Battle for the Bridge

Battle for the Bridge. Honey Springs Battlefield. The 6th Kansas Cavalry and 1st Indian Home Guard turned the Confederate's right flank. Federal artillery and infantry fire devastated the center units on the Texas Road. Confederate forces began a withdrawal toward the bridge. Some soldiers reorganized near the toll bridge in an attempt to halt advancing Federal troops. Eventually Federal pressure drove the Confederates from their positions along the creek. Demoralized, the Confederate Army began a rapid retreat with the Federal forces in pursuit. This trail leads to Confederate positions south of the bridge across Elk Creek. , Colonel Martin, who retired in good order across the creek when the line along the prairie near the battery gave way, was directed to hold the ford above the bridge; but seeing the whole right wing falling back from the bridge and below it, Colonel Martin was withdrawn and ordered to fall back to Honey Springs. Our forces were now in full retreat and the enemy pressing them closely. , Brig. Gen. Douglas H. Cooper, CSA, My command was ordered to the left in support of Hopkins' Battery, and then ordered to charge the enemy out of the timber. I advanced, under a destructive fire from the enemy, after hard fighting, gained a position in the timber, and finally drove them across the stream, on the left of the bridge...and desperately contesting every foot of ground. , Col. Stephen H. Wattles, 1st Indian Home Guard, USA