a regiment of the enemy was in line, with a Secession flag and a Federal flag displayed together. This trick of the enemy caused me for a moment some uncertainty, fearing by some accident that a portion of our own troops might have got thus far in advance; but their fire soon satisfied me upon this head. I immediately opened upon them with canister from both pieces, in which service I am happy to be able to say I was ably assisted by Capt. Gordon Granger, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, and 1st Lieut. D. Murphy, 1st Missouri Volunteers. The next step in the progress of the battle was where the enemy tried to force his way up the road, passing along by their battery toward Springfield. This was an effort to turn the left of our position on the hill, where my battery first came into position-and for a time the enemy seemed determined to execute his object. Four pieces of my battery were still in position there, and Capt. Dubois' battery of four pieces on the left near the road. As the enemy showed himself, our infantry and artillery opened upon his ranks, and drove him back, and he appeared no more during the day. About that time, and just after the enemy had been effectually driven back, as last mentioned, I met General Lyon for the last time. He was wounded, he told me, in the leg, and I observed blood trickling from his heel. I offered him some brandy, of which I had a small supply in my canteen, but he declined, and rode slowly to the right and front. Immediately after he passed forward, Gen. Lyon sent me an order to support the Kansas regiments, on the extreme right, who were then being closely pressed by the enemy. I ordered Lieutenant Sokalski to move forward with a section immediately, which he did, and most gallantly, too, relieving and saving the Kansas regiments from being overthrown and driven back. After this, the enemy tried to overwhelm us by an attack of some eight hundred cavalry, which, unobserved, had formed below the crests of the hill to our right and rear. Fortunately, some of our infantry companies, and a few pieces of artillery from my battery, were in position to ineet this demonstration, and drove off this cavalry with ease. This was the only demonstration made by their cavalry; and it was so effete and ineffectual in its force and character, as to deserve only the appellation of child's play. Their cavalry is utterly worthless on the battle-field. The next and last point where the artillery of my battery was engaged was on the right of the left wing of the Iowa regiments, and somewhat in their front. The battle was then, and had been for some time, very doubtful as to its results. Gen. Lyon was killed, and our forces had been all day engaged, and several regiments were broken and had retired. The enemy, also sadly dispirited, were merely making a demonstration to cover their retreat from the immediate field of battle. At this time the left wing of the Iowa regiment was brought up to support our brave men still in action, while two pieces of my battery were in advance on the right. The last effort was short and decisive, the enemy leaving the field and retiring down through the valley, covered by thick underbrush, to the right of the centre of the field of battle, toward their camp on Wilson's Creek. After this we were left unmolested, and our forces were drawn off the field in good order under Major Sturgis, who had assumed command directly after Gen. Lyon's death. It should be borne in mind that in the foregoing report I have only glanced at the main points of the battle where the pieces of my own artillery were engaged. I have not entered into detail at all, and could not without entering into a more elaborate history of the affair than appears to be called for on this occasion from me. I wish simply now, in conclusion, to make a few deserved remarks upon the conduct of my officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers during the battle. In reference to Lieut. Sokalski, it gives me the liveliest satisfaction to bear witness to his coolness and bearing throughout the entire day; no officer ever behaved better, under such trying circumstances as he found himself surrounded by at times during the day. The non-commissioned officers and men, to a man, behaved admirably, but I am constrained to mention Sergeants Robert Armstrong and Gustave Dey, and Corporals Albert Watchman and Lorenzo T. Immell, who were on several occasions during the day greatly exposed and severely tried, and bore themselves with great credit. The other non-commissioned officers were equally deserving and meritorious according to the time they were in action, but those mentioned were constantly engaged, and deserve particular notice, and because they were always equal to the duties imposed upon them. