, not to stop up the road; but it was not time to be cut in two by them; and in one minute we were formed on the upper side, fronting the road; and they continued to pass without obstruction.
"While this was transpiring, the 19th and Morgan’s squadron, charged the enemy, an soon drove them back. In this charge, Major Morgan dashed 15 paces in advanced of his men, was surrounded by a party of Federals, made prisoner, and dismounted. A party of his friends dashed forward, dispersed his captors, and brought out their commander, mounted on a captured horse. Col. Carter was back with the19th and the squadron, was charged by the enemy, got his horse slightly wounded, and narrowly escaped capture. As soon as the Missourians had passed the 21st and the 19th, and the squadron, also passed us, brining with them three prisoners, including a portly looking Captain.
"While the rear of the 19th and the squadron were passing the 21st, the enemy changed position by forming up the ravine, so as to conceal themselves in the thicket, and opened a raking fire on us in the rear, which they kept up for five minutes, before we could change positions. In this fire, a mule was killed under your correspondent, and a horse under T.M. Giboney, both of company H, and L.P. Yetes. Of Co. C was severely wounded in the leg. As soon as practicable, the 21st moved up the ravine, so as to be able to return fire. Just was we began to do so, the enemy retired. We then moved on. The night following was spent in crossing the St. Francis river at Chalk Bluff and sunrise of the next day found us all on the Arkansas side."
Here is what Zuber had to say in his autobiography at pp. 179-180--
“On the forenoon of the first day of May we passed through a lane extending south, down a gentle slope about half a mile long. It was about thirty feet wide, limited by a tall fence on the right-hand side and deep bluff on the left. Near the lower end of the lane, a house stood just inside the field. As I came opposite the front yard, we halted and two men and a woman came out. One man was lame in his right hip and carried a hunting rifle.
"'We’re glad to see you,' one man said. 'You’re the first Confederate soldiers we’ve seen in two years.'
"'But the Feds are driving us out,' I replied. 'Every time we halt, their front fires upon our rear. They’ll be here in five minutes.'
"...South of the abandoned town our front division, all Missourians, halted in a valley beside a stream to take refreshment. The other two divisions passed, leaving them in the rear. The second division, Arkansians and Missourians, halted for a like purpose at the next stream. Then the third division, Texians and Missourians, passed, halted for a like purpose at another stream, and thus were changed from the rear to the front. Here Greene’s brigade, Missourians, filed west down the stream and dismounted, but the Texas brigade, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Giddings, filed along the road and remained on their horses. Their line extended south up the steep hill, from near the stream. They were just off the road, east of it, and faced front toward it. My place was about the middle of the front rank. Pratt’s battery proceeded a little in front of the Texas brigade and halted farther up the hill.
"When the enemy’s front arrived at our first division, it was welcomed by a fire from the Confederates, and fell back. Then our first division resumed their retreat and passed the other two divisions, resuming the placed in front. As they passed the third division, they were cheerful, and some of them were whistling “The Girl I Left Behind Me.” The enemy came to our second division and like result followed. The second division also passed the third.
"The enemy came down a steep hill to ford the stream just behind the rear of the Texas brigade. They had left the road and formed on its lefthand side, where the tall copse hid them from our view. Here they fired upon us, the smoke arising above the copse where they were. Some Texians returned the fire, but I reserved mine until I could see and enemy to shoot at. Then my mule became restless and turned half around, so that I could not turn her again to the proper position. I reined her back of the line, intending to return to my place in proper position, but my view was obstructed by my comrades. The enemy was about seventy years from me, just beyond the stream at the foot of the steep hill whose ascent we occupied. The copse hid them, but smoke rose behind it. I remained out of line, trying to catch sight of an enemy. While I was thus waiting, a ball whistled by my right ear. When the man who fired it had about had time to ram down another cartridge and fire again, another ball whistled by my ear. When about a similar time had elapsed a third ball whistled by in like manner. I was sure that an enemy had selected me an had shot at me three times.

"Just as I was listening to hear a fourth ball whistle, I heard something strike my mule. Looking down, I saw a hole in her flank into which I could have thrust my thumb. I saw no blood, but evidently she was bleeding internally. The Yankee, having shot at me three times and missed, evidently shot the fouth time at my mule, which was a large mark....

"Just as I alighted, our regiment moved off at a canter, leaving the road and going norht through a thick forest...."

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3rd Mo. Cav. at Chalk Bluff
Saber charge at Chalk Bluff
Skirmishing/Confederate positions at Chalk Bluff