Doc. 162. THE BATTLE OF BAYOU BARNARD. band of sixty of Coleman's men, led by himself. We killed three of the rebels, wounded several, took fifteen prisoners, three horses, and six guns. From the prisoners we learned that Coleman had moved his camp to the right-hand fork of the Big Piney, near a Mr. Harrison's, and that when we met him, he was on his way to camp. On the morning of the twenty-sixth, we mov-cond, and Third) lay in camp at Wolf Creek, ed to attack the enemy's camp. After we had under directions of Colonel Furness, the ranking marched about two and a half miles, our advance commander, Col. Phillips, of the Third, selected met the enemy's pickets and drove them in. one thousand two hundred men picked from the Hearing heavy and continuous firing, Capt. Brad- three regiments, and a section of Captain Allen's way sent forward Capt. Call, with twenty men of battery, under Lieut. Baldwin. Col. Phillips sent his company, to support the advance, and find Major Forman down the west side of Grand River the location of the rebel encampment. In a short with one half of the force and the two pieces of time, he sent word to Captain Bradway that he artillery, (Parrott guns.) The other six hundred had met a large body of the enemy, and was men went down with him through Talequa and then driving them in the direction of their camp, Park Hill. Talequa is the capital of the Cheroand asked for reënforcements. Capt. B. imme-kee Nation, and is a small decayed town. Park diately sent sixteen men, and at the same time Hill is the residence of John Ross, whose mansion moved rapidly forward with the balance of his is a beautiful one, handsomely furnished, with a command. On every side was seen evidence of lawn and shrubbery, and a great deal of comfort the enemy's haste. Blankets, hats, caps, and and beauty clustered around it. pieces of saddles were strewn all along the road, while here and there was a poor fellow lying by the roadside, wounded by a rifle-ball. Pressing forward, we soon came to the Big Pinoy, or rather the right-hand branch of it. At this stream the road forks to the right and left. To the left, we could hear an occasional shot, and a small trail led in that direction, but the main trail led to the right. Capt. Bradway determined on taking this road. But he had not gone twenty yards, when he was met by a perfect stream of balls and buckshot, which appeared to be directed specially at him, for he was about forty feet in advance of his men. He immediately ordered Lieutenant Waldeschmidt to get his gun in position, and give the enemy a taste of canister. At this moment Capt. Call came up, having driven the rebels into and through their camp, and followed them until he heard our cannon, when he came to our assistance; but he was too late, for the enemy had fled before his arrival. In these two skirmishes we killed five and wounded twelve. We also took two prisoners. Not one of our men was injured, although many had narrow escapes. THE FIGHT IN BOLLINGER COUNTY, MO. MAJOR LAZAR'S DESPATCH. Colonel T. C. Merrill: GREENVILLE, July 30, 1862. SIR: Yesterday, at eleven o'clock A.M., Captain Whybank, with one hundred and twenty men of companies A and F, Thirteenth regiment, attacked Major Tenley and Captain Polson and one hundred and eighty men, near Bollinger's Mill, Bollinger County, killing ten, wounding a large number, and capturing a lot of horses, guns, etc. The brush was so thick, it was impossible to find all the wounded. The rebels were well mounted and well equipped. We did not lose a man. Full particulars by mail. B. T. LAZAR, The design of the expedition was, first, to check the inroads of the enemy from Fort Davis, who were expected to devastate the country; secondly, to cut off the three rebel regiments, Col. Winter's, Taylor's, (Folsom's,) and McIntosh's, all of whom had moved to the north side of the Arkansas. It had been arranged that one part of the force should enter Gibson from the west side of Grand River at daylight on the morning of the twenty-ninth ult., while the other at the same moment entered from Park Hill. Col. Folsom's regiment, under Col. Taylor, together with part of Col. Winter's regiment, and a company of whites, were in Gibson. The remainder of Col. Winter's regiment, some three hundred and fifty men, had gone up Grand River on the morning of the twenty-eighth, and that night reached a spot twenty miles from Gibson, on Grand River, and made a demonstration just at dusk on Major Forman's rear. At noon, Col. Taylor, with his command as enumerated, started up the Park Hill road, and met Colonel Phillips about two o'clock. The loyal Indians had been sent forward in three