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES TOTTEN, Captain 2d Artillery, Commanding Light Company F. Captain GORDON GRANGER, Acting Assistant AdjutantGeneral, Army of the West. LT. DUBOIS REPORT. CAMP NEAR ROLLA, Mo., Aug. 17, 1861. Captain Gordon Granger, United States Army, Acting Adjutant-General, Army of the West: CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that after the pickets of the enemy were driven in on the morning of the 10th inst., I followed Captain Steele's battalion into action. Having no position assigned me, I selected one directly opposite to and about four hundred yards from the advanced batteries of the enemy. My position was such that my men were partially and my horses entirely protected from direct musketry fire. After assisting Captain Totten to silence the enemy's batteries, in which we perfectly succeeded, I received orders from Gen. Lyon to Very respectfully, your obe- Second Lieutenant Mounted Rifles, Commanding move my battery to the right-Captain Granger not victorious. Capt. Granger now countermanded my order to move, and by a change of front to the left I enfiladed their line and drove them back with great slaughter, Capt. Granger directing one of my guns. Their broken troops rallied behind a house on the right of their line. I struck this house twice with a twelve pound shot, when they showed an hospital flag. I ceased firing and their troops retired. Large bodies now collected in a ravine in front of the centre; by using small charges I succeeded in shelling the thicket, but could not judge of the effect of my fire. It seemed to check the enemy, as he changed his position to one more to my right and beyond my fire. A new battery now opened upon us from the crest of the hill opposite, and having a plunging fire it did great execution, all the shot of which passed over me, falling among the wounded, who had been carried in rear of my battery in large numbers. We succeeded in partially silencing this fire, and at the same time drove back a large column of cavalry which had turned our position and were preparing to charge our rear. During the entire engagement I was so embarrassed by my ignorance of General Siegel's position, that on several occasions I did not fire upon their troops until they had formed within a few hundred yards of our line, fearing they might be our own men advancing to form a junction with us. During the last effort of the enemy to break through our right wing and capture our batteries, I limbered up two guns to send to Captain Totten's assistance. Before I could have a road opened through the wounded, I was ordered to fall back to a hill in the rear, and protect a retreat. I remained until all our troops had passed in good order, and was marching to the rear when my twelve pound gun broke down; I asked Major Osterhaus to protect me with his battalion; he remained with me until I repaired damages, and then marched in my rear until I joined the command on the prairie. I now received orders to take command of a rear guard, but as I had already joined Captain Steele's battalion of regulars, and we had formed a rear guard under his command, I reported this fact, and marched to Springfield under Captain Steele. We were not followed by the enemy, who had, I think, been driven from the field before we left it. CAPTAIN STEELE'S REPORT. CAMP NEAR ROLLA, Mo., August 17, 1861. CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my battalion, at the battle near Springfield, Mo., on the 10th instant. The battalion was composed of companies B and E, Second Infantry, commanded by First Sergeants Griffin and G. H. McLaughlin, a company of general service recruits, commanded by First Lieutenant W. L. Lothrop, Fourth Artillery, and a company of mounted rifle recruits, commanded by Lance Sergeant Morine. During the early part of the action the battalion was in position to support Dubois' battery, but had no opportunity of engaging the enemy except to assist in dispersing a large body of cavalry that frequently threatened our rear. Soon after the fall of Gen. Lyon, Capt. C. C. Gilbert, First Infantry, joined my battalion with a part of his company, and we made arrangements to repel a threatened assault on the battery in front, which was repelled without our becoming engaged with the enemy. Major Sturgis then ordered me to form line of battle and advance upon the enemy's front, whence the heaviest firing had proceeded during the day. We very soon came within range of the enemy's rifles, when a fierce contest ensued, the enemy gradually retiring upon his reserve, where he made a stand from which our small force was unable to drive him. After a heavy firing on both sides in this position, without any apparent advantage on either side, the contest ceased for a short time, as if by mutual consent. We were opposed to vastly superior numbers, and many of our men were killed and wounded, so that I did not deem it discreet to charge upon the enemy without support, although Captain Gilbert suggested it. During this suspension of hostilities I received orders from Major Sturgis to send a company of skirmishers on the brow of the hill to our left and front. Lieutenant Lothrop went in command of this company, but was met with such a galling fire from the enemy that he was compelled to retire; all of which service he performed with coolness and intrepidity. Lieutenant Lothrop's retreat was followed up by a vigorous attack from the enemy upon us as well as upon Totten's battery, on our left and rear. The enemy had a field-piece established under the crest of the hill to our left and front, which threw grape with spitefulness-and occasionally a shell-with more moral effect than dainage to us. This piece was now reinforced by one or two pieces of the same character, all of which threw an incessant shower of missiles at us; but