Prairie Grove Campaign-- In northwest Arkansas, Gen. James Blunt and his mostly-Kansas division of 5,000 are encamped near Cane Hill, which is near Fayetteville. In spite of Hindman’s secrecy, dozens of reports come in to Blunt, mostly from local Unionists, about the Confederate egress from Fort Smith. The information Blunt recieves is flawed, however: he believe that 25,000 Confederates, instead of Hindman’s actual 12,000, are on their way, and are closer than he had thought. True to form, Blunt (believing he is outnumbered 5 to 1) decides to stand and make a fight of it. Blunt sends dispatches to Springfield, Missouri, asking Gen. Herron and the rest of the Army of the Frontier to hasten southward to his aid, and to Gen. Curtis, commander of the department what the situation boded.
—A story in the Richmond Daily Dispatch, of dubious authenticity, tells of negro slaves making patriotic sacrifices for the boys in gray:
Benj. Marable, Esq., of Halifax county, Va. has four negro men who, for some time, have been engaged working on the fortifications at Richmond. A few days ago they came up home on a visit, and finding good warm clothing, excellent shoes and socks made for them they generously declined them, on condition that their master would send them to the suffering soldiers who, they said, needed them much more than they did. They had seen suffering soldiers, and in touched their hearts to compassion; besides they want the South to conquer. Now. how many miserable money grabbers and Shylocks, with white skin, but hearts blacker than the hied of these contrabands, would have been as self-sacrificing, generous, and magnanimous? Not one! The articles thus contributed by these colored would buy several barrels of corn, at the price. . . .
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