columns, converging to a point a few miles from Gibson. An advance-guard, under Lieut. Hanway, had been sent forward to the forks of the road to reconnoitre. It was at this moment that some three hundred of Taylor's force charged up a slope on the advance-guard. Lieutenant Hanway vainly attempted to hold them in check. The advance guard was scattered, and fled through the woods. Fired with the hope of cutting them off, the rebels hurried on, and in about a mile ran into the advance-guard of the centre, which held them in check a few moments on the Talequa road. The heaviest part of the Union force was on this road, and as these Indians have the first lieutenants and sergeants of white officers, selected from the non-commissioned officers of white regiments, they were thrown in line of battle, and waited on the slope, in timber, on the edge of the brush prairie, for the attack of the enemy. One company was stationed as a reserve to guard the wagons, and two companies were sent round the back of the hill to flank the advancing enemy. The rebel force came on, shouting and yelling, until they reached within fifty yards of the timber, when, after a volley, the Unionists charged. As they charged, the loyal Indians gave a shout that might have been heard for miles. Dismayed, the rebels wheeled and fled. They had fallen back in confusion more than a mile, and their forces, scattered somewhat by their headlong charge, had massed, when Col. Taylor endeavored to make a stand on a steep backbone ridge that looks over the Bayou Barnard. Here they were sharply assailed, and before long part of the flanking force came in their rear, when they broke in all directions in the wildest dismay. Between thirty and forty prisoners were taken. The fragments of their force, hotly pursued, fled to the crossing of the Arkansas and the Frozen Rock, falling all the way from the rifles of the Unionists. On the little backbone ridge. alone twenty-two rebels lay dead. Col. Taylor, Capt. Hicks of Winter's regiment, and two Choctaw captains were killed in the battle. The rebels, two days after, report their loss at one hundred and twenty-five men. The Union loss was four killed and two wounded. Having had his despatches and messengers cut off, and being unable to learn any thing of Major Forman, or the artillery, and being unwilling to enter Gibson without having his forces united, Col. Phillips crossed the Grand River, and proceeded up that stream to find the rest of his force. The three hundred and fifty men of Col. Winter's regiment, of whose whereabout the Unionists had learned little, took advantage of this movement to slip out through the thick timber and cross the Arkansas to Fort Davis. Having rejoined Major Forman on Grand River, and learing that Col. McIntosh had his regiment between the Verdigris and the Arkansas, the Unionists crossed to the Creek agency ford to cut him off. Fearing this, Col. Cooper had ordered them over the river, and they thus got away. Major Forman drove the remnant of their force out of an earthwork near the river. Major Wright of the Second Indian, who joined the force at this time, made a demonstration in the direction of the enemy's force. Doc. 163. THE BATTLE NEAR FULTON, MO. FULTON "TELEGRAPH" NARRATIVE. FULTON, MO., July 29, 1862. ON Sunday, July twenty-seventh, Col. Guitar, with parts of three companies, arrived in this city about five A.M., and after arranging matters here, started to Col. Porter's command, supposed to be at Brown's Spring, about ten miles north of this city. He left here with two hundred men and two pieces of artillery, about eleven A.M., and arrived in the vicinity of the rebel camp about half-past two P.M.; and as there was a thick underbrush, Col. Guitar had the cannon placed in position some four hundred yards from their camp, dismounted his cavalry and deployed them, advancing in force towards the spring, where the enemy was encamped. After some half-hour of cautious advancing, it was found that the enemy had decamped, from all appearances only about ten minutes before our men reached it, leaving on the ground quite a lot of provisions. Colonel Guitar camped on the ground that he placed his cannon in position on, and left it the next morning about eight o'clock, determined to find the enemy, which, from the best information he could get, was from seven to nine hundred strong, and had moved down Auxvasse Creek. The Colonel scattered his command, with instructions that whenever the enemy's position was discovered, to send him word immediately, while he would move out to the State road, leading from Columbia to Danville. Before the Colonel arrived at the road, he discovered that there