my men were ordered to stoop, and very few took effect on us. It was now evident that the ene Another short suspension of hostilities ensued. After a consultation with the officers, Major Sturgis sent me orders to retire. Just at that time Captain Granger came up to me, and we discovered that the enemy were about to renew the attack upon us. Captain Granger rushed to the rear and collected several hundred volunteers of different regiments, while we held the enemy in check, and formed them on our left. We then advanced upon the enemy and drove them off the field, and never saw one of them afterward. After collecting our command we retired slowly from the field. my intended to take Totten's battery, as a | Lieutenant Farrand, First Infantry, also restrong column of infantry was advancing upon ported to Colonel Siegel, but was not under my it. Totten mowed them down with canister in command, being placed at the opposite exfront, and our infantry poured a murderous fire tremity of the brigade. Colonel Siegel placed into their flanks, which compelled them to beat me in advance, with orders to seize persons a hasty retreat. The enemy had failed in all who might give information to the enemy, and his endeavors to dislodge us from our position, the command moved about sunset. The night which I conceived to be the strategic point of was very dark, and it was with great difficulty the battle-field, and was determined to hold it that we avoided losing our way or getting at all hazards. separated. At about eleven o'clock the command was halted, and rested till two, when it moved on, approaching the rear of the enemy's camp. Upon nearing the camp, after daylight, different stragglers were met going from the camp to the surrounding country, and all captured, so that no intimation was given to the enemy of our presence till the first gun was fired. Colonel Siegel directed me to take the right flank, and then proceeded into the valley below the camp, and opened fire of cannon upon it; I, in the mean time, moving to the edge of the bluff and opening fire with our carbines, for the purpose of distracting the attention of the enemy, being at too great a distance to do much execution. A few minutes before Colonel Siegel opened fire, I heard the firing at the opposite end of the camp, and sent word to him that General Lyon was engaged. This was a little after six A. M. The enemy ran out of their camp, which was of cavalry, and contained the head-quarters and tents of McCulloch and McIntosh. Colonel Siegel then took position on their camp ground, and I moved up along the bluff. Up to this time I had observed wagons and horsemen moving up toward the west and going south along the Fayetteville road, the point where we struck the camp being in the valley below that road and probably two miles from where it crosses the creek. At this time I was about a mile from the main command-it being on the west side of the valley, while I was on the bluff and higher up-when I commanded the rear guard on the retreat toward Springfield, but saw nothing of the enemy. It was evident that he had been severely punished. I wish to call the attention of the Major commanding to the gallant conduct of Captain C. C. Gilbert, of First Infantry; of First Lieutenant Lothrop, Fourth Artillery, and George H. McLaughlin received the highest commendations of all the officers present. I also mention the First Sergeant of Captain Gilbert's company, Mandrazz, who was killed in the last assault of the enemy; also First Sergeant Griffin, commanding Company B, Second Infantry, and Lance Sergeant Morine, commanding the company of Mounted Rifle recruits, each of whom behaved with distinguished gallantry. Sergeant Morine was mortally wounded, and died on.the field. During the critical state of the combat, II observed a large body of cavalry forming and conferred with Captain Gilbert, whose intelligence and soldierly qualities are well known, and whose self-possession during the battle was calculated to inspire the men with confidence. In the latter part of the contest he received a wound in the shoulder, which compelled him to retire from the field. I furnish herewith a list of the killed, wounded, and missing of my command during the day. I have the honor to be, Captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRED. K. STEELE, REPORT OF CAPTAIN CARR. CAMP, NEAR ROLLA, Mo., August 17, 1861. SIR: Having been requested, through Major Sheppard, to write a report of my share in the late battle, I have the honor to state that: On the afternoon of the 9th inst. I was ordered to report to Colonel Siegel at six o'clock with my company, (I, First Cavalry,) which I did. Company C, Second Dragoons, commanded by approaching the command. I immediately sent word to Colonel Siegel and retired myself, as it was getting between me and him. I was obliged to go back to get across the creek, and in the mean time the cavalry had formed to charge and had been broken up by Colonel Siegel and put to flight, though their officers raved and stormed and tore their hair in trying to make their men advance. When I reached Colonel Siegel again he told me he was going to advance, and to take my place on the left flank, which I did, keeping in line with the advance along the road. After advancing a short distance-I think to within about