100

FIGHT AT BARBOURSVILLE.

it. But when nearly over, they were brought to a sudden halt by a chasm made by the uptorn planks, which had been carried away. The mule of the guide went through before he could be brought to a halt, and the rider saved himself only by clinging to the timbers. The rebels, seeing the column thus suddenly arrested, rent the air with cheers. and yells. Maddened by these shouts of triumph and loud taunts, our soldiers dashed forward, each for himself; and some crawling along on the string pieces, and some swinging along the rafters, they at length cleared the gap, though in utter confusion. The rebels, before they had time to form, charged on their flank. But the blood of the men was now fairly up, and without waiting to re-form, they sent up a shout, and clambering up the hill, holding on to roots and bushes, charged like madmen on the solid line. Appalled at the desperate daring, the rebels fired one volley, and then turned and fled like a herd of frightened deer down the hill in rear. The victorious troops sent a few flying shots after them, and then, with streaming banners and victorious strains of martial music, turned and marched through the town. It was nobly, gallantly done. Following up his success, Cox overtook Wise at Gauley bridge, who retreated without risking a battle. Thus in a little over a month, Western Virginia was cleared of the rebels.

McClellan's short but brilliant campaign, had electrified the north, and all eyes were turned to him as the man on whom the mantle of Scott would ultimately fall. The old veteran and hero was too far advanced in years to take the field in person, while his physical infirmities rendered him unequal to the tremendous responsibilities connected with the conduct of so vast a war.

While these stirring events were occurring in Western Virginia, and the army along the Potomac was quietly gathering its energies for a great battle, Missouri was rent by the ravages

FIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE.

101

of civil war. Side by side with Lyon, another officer was rapidly acquiring a national reputation. Colonel Sigel had seen service in Europe, and being placed in command of a German regiment, took the field in Missouri, early in Summer and arrived at Springfield on the 23d of June. Hearing that Jackson was making his way southward to form a junction with General Price, who was encamped in Neosho, the county seat of Newton county, he determined to attack the latter before the rebel governor could come up. Reaching Neosho on the 1st of July, he entered it without opposition, Price having retreated. The next day he learned that Price, Rains and Jackson had succeeded in uniting their forces about eight miles north of Carthage. He immediately informed General Sweeny, who was at Springfield of the fact, and received orders in return to proceed at once and attack his camp. Accordingly on the 4th of July, with about twelve hundred men, he took up his line of march, and on the morning of the 6th came upon the enemy in great force, encamped in the open prairie, most of them mounted. Though plainly outnumbered, he moved his column, which looked a mere speck on the wide prairie, steadily forward, till he came within eight hundred yards of the rebel camp. He then halted, and unlimbering his artillery which was composed of six six, and two twelve pounders, opened fire. On the right and left, the white puffs of smoke shot out over the prairie, followed by the deep reverberations of the guns, rolling away over the vast expanse. rebels, who occupied a slight swell on the plain, replied, and for a time a brisk artillery fire was kept up, while not a tree or a shrub or hill obstructed the view or sheltered the combatants. The rebel practice was miserable, their balls and shells going over the heads of Sigel's command, and exploding in the prairie. On the other hand their guns were being dismounted one after another, when at two o'clock, their

The

102

SIGEL'S ADMIRABLE RETREAT.

cavalry moved off to the right and left, with the intention. of outflanking Sigel, and cutting off his baggage train, which had been left three miles in the rear. The latter penetrating at once the design of the movement, ordered two six pounders to the rear, and changing front, commenced falling back in a steady orderly manner, keeping up a continuous fire as he moved. Not a sound was heard through the quiet, determined ranks, except the occasional orders of the officers, as the line of glittering steel moved swiftly over the prairie, while the clouds of calvary hovered darkly on either side, afraid to venture within range of the death dealing guns. At length he reached his baggage wagons, fifty in number toiling slowly forward. These were at once formed into a solid square, and surrounded by the artillery and infantry, moved slowly back till they approached Dry Fork Creek, where the road passed between two bluffs. On the opposite side of this stream, the cavalry, failing to cut off the baggage train, were drawn up to stop the retreat. But along that road, which led to Carthage, it was absolutely necessary Colonel Sigel should pass, for to fall back to the open prairie, would leave him to be surrounded by a vastly superior force, while to remain where he was, would expose him to a similar danger. He immediately dispatched two cannon to the right, and two to the left, followed by a part of his force, as though he intended to cut a road for himself at these points at all hazards. The enemy, seeing these movements, immediately left the road in which they stood massed, and moved to the right and left to prevent it. Sigel allowed them to approach within a few hundred yards, when suddenly unlimbering his guns, he poured in a terrific cross fire, and at the same time gave the orders to the main army to doublequick. The column started off on a sharp trot, and with loud cheers cleared the bridge, while the enemy's cavalry rent by shrapnell and canister, scattered in every direction.

BATTLE OF CARTHAGE.

103

Horses with empty saddles went neighing and galloping madly over the plain, and the whole body fled in the wildest confusion. Several prisoners were taken, who stated that the rebel force was five thousand five hundred strong. Colonel Sigel now moved rapidly forward towards Carthage, occasionally saluting squads of the enemy that kept hovering along his flank with his artillery. But on reaching the town he found it to his surprise in the hands of the enemy, and a secession flag waving from the top of the court house. This the exasperated soldiers soon shot down. Sigel seeing himself thus outnumbered and his ammunition giving out, determined at all hazards to effect a junction with the balance of the southwestern army, concentrated at Mount Vernon and Springfield. To effect this he saw it was necessary to reach Sarcoxie, some eight miles from Carthage. The road to this place, led through a dense forest, which if he could gain, would protect him from the enemy's cavalry. Aware of this, the rebels had taken possession of the road leading to it, and prepared to dispute his passage. The infantry now for the first time on both sides, came into close conflict and the action became at once fierce and bloody. Though the rebels outnumbered Sigel's force almost five to one, their short guns, and old fashioned muskets, were no match for the Mínié rifles of the latter, and they fell by scores before the murderous volleys that were poured into their ranks. For two hours, from quarter past six to half past eight, the battle raged without a moment's intermission. The sun sank on the strife, twilight came and went, and darkness finally settled over the woods, but still the struggle did not cease. Sigel's progress, however, could be detected by his advancing line of fire and at last the enemy retreated. Our troops had now been marching and fighting for ten hours under a hot July sun, but Sigel fearing to endanger his command by halting, long in the presence of so superior a force,

kept on in the darkness, reaching Sarcoxie in the morning, from whence he leisurely continued his retreat to Mount Vernon.

Sigel had handled his little force throughout the trying circumstances with which he had been surrounded, with consummate skill and shown himself an able tactician, as well as a cool and resolute commander. His entire loss in killed and wounded was only forty-four, while that of the enemy was supposed to be between three and four hundred.

While these events were occurring in Missouri and Western Virginia, the Union men in Kentucky were making desperate efforts to keep the state out of the hands of the secessionists. Success, however, seemed doubtful. Breckenridge was very popular with the young men of the state, and he and others were equally determined that the powerful aid of Kentucky should be secured for the southern confederacy. East Tennessee stood loyal to the Union, and was struggling manfully to keep at least that part of the state true to the old flag. Her devotion to the Union was admirable and cost her afterwards untold suffering.