were troops in it, which proved to be parts of Merrill's Horse and the Third Iowa cavalry, and a part of Col. Glover's regiment-in all about five hundred and fifty men. Colonel Guitar gave them the same instructions that he had given the others in the morning, and sent about two hundred of them across the creek, to follow down parallel with it, and as close to it as possible. The Colonel, when he got to the timber on the south side of the creek, left the State road and proceeded down the creek until he reached the intersection of the road leading from Fulton to Danville, where he was joined by Licut. For two days longer did this little army, now H. A. Spencer, of the Third Iowa cavalry, comreduced, and numbering but few over one thou-manding a detachment that was sent out early in sand men, a guard having been sent with the prisoners and wounded, hold the left bank of the river and march backward and forward in the teeth of Fort Davis, where the enemy had seven thousand men, but they could not tempt them to cross the river. An attempt was made to shell the rebels from this side, but the distance and timber near the river rendered it impracticable. One thousand head of cattle were taken from the enemy for the use of the army, and thus encumbered the command marched back sixty miles, and in three and a half days rejoined the rest of the command, the enemy not attempting to follow them. the morning, who was following at a double-quick on the trail of the enemy. The whole command, except the two hundred that were sent across the creek last, followed on; and after proceeding about three quarters of a mile, company E, of the Third Iowa cavalry, discovered the enemy in a very dense thicket, and fired upon him, and according to instructions, fell back to the main column, which was near at hand, when they dismounted, to fight on foot. The column followed suit, and the cannon was ready for action in short order; but whilst this was being done, the secesh were pouring into our ranks rifle balls and buckshot at such a rate that none other than those who could stand it like vet-gether about fifty men and guns, with several erans did stand it. A dozen rounds or so from rounds each, and posting them on both sides of our artillery rather put a stop to their deadly the street, and the street in which we expected work, and gave our column more time to form them to come. This was scarcely done, when on on foot, systematically. The action commenced they came, with shouts and yells, charging upon about one o'clock P.M., and raged almost inces- our little squad that was in the street, demanding santly for two hours. Twice during the time of them to lay down their arms, to which we rethey attempted to storm our batteries, but were plied from every side with ball and buckshot, successfully repulsed each time. which brought every man of their front rank down to the dust. Both the horses and their riders lay there to rise no more. This effective volley brought the whole column At one time they came up within thirty feet of them, they being loaded with canister, but, by some mishap, caps were not at hand; and while caps were being procured, they succeeded in get-to a halt, and our boys continued firing into them ting so close. Each of the artillerymen drew his revolver, and went to work in earnest, when the man who went after caps returned with them, just in time to give them a charge, which made them retire in confusion, but not until one of our artillerymen was killed and two wounded. Taking every thing into consideration, it was one of the hardest fought battles that we have had in North-Missouri. Our men all fought like veterans, and compelled the enemy to leave the ground. Our forces would have followed them up but for the sultry hot weather, the men being nearly famished for water. After getting a drink of water and cooling off as well as they could, our men went to scouring the battle-field, and found by the trails of blood that the enemy had been removing their hors du combat men. At six o'clock Monday evening there were nine of our men dead and forty wounded. From the best information we could get from the yeomanry of the neighborhood, who came into our lines in the evening after the battle, to get permission to scour the battle-ground and vicinity for dead and wounded rebels, there was from seventy-five to one hundred of them killed and wounded. Company E, of the Third Iowa cavalry, commanded by Captain Duffield, suffered more than any other company in the column. One of the company was killed dead on the ground, three mortally wounded, and eight severely. Doc. 164. FIGHT AT MOUNT STERLING, KY. A LETTER from Mount