Of course, this establishment was abandoned when the Rebel army retreated.  The buildings were set on fire, and all but a half-dozen of them consumed.  When our cavalry reached the place, the rear-guard of the Rebels had been gone less than half an hour.  There were about two hundred chickens running loose among the burning buildings.  Our soldiers commenced killing them, and had slaughtered two-thirds of the lot when one of the officers discovered that they were game-cocks.  This class of chickens not being considered edible, the killing was stopped and the balance of the flock saved.  Afterward, while we lay in camp, they were made a source of much amusement.  The cock-fights that took place in General Curtis’s army would have done honor to Havana or Vera Cruz.  Before we captured them the birds were the property of the officers of a Louisiana regiment.  We gave them the names of the Rebel leaders.  It was an every-day affair for Beauregard, Van Dorn, and Price to be matched against Lee, Johnston, and Polk.  I remember losing a small wager on Magruder against Breckinridge.  I should have won if Breck had not torn the feathers from Mac’s neck, and injured his right wing by a foul blow.  I never backed Magruder after that.

From Cross Hollows, General Curtis sent a division in pursuit of Price’s army, in its retreat through Fayetteville, twenty-two miles distant.  On reaching the town they found the Rebels had left in the direction of Fort Smith.  The pursuit terminated at this point.  It had been continued for a hundred and ten miles—­a large portion of the distance our advance being within a mile or two of the Rebel rear.

In retreating from Fayetteville, the Rebels were obliged to abandon much of the supplies for their army.  A serious quarrel is reported to have taken place between Price and McCulloch, concerning the disposition to be made of these supplies.  The former was in favor of leaving the large amount of stores, of which, bacon was the chief article, that it might fall into our hands.  He argued that we had occupied the country, and would stay there until driven out.  Our army would be subsisted at all hazards.  If we found this large quantity of bacon, it would obviate the necessity of our foraging upon the country and impoverishing the inhabitants.

General McCulloch opposed this policy, and accused Price of a desire to play into the enemy’s hands.  The quarrel became warm, and resulted in the discomfiture of the latter.  All the Rebel warehouses were set on fire.  When our troops entered Fayetteville the conflagration was at its height.  It resulted as Price had predicted.  The inhabitants were compelled, in great measure, to support our army.

The Rebels retreated across the Boston Mountains to Fort Smith, and commenced a reorganization of their army.  Our army remained at Cross Hollows as its central point, but threw out its wings so as to form a front nearly five miles in extent.  Small expeditions were sent in various directions to break up Rebel camps and recruiting stations.  In this way two weeks passed with little activity beyond a careful observation of the enemy’s movements.  There were several flouring mills in the vicinity of our camp, which were kept in constant activity for the benefit of the army.