Rear Guard Action at Moscow

Rear Guard Action at Moscow. Thunder on the Prairie. You are standing where, after four days of skirmishing on Prairie D' Ane northeast of here, Union troops of John Thayer's Frontier Division guarded the rear of Frederick Steele's army as it advanced toward Camden in search of supplies. On April 13, 1854, Confederate troops slammed into the Federal lines on the edge of the prairie and for four hours the two determined forces fought. The Rebels withdrew and were pursued for four miles before Thayer's Yankees, finding themselves isolated, made a night march through swamp to rejoin Steele's command. Union losses were seven killed and 21 wounded. Confederate, casualties were not reported., The enemy were strongly posted near Moscow in a skirt of timber on the edge of the prairie, and would not venture beyond it. Dockery being in the advance attacked with great intrepidity, and at one time captured a section of artillery, but which was afterward retaken by a greatly....[unreadable] , The Rebels attacked us. They drove in our pickets and were in our camp before we were aware of their approach... We were in line until dark. Got a good long look at them and heard cannon balls whistling over our heads... Was the hardest kind of artillery firing for a little while." , Private Henry Strong, 12th Kansas Infantry, U.S.A., Union Forces , Frontier Division> , Brig. Gen John M. Thayer , First Brigade , Col. John Edwards , 1st Arkansas Infantry , Lieut. Col. Elhanan J. Searle , 2d Arkansas Infantry (companies) , Maj. Marshall Stephenson , 18th Iowa Infantry , Capt. William M. Duncan , 2d Indiana Battery , Lieut. Hugh Carey , Second Brigade , Col. Charles Adams , 1st Kansas Colored Infantry , Col James M. Williams , 2d Kansas Colored Infantry , Col. Samuel J. Crawford , 12 Kansas Infantry , Lieut. Col. Joseph L. Hayes , 1st Arkansas Battery , Capt. Newton D. Stark , Third (Mtd Cavalry) Brigade , Lieut. Col. Owen A. Barber , 2d Kansas Cavalry , Maj. John O. Fisk , 6th Kansas Cavalry , Lieut. Col William T. Campbell , 14th Kansas Cavalry , Lieut. Col. John G. Brown, Confederate Forces , Maxey’s Cavalry Division , Brig. Gen. Samuel B. Maxey , Gano’s Brigade , Col. Charles De Morse , 29th Texas Cavalry , Maj. J. A. Carroll , 30th Texas Cavalry , Lieut. Col. N. w. Battle , 31st Texas Cavalry , Maj. Michael Looscan , Welch’s (Texas) Company , Lieut. Frank M. Gano , Texas Battery , Capt. W. Butler Krummtanar , Second Indian Brigade , Col. Tandy Walter , 1st Choctaw Regiment , Lieut. Col James Riley , 2d Choctaw Regiment , Col. Sampson W. Folsom , Dockery’s Brigade , Brig. Gen Thomas P. Dockery , 12th Arkansas Btln. Sharpshooters , 18th Arkansas Mounted Infantry , 19th Arkansas (Dockery’s) Mounted Infantry , Lieut. Col. H. G. P. Williams , 20th Arkansas Mounted Infantry, Captions: , Left: The Twelfth Kansas Infantry, shown here awaiting inspection at Fort Smith, was part of the Frontier Division and fought in the engagement at Moscow , Top right: John M. Thayer's Frontier Division marched from Fort Smith to join Frederick Steele's Union army to fight in the Camden Expedition , Texan Samuel Bell Maxey commanded the Confederate forces in the attack on the Union rearguard at the village of Moscow