BATTLE OF WILSON'S CREEK.

65

Saturday, June 9th, 1861. He sent Sigel, with his own command and that of Colonel Solomon, southerly from Springfield to the enemy's rear, when the guns of Lyon in front should be the signal of attack. General Lyon marched during Friday night, and reached the enemy's position, nine miles south of Springfield, at four o'clock in the morning. Having halted till six, he attacked the advantageous position of the enemy. Captain Wright, with some companies of mounted home guards, skirmished with a small body of cavalry, in advance to the left, which by retiring, drew the Federals into an ambuscade, and three thousand rebels, rushing to the encounter, forced them to retire. On the other end of the line, the Federal troops, consisting of the First Missouri, the battalion of Osterhaus, and Totten's battery, being well posted, attacked the enemy, who broke and fled to a hill-top in the rear, pursued by the Federals, when their advance was checked by a fresh Louisiana regiment. A desperate fight of forty-five minutes and the routed rebels were pursued to the brow of a third hill, where, meeting a fresh rebel force, a deadly combat ensued, which being protracted and the rebel fire destructive, the result was for awhile uncertain. Fresh Kansas and Iowa troops to support the Federals rushed in and were assailed in turn by overwhelming numbers. Captain Gratz was killed, and Lieutenant Brown disabled. The carnage was dreadful. But though the enemy, mowed down by Totten's well-served battery, fell like hay, their great numbers enabled them to fill up the gaps in the ranks, and hurl back defiance on their assailants. The action now became general. The Missouri, Iowa, and Kansas regiments had borne the brunt of battle, and General Lyon had in person superintended all operations, animating his troops, and issuing commands. Wounded twice, he continued to urge on his men; and when he saw the firmness of the First Iowa regiment, under a heavy fire, its energetic attack, which made the enemy stagger, and the relief it lent the exhausted Missouri regiment when about to give way, he cheered it heartily, and expressed his enthusiastic admiration.

He now determined to carry the day at the point of the bayonet. When all was ready, the commander of the Iowa troops was missing, and Lyon putting himself at their head, cried-"Come on, brave men, I will lead you!"

The charge was made. In vain the enemy's superior numbers. They faltered, broke, and fled. The heroic Lyon received a ball in the side, fell from his horse, and immediately expired. General Sweeney was wounded in the leg and disabled, and Major Sturgis took the command. The enemy made one assault more; their ranks were thinned by the brave attacks of our men and the fire of Totten's artillery. They again broke and fled, firing their wagons before retiring.

The Federals were unable to follow up the victory for want of ammunition and because Sigel had been defeated by overwhelming numbers, and lost five of his guns, though he escaped with most of his command. The Federal troops now retired to Springfield, and later, to Rolla, under Colonel Sigel. The Federal loss in the battle was about two hundred killed and seven hundred wounded. The rebel loss was much greater, though the exact number is unknown. They lost four hundred horses, and seventy prisoners were captured. Five thousand had fought with twenty thousand. Ours was the triumph, but the loss of Lyon, at the outset of his brief and glorious career, was irreparable. When the Federal troops fell back to Rolla, Missouri was left mostly in the hands of the rebels, who burnt the bridges, destroyed the railroads, and made peaceful homes a desolation.

The news of the death of Lyon was heard with deep national grief. He was a pure patriot, full of energy and heroism, endeared to the people, and of high promise. Some blamed Fremont, but he was unable to reinforce him, as General Pillow was at New Madrid, threatening St. Louis. The spirit of the Southern clergy at this time was far different from what could be expected from the professed heralds of the "Prince of Peace," some of them going to the field, others making the pulpit a vehicle to convey their misrepresentations and bitter hatred against the North. The Divine Being was invoked by professing Christians of the same denominations to aid them as they rushed into deadly collision, displaying the worst of human passions.

CHAPTER VII.

SEPTEMBER, 1861.

ARRESTS BY THE GOVERNMENT-CONFISCATION-EXCHANGE OF PRISONERS REFUSE-DAVIS USES RETALIATION-MUTINY QUELLED-PRIVATEERS OF THE REBELS-WOOL AT FORT MONROE-FOOTE TAKES CHARGE OF GUNBOATS WEST-ATTACK ON CAPE HATTERAS-FREMONT'S PROCLAMATION -WESTERN VIRGINIA-BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERRY-FALL OF LEXINGTON -FIGHT AT CHEAT MOUNTAIN-LEE DEFEATED AT ELKWATER-ARMY OF THE POTOMAC-THE NATIONAL FAST.

THE General Government was slow to deprive the South of the mails, even when different States left the Union. But now, when the public offices were cleared of traitors, the act of habeas corpus being suspended, men in every part of the North were arrested and imprisoned, without trial or any charges brought against them. The military power cast the civil in the shade, and men began to look for parallels in history, and to remember the Star Chamber, and letters de cachet. This course of the Government was necessary to self-preservation, as many traitors lurked about to destroy it. Confiscation of the property of rebels or disaffected persons was declared, and many abuses ceased.