Sterling, Ky., gives the following account of the spirited conduct of some Home Guards, in a fight with guerrillas at that place, on the twenty-ninth of July: The ordinary quiet of our little village was broken in upon yesterday morning, about nine o'clock, by the announcement that a body of some two hundred and forty rebels were coming in upon us, on their way to Marshal's camp. Capt. J. J. Evans, Provost-Marshal, at once determined to give them fight, and immediately ordered every able-bodied man to arms. There were no soldiers or even home guards here, but simply our unorganized citizens. We only had about forty minutes for preparation, but made good use of the time in getting to with such rapidity that they soon broke and ran in the direction from whence they came, amid the triumphant shouts of the few who had thus put to flight thrice their number. They retreated about a mile, when they were met by a detachment of the Eighteenth Kentucky regiment, under command of Major Bracht, who had been in pursuit of them since Sunday evening. They did not stand the fire of his men much longer than they did ours, when they again skedaddled in handsome style, taking to the farms on the west side of the road, leaving behind them horses, guns, hats, etc., and about eighteen prisoners. Major Bracht started his men in pursuit, but their horses were so jaded that they effected but little more than the picking up of some stragglers. So soon as the word could be conveyed to the country, a number of home guards went after them, and found them scattered in every direc tion, a few here and there, but no large body of them anywhere. A more utter defeat and rout was never suffered by any body of men. In the afternoon we buried seven of their men, and have now here two who are badly wounded, one of whom will probably die. Our men continued to bring in prisoners last night and this morning, until the whole number taken, besides the wounded and killed, amounts to something near seventy-five, including some thirty-five taken in the neighborhood of Kiddville and North-Middletown. The remainder of the gang are now doubtless skulking around the country in thickets and brier-patches, and will likely try to find their way back to their homes. They were mostly from the counties of Boone and Pendleton. Doc. 165. BOMBARDMENT ON JAMES RIVER. A CORRESPONDENT with the James River fleet gives the following account of the midnight bombardment on the river: UNITED STATES SHIP CIMERONE, I was awakened at this hour by a rapid cannonading from the south bank of the river, and of course orders were given to beat to quarters at once. In five minutes every man was at his post, and our guns began to reply. Our two one hun former going on board the flag-ship this evening, the signal-officer there was quite surprised to meet him, as he was reported killed last night on the Cimerone. dred-pounder guns-one rifled-soon made a perceptible impression on the rebel batteries, but still they continued to fire on us with great rapidity for over an hour. At half-past two the rebel fire had slackened greatly, and at five min- The Commodore and all the large gunboats utes of three we had completely silenced their went up the river at six o'clock yesterday afterbatteries. Our twenty-four-pounder brass how-noon, and sent us orders to remain here at our itzers did excellent service. Our largest guns threw five and ten-second shells, which made a telling impression upon the enemy. At fifteen minutes past three, orders were given to pipe down and secure the magazine, but be ready at a moment's call. The night was dark and rainy, a circumstance of which the enemy have availed themselves several times before. 10 P.M.-At eight o'clock A.M. we started on our convoy trip down the river, being relieved for this purpose by the United States gunboat Mahaska. On returning to our anchorage at six P.M., we were pleased to see that Gen. McClellan had ordered a strong force to land and destroy all the houses and other buildings on the point of land from which the rebels made their attack on the Cimerone last night. Several transport steamers were engaged in this duty as we steamed past, on our way up the river to report to the Commodore. Upon our arrival at headquarters, about four miles from where we were attacked this morning, we saw dense columns of smoke rising from several houses on the rebel point of attack, and very soon a dozen houses could be seen burning with great brilliancy. All these buildings have been used by the rebels for hiding-places, from whence they could watch all our movements. One house, the largest, a fine mansion, had a tower at one end that had been used as an