PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF WILSON'S CREEK. PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF WILSON'S CREEK. 289 Battle of Wilson's Battle of Wilson's for himself while he placed | noticed. Under these cirhis men in danger. Indeed cumstances, Major Sturgis he had already unwisely ex- had about determined to posed himself. Seeing blood upon his hat, I cross his command through the valley (the reinquired, "General, are you badly hurt?" to cent northern camp of the enemy) eastward, which he replied, "I think not seriously." and, if possible, make a junction with Siegel on He had mounted another horse, and was as or near the Fayetteville road. Before he had busily engaged as ever. time to give the necessary orders, another attack from the enemy was announced by the volleys of musketry which were heard on our right. Major Sturgis directed his attention that way, and the enemy were again repulsed. "Captain Totten then reported his cannon ammunition nearly gone. This decided the course to be pursued, and Major Sturgis at once sent the ambulances towards the city, and Lieutenant DuBois' battery back to the "The Iowa First, under Lieutenant-Colonel Merritt, and part of the Kansas troops were ordered forward to take the place of the Missouris. They fought like tigers, stood firm as trees, and saved us from utter and overwhelming defeat. General Lyon saw their indomitable perseverance and bravery, and with almost his last breath praised their behavior in glowing terms. Three companies of the Iowans were placed in ambush by Cap-hill at the north end of the valley, to protect tain Granger, of the regulars. Lying down close to the brow of the hill, they waited for another attempt of the enemy to retake their position. On they came, in overwhelming numbers. Not a breath was heard among the Iowans, till their enemies came within thirty-five or forty feet, when they poured the contents of their Minnie muskets into the enemy, and routed them, though suffering terribly themselves at the same time. Two Kansas companies afterward did the same thing on the eastern slope, and repulsed a vigorous attack of the enemy. "Lyon now desired the men to prepare to make a bayonet charge immediately after delivering their next fire. The Iowans at once offered to go, and asked for a leader. On came the enemy. No time could be lost to select a leader. "I will lead you," exclaimed Lyon. "Come on, brave men." He had about placed himself in the van of the Iowans, while General Sweeney took a similar position to lead on a portion of the Kansas troop, when the enemy came only near enough to discharge their pieces, and retired before the destructive fire of our men. Before the galling fire from the enemy, the brave General Lyon fell. The command now devolved upon Major Sturgis. There was no certainty that Siegel had been engaged in the fight at all, as our artillery had kept up such a constant roar that guns three miles distant were but little the retreat. Then, in good order, the remnant of the bravest body of soldiers in the United States commenced a retreat, even while they were victorious in battle. Siegel was experiencing the fortunes of a reverse on the East. He had advanced so rapidly as to surprise the enemy, and, by capturing his pickets, was upon them like a whirlwind. They flew before him as he pressed his way toward the Fayetteville road, which he reached, and a fine position was secured on a hill. Having heard the firing suddenly cease in the direction of Lyon's forces, he supposed the Federal attack, like his own, to have been successful; and, that Lyon's troops were pursuing the enemy, he deemed conclusive from the large bodies of the rebels moving towards the South. He stated, in his report; Siegel's Report. "This was the state of affairs at half-past eight o'clock a. M., when it was reported that Lyon's men were coming up the road. Lieutenant Albert, of the Third, and Colonel Salomon, of the Fifth, notified their regi. ments not to fire on troops coming in that direction, whilst I cautioned the artillery in the same manner. Our troops, at this moment, expected with anxiety the approach of our friends, and were waving the flag raised as a signal to their comrades, when at once two batteries opened their fire against us-oue in front, on the Fayetteville road, and the other upon the hill upon which we had supposed Lyon's forces were in pursuit of the enemy, whilst a strong column of infantry-supposed to be the Iowa regi REPORT OF COLONEL SIEGEL. 291 Siegel's Report. ed our right. "It is impossible for me to describe the consternation and frightful confusion which was occasioned by this important event. The cry, They (Lyon's troops) are firing against us!' spread like wildfire through our ranks; the artillerymen, ordered to fire, and directed by myself, could hardly be brought forward to serve their pieces; the infantry would not load their arms until it was too late. The enemy arrived within ten paces of the muzzles of our cannon, killed the horses, turned the flanks of the infantry, and forced them to fly. The troops were throwing themselves into the bushes and by-roads, retreating as well as they could, followed and attacked incessantly by large bodies of Arkansas and Texas cavalry. In this retreat we lost five cannon (of which three were spiked,) and the colors of the Third-the color-bearer having been wounded and his substitute killed. The total loss of the two regiments, the artillery and the pioneers, in killed, wounded and missing, amounts to eight hundred and ninety-two men." Siegel stated, as the chief cause of the repulse, that four hundred men of the threemonths troops, (Colonel Salomon's regiment,) whose term of enlistment had expired, were unwilling to go into the fight, and stampeded at the first opportunity. Their defection and insubordination lost all at the critical moment. The affair was, notwithstanding these reverses, a drawn battle. The enemy, after their last repulse by Major Sturgis, retired in confusion and prepared to retreat, fearing an advance by our troops-which would have been the case had not the artillery ammunition given out, as reported. The rebels set fire to and consumed a large train of their stores, munitions and camp equipment, to save their capture by the Federals. This alone proves how nearly the