Early, around six in the morning, in July of 1864, 4 companies of the 6th Kansas regiment, about 200 men, were out grazing the horses and cattle. These companies, which had a reputation with the rebels for being a crack outfit were drinking their morning coffee and having a little bacon when there was a ruckus. At first it was sounds of gunfire and yelling.
“Holy Jesus” the Sergeant yelled, “Ther’s hunnerds of ‘em out ther! Don’t let ‘em get our horses!”

In truth, there were two thousand rebs attacking this vulnerable group.
Bradford Landers was a corporal, jumped to his feet aned got his squad to quickly grab their Sharps breech loaders. A skinny private they called “Ozark” ran by saying it was Indians attacking. Well the Choctaws did fight with the rebels in this part of Arkansas, and they were mean, would kill wounded men and took no prisoners. Scalpin’ was a common habit, too, sometimes before you were dead. The Choctaws were comin’ down the left flank, with regulars down the middle and right flank.
Bradford’s men saw a number of rebs go down, but there were so many they had to keep movin’. They were out in the open in this hilly prairie, and the rebels were just picking them off. They retreated in good order about two miles, but saw some men captured. They saw the old farmhouse in the distance and figured that would provide some cover.
Corporal Landers got his men and some others in the rundown farmhouse, but it was obvious they were going to be surrounded. The men who found horses escaped. There were some unbridled horses not 20 yards away near some scraggly trees, and Bradford decided to run for these horses. He barely got through the side door when a musket ball slammed into his head.
His sister’s husband Isaac Crossley, who was the same company “E” but in another part of the battle, was wounded and taken prisoner.
. This was called the Massard Prairie incident.
This decisive Confederate victory was hailed in Southern papers for its success in destroying a Union battalion, gaining needed weapons and supplies, and exhibiting the military prowess of Gen. Gano, commanding officer of these confederate forces.
Shortly after this ‘victory’ the rebels were driven from the field by a cannonade from a battery company from Ft. Smith which easily overpowered the small howitzers carried by the rebel force. Most of the supplies taken from the army and from the Yankee Sutler (civilian supply wagon) had to be burned or destroyed in their hasty retreat.

See Dale Cox www.exploresouthernhistory.com

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