observatory till within a day or two. Our firing was watched closely last night from the flag-ship, whose officers inform us that nearly every shell thrown from our two one hundredpounders fell directly in the midst of the rebel batteries. On beating to quarters, every man on the Cimerone, from Captain Woodhull down to the lowest grade, seemed to feel that each one had some important duty to his country to perform. There was no hesitation; every body went into action with a will, determined to do his best to silence the batteries and save the right wing of the army, as well as the fleet of transports, (over one hundred vessels,) from destruction; and it is a source of great satisfaction for us to hear from the lips of the Commodore that our efforts last night had accomplished this important result. For an hour the rebel shell and shot fell thick around the ship, bursting in the water near us, some passing over, others falling short; probably many would have struck and damaged the ship if the night had not been so dark. It was very cloudy, and rained heavily from eight o'clock till midnight. An army signal lieutenant and two soldiers have been stationed on board the Cimerone for two weeks, who receive and convey important army intelligence, but they are not permitted to inform even the officers of this ship what they know respecting army movements. Upon the usual anchorage as watch-vessel. Yesterday morning, however, we resumed our duty of convoying the mail and other steamers down the river below Jamestown Island, and returned last evening at six o'clock to our anchorage. The only damage done us in the bombardment was caused by the bursting of a rebel shell near the starboard side of the ship, just abaft the wheel and under the captain's gig, which, in the hurry of going to quarters, was neglected to be lowered into the water. Another shell burst forward and did some damage to our second cutter. A marine was stunned by the concussion, and fell on deck, but soon recovered. RICHMOND "EXAMINER" ACCOUNT. PETERSBURGH, August 1, 1962. A large force of artillery, including many heavy guns, having been placed in position at and below Coggin's Point yesterday, and sighted, opened on McClellan's fleet and camp this morning at one o'clock. The firing continued fiercely for two hours. The enemy's gunboats replied very feebly, doing no damage. At the first round from our guns every light in the fleet was extinguished. Heavy damage is supposed to have been inflicted. The enemy was evidently greatly alarmed. A great crashing was heard in the river, whether from our balls or the vessels colliding is unknown. The entire fleet disappeared this morning at daylight, and such of McClellan's camp as was visible seemingly in great coinmotion. One man was killed on our side, and six wounded-two, belonging to the Page battery, badly-all caused by an accident to our own guns. PETERSBURGH, August 1-P.M. The casualties last night were: William F. Dalton, of Louisiana, killed; Thomas Farquhar, of Richmond, severely wounded in the thigh; Patrick Graham, of Richmond, slightly in the left shoulder-all of Dabney's battery. Also H. Clackey, of Hanover, both hands mangled and subsequently amputated, and John Brooks, of Hanover, shockingly burned-both of Page's battery. Four others were slightly wounded. Doc. 166. THE FIGHT AT NEWARK, MO. A NATIONAL ACCOUNT. ST. LOUIS, August 12, 1862. No connected account of the brilliant affair at Newark, where seventy-five men successfully resisted for many hours the attack of one thousand two hundred rebels, having been published, I am indebted to an officer engaged in the fight for full particulars. About five o'clock on the morning of the first instant, a brave band of State militia, commanded by Captain Wesley Lair, numbering exactly seventy-five men, were attacked by one thousand two hundred guerrillas, led on by Col. Porter in person. The rebels charged into the town in four columns, four deep, yelling like Apaches, and expecting, probably, to frighten the Union troops into immediate surrender. The State troops, however, to their immortal glory be it written, concluded to fight before surrendering, and consequently rallied in platoons and delivered such deadly volleys into the ranks of the enemy that the rebels paused. The first assault was repelled. The rebels then attempted a flank movement and threw three hundred men on each side of Capt. Lair's camp, hoping to cut off communication between the camp and town. Captain Lair, to prevent the success of this movement, withdrew his men from the camp and occupied the brick church and Masonic hall in the town of Newark. The rebels followed them into