CHAPTER XIV.
THE Arkansas river from the Indian country to its mouth was in possession of the Federals, and Shelby decided to go well up toward Van Buren before attempting to cross it. In the Caddo mountains he met Col. David Hunter with 150 recruits from Missouri. Hunter had resigned the command of an infantry regiment to enter the cavalry service; was an experienced scout and fighter, familiar with the country in which Shelby proposed to operate, and promptly accepted the proposal to return with the latter to Missouri. The Caddo mountains south of the Arkansas river, like the Boston mountains north of it, were infested with numerous bands of marauders, made up of robbers and deserters from both armies, who tortured and plundered the people indiscriminately. These bands received scant mercy at Shelby's hands. One beyond Caddo Gap, which was the terror of the country, was surprised by Major Elliott and annihilated. Before he reached the Arkansas river Shelby met, unexpectedly to each, an Arkansas cavalry regiment, composed principally of Confederate conscript deserters, charged it on sight and killed, captured or scattered it Near Ozark he forded the river and took the town, Major Shanks killing and dispersing a band of plunderers who had possession of it The command was halted and rested one day near Huntsville. At Benton ville, the wreck of a town, having been burned by Sigel's men, Colonel Coffee and a hundred men recruited by him joined the column. Here Shelby threw forward beyond Springfield
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