half a mile of the Fayettevillo crossing, and over a mile from where we first engaged-the command encountered a concealed battery, on or near the Fayetteville road, into which ours had forked. The action here was hot, and there was continued cannonading with some firing of mus ketry, for, I should think, half an hour. I could see but little, being mostly in the timber to the left, with my company, among which At six A. M. the fire was opened on our right. Ten minutes later the enemy showed themselves in our front. I ordered a charge, which resulted in the entire rout of the enemy, about 1,000 in number, and drove them from the brush into the upper corn-field. The second was by the right of my command, making through the fence at the upper end of the cornfield, under Captain Switzler; the left under my immediate command to the left of the cornfield, with a right wheel, forming a cross fire and junction with the Eighth, telling fearfully on the enemy, and resulting in an entire rout and abandonment of the field. The squadron then retired to the left, and occupied a high ridge for observation. It was soon discovered that a company of cavalry and some four or five companies of infantry were flanking us on the left. bullets, shot and shell frequently struck, with- | by me was ordered from the rear to the front out, however, killing a man. At that time of the command by General Lyon. When I many were in doubt if it were not our own advanced, I found the General occupying a troops firing upon us. At about ten o'clock point on the right of the ravine overlooking one of my corporals told me that one of Colonel the head of the rebel forces in camp on Wilson's Siegel's staff officers had brought our order to Creek. He at once called my attention to parretreat, and as all the troops in sight were re- ties occupying the ridges and corn-fields on the treating I did so too, bringing up the rear. left, asking me if I could drive them back; to After retiring about one and a half miles, dur- which I replied that I would try. I was then ing which we were fired on from a bushy hill- ordered to take the extreme left with my comside, by a body of men, whom I repulsed, but mand, (consisting of my own and Capt. Switzwho caused the loss of one of our remaining ler's company of cavalry,) and sustain it if posguns by killing a wheel-horse, I saw Colonel sible. I at once took position on the left, and Siegel at the spring where we camped the first immediately in front of the corn-fields. night, when returning from Dug Spring. It was then decided to move south on the Fayetteville road till we could go out and circle round the enemy toward Springfield. We then had my company, (fifty-six men,) about one hundred and fifty infantry badly demoralized, one piece, and two caissons. After retiring about one and a half miles, a large body of cavalry was discovered in front of us, and I was sent to the front, where I observed a column of horse of at least a quarter of a mile in length, moving toward the south on our right and filing into the road in front. I watched them for a few moinents, when Colonel Siegel sent me word to take the first left-hand road, which luckily happened to be just at that point. While retreating along this road, Col. Siegel asked me to march slowly so that the infantry could keep up. I urged upon him that the enemy would try to cut us off in crossing Wilson's Creek, and that the infantry and artillery should at least march as fast as the ordinary walk of my horses; he assented and told me to go on, which I did at a walk, and upon arriving at the creek I was much surprised and pained to find that he was not up; as, however, I observed a great body coming from the enemy's camp, which was not far off, I concluded that it was no time for delay and moved on, after watering my horses, till I arrived at a spot where I thought I could venture to halt and wait for Col. Siegel, which I did for some time, and then pursued my march to Springfield. In their detached condition it was thought prudent to make an advance upon them. We advanced steadily until evident signs of retreat were visible, when a charge was ordered, which resulted in cutting off one company, and the entire destruction of it except two. At this point we were immediately south of the second or large corn-field, and immediately back of their hospital, at the mouth of a ravine leading to the left, and no doubt would have been cut off by a column in the upper end of the cornfield, (that had escaped my notice,) had it not been for the relief of Captain Totten's battery on the extreme right. A few shots told with fearful effect, relieved my command, and drove the enemy below. Our victory at this time appeared complete on the left. In twenty minutes, perhaps, a body of cavalry appeared half a mile to our left. We advanced steadily upon them before coming in gun-shot. They gave way; we followed to the top of the ridge, when we found ourselves in the face of a camp not before discovered. Captain Switzler and myself took a It turned out that the Colonel was ambuscaded as I anticipated, his whole party broken up, and that he himself narrowly escaped. It is a subject of regret with me to have left him behind, but I supposed all the time that he was close behind me, until I got to the creek, and it would have done no good for my company to have been cut to pieces also. As it was, four of my men were lost, who had been placed in the rear of his infantry. I am, sir, very re-position of observation, and estimated the forces spectfully, your obedient servant, E. A. CARR, Captain First Cavalry. A. A.