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1:47 P.M. When black troops overran the bridge, fortunes of battle turned in favor of Gen. Blunt. While most combatants waited for the rain to stop, aggressive black troops had effectively split the confederate battle line in half. The black regiment was now in control of a location Cooper feared most as it could easily flank different positions "near the fords."23 If the First Kansas moved east, it could block two lower crossings and trap Cooper's right wing north of Elk Creek. If it moved west, the First Kansas could block fords above the bridge and cut off his left wing. Moreover, if black troops split and moved east and west, they could obstruct all the main fords across Elk Creek. If the latter happened, the regiment could entrap most of Cooper's men north of the creek without rebel artillery support. |
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23 Ibid, p. 462. 24 Ibid, Vol. 7:53-64. 25 Ibid, p. 459. 26 Stevens to Judson, July 19, 1863, Official Records , i, XXII, Pt. 1,p. 453. 27 Ibid, p. 448. 28 Ibid, Vol. 7:53-64. |
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1:55 P.M. When rebel units north of the creek heard black troops had crossed the bridge, shocked confederates started to fall back. The left wing "now in full retreat"25 received orders from Cooper to rally at his headquarters in Honey Springs. Troops retreating across the ford above the bridge had to wait for the First Kansas to cross their path. |
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Some Texans who minutes earlier escaped the black troops' grasp held their fire so as not to attract attention again. As Blunt's staff cautiously entered the timber, they found dead and wounded confederates lying in the brush. Moving deeper into the trees, they discovered groups of dead cavalry horses, still saddled and tethered together. Approaching the bridge, they rounded up stunned and bewildered men who had escaped the onslaught, "I skirmished the woods, capturing 8 prisoners, with their arms…"26 When Blunt reached Elk Creek Bridge, the bloody landscape confirmed Lee's battery and its defenders had been "completely routed."27 Bodies and weapons in the mud revealed how relentlessly black troops had pressed the enemy. Nearby, Blunt's staff collected reports of more bodies and dead horses between the fords. On the creek's bottom, a crowd of wounded rebels and horses lay heaped on top of each other. Desperate men still alive yelled for help and fought to escape fast-rising creek water. As Blunt assessed his good fortune, a messenger gave him a surprising report. The black troops had advanced to the Honey Springs wagon depot and were attempting to capture Lee's cannon without cavalry or artillery support. The regiment crossed Honey Springs Creek to advance within one-half mile of the confederate guns. Ahead of them, Lee entered the jam-packed depot area "on de big road, what we called de road to Texas, but it go all de way up to de North, too."28 When the regiment advanced another quarter mile, they saw a single cannon 200 yards in their front. The gun was in the middle of Big Texas Road and pointed directly at them. Solders and mounted officers protected the cannon on both sides. When black troops approached within 150 yards without receiving fire, they saw the gun's carriage was stuck in the mud up to its axles. The regiment now had an opportunity to capture the cannon and wagon depot at the same time. |
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Now, black troops held a numerical advantage over rebel troops south of Elk Creek. Only a small Choctaw-Chickasaw reserve battalion stood between the First Kansas and Cooper's headquarters. Nonetheless, after reforming into companies, the black regiment followed cannon tracks toward Big Texas Road. Just one-half mile ahead of them, Lee's men cleared terrified residents off roads so they could retreat to the wagon depot. Inhabitants struggled hard to get out of the way. "Dey dragging some big guns on wheels and most de men slopping long in de rain on foot."24 As the rain slacked up and sunshine appeared, the regiment increased its speed to double-quick and started to close the distance between themselves and Lee's guns. They knew the killing power of rebel canister and wanted to prevent Lee from going into battery against them. |
