Blazing Away Like Fury

As exhaustion set in and with the battle seemingly over, a new force reignited the fight.

Herron's second assault was a, "heroic, terrific, desperate charge, with few equals and no superiours," yet it ultimately ended just like the first, in failure. The Confederates were determined, once again, to silence the Federal Artillery guns, With the rebel yell, over 1,800 Confederates poured down the hillside and the federal batteries greeted them with a thunderous roar of canister fire from across the field. The men of the 34th Arkansas infantry were so focused on the guns that they failed to realize that they had advanced past the remains of Black's 37th Illinois. The 37th unleashed a murderous fire that tore through the Confederates like "a great scythe of death." The Arkansans "stopped as if amazed" and a second volley sent them running back up hill.

The rest of the Confederates force did succeed in forcing two of the batteries back but, just as before, the overwhelming firepower of the Federal artillery proved to be too much. They retreated in great disorder back to the top of the ridge. Caiptain Murray, from his position on Crawford's Hill, summed up the affair with just four words, "The enemy were checked."

The failed counter-attack was over by four o' clock in the afternoon and bothe sides were exhausted. it appeared as though the Battle of Prairie Grove was over. Much to everyones suprise, an unidentified battery appeared on the hill to the west and started "blazing away like fury." Herron studied the scene and was worried that the enemy had outplanked him. Anxious to determine the identity of the guns, he rode foward. Halfway across the field, a small group of Federal officers were seen riding his way. Salutes were exchanged and the officers were pleased to announce that General James Blunt's Kansas Division had arrived. Blunt's forces would open a new Front one mile west of here.