Letter written to brother and sister describes the Battle of Pea Ridge, fought in Benton County, Arkansas, March 6-8, 1862. He describes the set up of his battery and lists men lost and injured in battle.
Cyrus Bussey details his exploits as an officer with the Iowa Cavalry. Bussey refers to himself in the third person in this laudatory discussion of his experiences in the Army, including his involvement in the Battles of Pea Ridge and Vicksburg, as well as the occupation of Helena, Arkansas. Cyrus Bussey, a native of Iowa, moved to Bloomfield, Iowa, in 1855. After serving as a Democrat in the Iowa Senate, Bussey was appointed by Governor Kirkwood as an Aide-de-State and was charged with sharing the responsibility for the defense of the state. During the Civil War, he was appointed Colonel of the 3rd Iowa Cavalry. After the war, Bussey was a successful businessman and lawyer in St. Louis, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C.. He was also appointed the Assistant Secretary of the Interior (1889) during the Harrison administration.