town. They were greeted with such a perfect storm of Minié balls that they were glad to try a less bold system of tactics. The rebels left their houses and with carbines, shot-guns, and pistols renewed the attack. They gained possession of surrounding buildings and poured a heavy fire into the windows of the quarters where the Union troops were defending themselves. The fire was gallantly returned, and in this way the unequal combat lasted an hour and a half. About half past seven o'clock Porter withdrew his forces and sent in a flag of truce, demanding an unconditional surrender. Captain Lair refused to accede to such terms, and invited Porter to a personal conference. Porter and Capt. Lair then agreed that the garrison should be treated as prisoners of war and paroled, with the privilege of retaining their private property. It was further stipulated that they should not be insulted in any manner whatever. The terms of the surrender were generally carried out, and our men laid down their arms. While these preliminaries were going on, the rebels were preparing wagon-loads of hay to set fire to the church and hall in which our men were staying. Doc. 167. THE BATTLE OF OZARK, MO. CAMP SPRINGFIELD, Mo., August 2, 1862. On the morning of the thirty-first of July, while camped at the mouth of Long Creek, on White River, I learned that Col. Richardson, with his command of Gamble militia, amounting to some three or four hundred, was encamped at Ozark, Mo., a distance of fifty miles. I immediately determined to surprise him if possible, so I took up line of march for that point, travelling all day and the following night up to twelve o'clock, when I caused a halt at a distance of two miles and a half from Ozark. I then went forward to connoitre their position, but found that I could not approach near enough to see their camp without alarming their pickets. I then returned to camp and paraded all my armed men, and found that I had but fifty-five men that were armed with arms suitable to engage the enemy with. Leaving my pack-mules and unarmed men at that point, I moved on, intending to take a position near their camp, and remain until the break of day before making the attack; but when within a quarter of a mile of their camp we ran upon their pickets. I ordered my advanced guard to charge upon them, which they did with spirit. I followed up closely, intending not to give them time to form, but on arriving in sight of their camp I found that they had been advised of our approach, and were prepared to defend themselves, having all their tents lighted up. I instantly formed my men and ordered a charge. The enemy was formed in front of the courthouse and posted in several adjoining buildings. We charged upon those in the street, tramping them down and scattering them in all directions. We then charged upon those in the court-house and drove them out, they taking shelter in the adjoining brush. Learning that a large body of the enemy was forming in the street below, I ordered Captain Peabody to attack them, which he did with great ferocity, driving them back, they taking shelter in the houses and stables, keeping up a continual fire upon us. I then drew off my men, and formed them in line of battle on the enemy's camp-ground, expecting them to come out of the houses and give us fair fight; but we soon found that it was impossible to draw them out, and as they had eight men to our one, I concluded that it would not be prudent to attempt to drive them out of the houses. It was impossible for me to learn the number killed and wounded of the enemy, it being dark, and many of them in houses. Our men saw three killed and ten wounded. I put their loss at ten killed and twenty wounded. We had but two men slightly wounded. My officers and men fought well. Capt. Peabody, Lieuts. Biser and Miller, and Capt. Gibbs, are among those that distinguished themselves. I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant, ROBERT R. LAWTHER, Colonel Missouri P. R. The P. R., of whom Lawther signs himself Colonel, are the Partisan Rangers, permission to raise which band of guerrillas is given from Richmond in the rebel commission copied below. WAR DEPARTMENT, RICHMOND, May 29, 1862. Major Robert R. Lawther, Present: SIR: Upon the recommendation of Major-Gens. Price and Van Dorn you are authorized to raise a regiment of partisan rangers, to be enlisted and mustered into service for the war, and to be com posed of companies of infantry and of cavalry, as may be found practicable, each company to be fully organized as required for other companies of like arm. The men are entitled to bounty, but must furnish their own arms and equipments so |