-G. Army of the West. REPORT OF CAPTAIN WRIGHT. CAMP NEAR ROLLA, August 19, 1861. MAJOR: On the morning of the 10th, at half-past five oclock, the squadron commanded in this camp at ten thousand. We soon learned from the movements that they were falling into column, and evidently going to march on the Federal troops to the right. We at once retired to our former position. Finding no appearance of the enemy at that point on the left, (except the column referred to,) I at once rode up to head-quarters in per son and reported their approach; at the time Division, Brig.-Gen. Steen, of this State, comthey were first seen coming down the hill, manding, left on the 2d day of August. I went Captain Switzler fell back and brought out the forward with the Second Division, which emcommand. The command of the left was a braced the greater portion of my infantry, and complete success. I cannot speak too highly encamped with it some twelve miles north-west in praise of Captain Switzler and his entire of Cassville. The next morning, a messenger company. To single any out would be super-from Gen. McCulloch informed me that he had fluous. They acted as a unit. Officers and reason to believe that the enemy were in force men under my immediate command acted on the road to Springfield, and that he should bravely, nobly. In short, every order was remain at his then encampment on Crane Creek promptly obeyed and courageously carried out, until the Second and Third Divisions of the without the tremor of a single man. Very re- army had come up. The Second Division conspectfully submitted, sequently moved forward to Crane Creek, and I ordered the Third Division to a position within three miles of the same place. CLARK W. WRIGHT, REPORT OF THE NATIONAL LOSS. The official reports of the fight at Wilson's Creek make up the following result: Killed. W'ded. Miss'g. Capt. Plummer's Battery, 19 52 3 4 9 1 Capt. Dubois' Battery, 1 First Missouri Volunteers, Capt. Steele's Battery, Capt. Carr's Co. I, 1st Cav'y, First Kansas Volunteers, Second Kansas Volunteers, The advance guard of the army, consisting of six companies of mounted Missourians, under command of Brig.-Gen. Rains, was at that time (Friday, Aug. 2) encamped on the Springfield road, about five miles beyond Crane Creek. About 9 o'clock A. M. of that day, Gen. Rains' pickets reported to him that they had been driven in by the enemy's advance guard; and that officer immediately led forward his whole force, amounting to nearly 400 men, until he found the enemy in position, some three miles on the road. He sent back at once to Gen. McCulloch for reinforcements, and Col. McIntosh, C. S. A., was sent forward with 150 men; but a reconnoissance of the ground having satisfied the latter that the enemy did not have more than 150 men on the ground, he withdrew his men and returned to Crane Creek. Gen. Rains soon discovered, however, that he was in presence of the main body of the enemy, numbering, according to his estimate, more than five thousand men, with eight pieces of artillery, and supported by a considerable body of cavalry. A severe skirmish ensued, which lasted several hours, until the enemy opened their batteries, and compelled our troops to retire. In this engagement the greater portion of Gen. Rains' command, and especially that part which acted as infantry, behaved with great gallantry, as the result demonstrates; for our loss was only one killed, (Lieut. Northcut,) and five wounded, while five of the enemy's dead were buried on the field, and a large number are known to have been wounded. I began to move my command from its encampment on Cowskin Prairie, in McDonald County, on the 25th of July, toward Cassville, Our whole forces were concentrated the next in Barry County, at which place it had been day near Crane Creek, and during the same agreed between Gens. McCulloch, Pearce, and night, the Texan regiment, under Col. Greer, myself, that our respective forces, together came up within a few miles of the same place. with those of Brig.-Gen. McBride, should be Reasons, which will be hereafter assigned, concentrated, preparatory to a forward move-induced me, on Sunday, the 4th inst., to put ment. We reached Cassville on Sunday, the the Missouri forces under the direction, for the 28th of July, and on the next day effected a time being, of Gen. McCulloch, who accordingjunction with the armies of Gens. McCulloch | ly assumed the command in chief of the comand Pearce. bined armies. A little after midnight we took The combined armies were then put under up the line of march, leaving our baggage marching orders, and the First Division, Gen. trains, and expecting to find the enemy near McCulloch commanding, left Cassville on the the scene of the late skirmish; but we found, as 1st of August, upon the road to this city. The we advanced, that they were retreating rapidly Second Division, under Gen. Pearce, of Arkan-toward Springfield. We followed them hastily sas, left on the 1st day of August; and the Third about 17 miles, to a place known as Moody's |