The Government regarded the Southern States as in rebellion, and refused to treat with the Confederacy for the exchange of prisoners. To grant any recognition, it was thought, would be worse than leaving brave men to their fate. The privateer Savannah being captured, her men were put in prison as pirates, and as such threats of hanging were made; Davis retaliated, imprisoned man for man, and threatened to hang as many prisoners as the Federals. This course was not found the best in the end, but indignation prevailed that the Confederates were recognized as belligerents by England.

A mutiny in the Seventy-ninth New York regiment was promptly quelled by McClellan, who drew up bodies of infantry and cavalry, and had cannon placed in position. This put an end to similar follies in future. At this time news came of the depredations of the pirates Sumter and Jeff Davis on merchantmen; but the latter was soon after

68

ATTACK ON CAPE HATTERAS.

wrecked on the coast of Florida. About this time a fight took place at Summerville, Western Virginia, and also in Missouri there were terrible combats between Union and rebel forces. General Wool took the command at Fortress Monroe, and Captain Foote that of the western naval forces. A gunboat fleet was soon ready, which was expected ere long to clear the Mississippi.

FIGHT AT CAPE HATTERAS.

Two forts-Hatteras and Henry-had been manned, under Captain Barr, late of the United States navy, with six hundred men. Hatteras was evacuated and the guns spiked on the approach of the naval force, commanded by Commodore Stringham and General Butler, consisting of the flagship Minesota and four vessels and transports, with nine hundred men. Three hundred and fifteen men landed with a twelve pound gun and howitzer. Fort Henry being attacked, the rebels surrendered, with twenty five pieces of artillery, a thousand stand of arms, and provisions and stores in abundance. This success was magnified into a battle and victory.

Had the expedition at this conjuncture proceeded to Pamlico and Albemarle sounds, and made a descent on North Carolina-a thing not then very difficult-much good might have been effected, and great expenditure saved. Meantime, General Fremont proclaimed martial law throughout Missouri, and declared that under the confiscation law the slaves were free. The President caused Fremont to modify this proclamation, for it was feared that the Union cause would be injured by it in the border States. The Mississippi valley was now about to become the scene of conflict, and the soil of Kentucky would soon be battle ground. Governor Magoffin had desired the President to withdraw the Union forces from Kentucky, and soon after the rebel General Polk occupied Columbus. The rebels determined to hold Kentucky, though it had voted for the Union.

General William S. Rosecrans, the worthy successor of McClellan in Western Virginia, moved on the strong position of Floyd, at Carnifex ferry, with the intention of fighting him. After considerable marching, he reached the enemy, and advanced to his defences.

ATTACK ON LEXINGTON.

BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERRY.

69

Rosecrans had reached the enemy, but, ignorant of his fortifications, sent General Benham with his brigade to make a reconnoissance. While watching the artillery as it rumbled up the hill, Rosecrans heard a deep roll of musketry from the woods, just in front of the direction which the brigade of Benham's had taken. The steady and quick vollies of the men, proved they had not, as he feared, filen into an ambuscade, but were nobly battling. Rosecrans ordered up Colonel Lowe with the Twelfth Ohio, while the artillery awakened the echoes of the mountains. Advancing on the run, the regiment and artillery toiled up the steep, when Rosecrans, spurring at full speed amid a shower of leaden hail, dashed through the woods, and up to the fortifications. General McCook's German brigade was ordered up to charge the fortifications, and wild joy filled the hearts of the warriors, while the air was rent with tumultuous exultations. The night, however, was falling, and the order was countermanded, while some of the troops on the left had charged up to the defences, and they were recalled by the bugle. The battle lasted four hours, and the troops fell back in darkness, and lay on their arms some hundreds of yards from the enemy. Floyd fled during the night, and was glad, in getting away from the attack in front and flank, to leave his ammunition and stores behind. He placed the Gauley river between him and the Federals, burning the ferry-boat. Colonel Lowe, and one hundred and twenty of the Federal forces, were killed and wounded.

After the battle of Wilson's Creek, Laune and Montgomery were driven out of Missouri by Price, who went against a Federal force which he heard was at Warrenburg. It fled on his approach, and he advanced on Lexington with an army of thirty thousand troops. Colonel James Mulligan, on the first of September, was ordered to lead his Irish brigade one hundred and sixty miles up the river, and reinforce Lexington, which place he reached on the 9th, with three thousand troops.

Mulligan took up a position between the towns of Old and New Lexington, and had not completed his breastworks and ditches before the arrival of the enemy obliged him to desist. The headquarters were a large brick collegiate building, about half a mile from the river. An assault was made by