battle was won on the right and front. Had Siegel appeared at that opportune moment, the large army of the enemy (confessed to have been twenty-three thousand strong) would have been overwhelmed with defeat by five thousand five hundred Federal troops! enemy would soon cut off retreat in that direction. Siegel took command of the general disposition for the retreat. He was called upon to exercise all his ingenuity to get out of the net now thrown around him by the strong columns of the rebels, who well knew every rood of soil in that section. Preparations were begun for the retreat on the night of the 14th. By daybreak the Federal columns were on the march towards the Gasconade. A correspondent, on the evening of the 10th, wrote: "With a baggage train five miles long to protect, it will be singular, indeed, if the enemy does not prove enterprising enough to cut off a portion of it, having such a heavy force of cavalry." But, the retreat was safely effected, and the vicinity of Rolla was reached Saturday, August 19th. There the three-months men were disposed for disbandment, and the gallant Iowa First was sent forward immediately to St. Louis to be mustered out of service-its term having also expired. The Losses. The official reports of the Federal losses showed them to be as follows: killed, two hundred and twenty-three; wounded, seven hundred and twenty-one; missing, two hundred and ninety-two. Of the wounded, two hundred and eight were of the First Missouri; one hundred and eighty-one of the First Kansas, and one hundred and thirty-eight of the First Iowa volunteers; proving how obstinately these regiments must have fought. It is a record of blood, but also one of honor. Well did the troops win the right to have "Springfield" blazoned on their banners! The rebel loss was equally great. Price confessed his own division of five thousand two hundred and twenty-one officers and men to have suffered to the extent of one hundred and fifty-six killed, five hundred and seventeen wounded. In this proportion for the other divisions the killed and wounded would reach a sum greater than that of the Federalists. Ben McCullough in his official report stated their entire loss to have been two hundred and sixty-five killed and eight hundred wounded. There is good reason for believing these figures to be greatly smaller than were confirmed by the surgeon | dinary avocation, with the full assurance that they, and regimental returns. McCullough's statis- their families, their homes, and their property shall tics never were regarded as worthy of much be carefully protected. credence where his own vanity or personal importance was concerned. This disaster was followed by an inroad of the enemy, as Lyon foresaw, which soon gave them possession of that portion of the State. It cost much blood and treasure, and many months of hard campaigning to dislodge them. Had Lyon been reenforced all would have been well. Even two or three fresh regiments of infantry and one of cavalry would have filled up the ranks of the retiring three-months men, and have afforded forces enough to have kept the enemy at bay until Fremont could come on in force. The loss of Springfield inflicted untold suffering upon the Unionists of that section. It was a disaster for which the country did not cease to hold Fremont responsible, although the General urged the strong plea that what men he had were totally unfit for the field from want of arms, transportation, &c. "I at the same time warn all evil-disposed persons who may support the usurpations of any one claiming to be provisional or temporary Governor of Missouri, or who shall in any other way give aid or comfort to the enemy, that they will be held as enemies and treated accordingly. (Signed) STERLING PRICE, This had the effect to throw into his ranks a large number of those people in the southwestern portion of the State who awaited the result of this conflict before determining their allegiance. It also forced acquiescence from all settlers who did not flee with the Federal army; but, even that acquiescence did not protect their farms from devastation by the hordes of veritable vagabonds of which the invading army was largely composed. It is certain that the army brought by McCullough into Missouri was composed almost exclusively of Texan and Arkansas Rangers-men as wild as Indians and as ferocious as hyenas. They never, in all their service in the Confederate ranks, were brought under subjugation to discipline. The" border ruffians" who also gathered around Price were but little better. It was of such elements that the armies of Price, Van Dorn, McCullough and Rains were afterwards in a great degree composed. The State Convention ac Assemblage of the State Convention. cording to call of the Committee, assembled at Jefferson City, July 20th, to provide for the reorganization of the State Executive pending a regular election of State officers. The Conven "We have just achieved a glorious victory over the foe, and scattered far and wide the appointed army which the usurper at Washington has been more than six months gathering for your subjugation, as elected early in the year, was comtion and enslavement. This victory frees a large portion of the State from the power of the invaders, and restores it to the protection of its army. It consequently becomes my duty to assure you that it is my firm determination to protect every peacea ble and law-abiding citizen in the full enjoyment of all his rights, whatever may have been his sympa thies in the present unhappy struggle, if he has not taken an active part in the cruel warfare which has been waged against the good people of this State by the ruthless enemies whom we have just deI therefore invite all good citizens to return to their homes and the practice of their or feated. posed of secessionists and loyalists—the latter in the majority. Its proceedings were of course accompanied with much excitement, and the presence at the Capitol of a strong guard was deemed necessary to prevent a descent on, and the seizure of, the delegates by the revolutionists, whose secret and open organizations were everywhere. well-perfected plan of uprising had been arranged by Price, which was only frustrated by the presence, throughout the surrounding country, and within calling distance, of sever It is said a |