hotly contested encounter of the day. Over two hundred rebels bit the dust; our loss was eight killed and about twenty wounded. One officer, Captain Strodmann, was wounded. Our cannon fired ninety-five rounds. When the enemy retreated to Carthage, about a mile from the place of engagement, Colonel Sigel had got his troops into the wood, where they were secure from any further attack."

Although exhausted by tea hours' severe fighting in the heat, and suffering intensely from thirst, Colonel Sigel ordered his forces to press on toward Sarcoxie. Thence the retreat was continued to Mount Vernon, Lawrence County, and finally a junction was formed with General Lyon at Springfield, whose movements will be soon related.

The following is the enemy's account of the affair at Carthage, as given by one of their officers, Colonel Fughes, in a letter to the editor of the Liberty (Mo.) Tribune:

"CAMP NEAR CARTHAGE, ON THE SPRING RIVER, Saturday, July 6, 1861. "On the 4th of July our army effected a junction with Jackson's and General Parsons' division at Rupe's Creek, which had fallen back from Booneville. Our forces being thus augmented, we took up the line of march southward on the morning of the 5th. The day was bright—the march was upon a high prairie plain. We met the enemy at eleven o'clock A. M., advancing upon us. We immediately drew up our lines of battle. The cannonading commenced

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vigorously on both sides at the same time, at a distance of 300 yards or more. The enemy were 2,500 strong. We had in action perhaps about the same number. We were poorly armed compared to the National troops.

"After one hour of severe cannonading, the enemy fell back about one mile to a better position across a branch of the Spring River. Here the action was renewed, and a brisk fight ensued, in which the small-arms took part. The National troops were also dislodged from this position, after a severe conflict. The enemy then fell back in good order to another position on the next creek, two miles distant. Here another sharp conflict ensued, in which there was loss on both sides, the National troops retreating all the while, and the infantry on our part vigorously pursuing them in front, and the cavalry endeavoring to flank and annoy them in the rear. I cannot now give the particulars of these several engagements. The loss on both sides was considerable.

"The National troops now retreated and crossed the Spring River (the handsomest stream I ever beheld) and took position at Carthage. Here they made the strongest stand. We surrounded the town with our infantry, the cavalry still flanking to the right and left. After an obstinate resistance the enemy were dislodged and driven out of town, and took his last position on a hill south of the town one mile. Here the cannonading was spiritedly renewed on both sides. About sundown he was forced from his last stronghold and pursued in the di

however, increased on the march by the junction of various detachments, so that July on reaching Springfield it counted 20. about 10,000; but many of his troops being volunteers for three months, and their time having expired, Lyon's army was reduced by the 1st of August to 6,000.

The enemy were reported by the Federal scouts to be 30,000 strong, who were about marching to meet General Lyon, in two columns from Cassville and Sarcoxie, under the command of Gen. McCulloch, the noted Texan ranger.

Lyon determined to advance and encounter the enemy in spite of their reAug. puted strength. Leaving a small 1. guard at Springfield, he ordered the various detachments of the rest of his little army to rendezvous at Crane Creek, ten miles south of that place. Early next morning (the 2d of August) the combined force began its march from Crane Creek. The route was along the ridge which divides the waters which fall into the Missouri and White rivers. The midsummer day was excessively hot, and as the men marched under a glaring sun, amid clouds of dust raised by the moving column, they were fevered with heat and thirst, for which there was but little relief in a country parched at that season to extreme dryness. Of the usual streams there were no traces but in their dry beds of rock. The few wells and springs were either dried up by the drought of the summer, or exhausted by those thirsty soldiers who happened to be the first to reach them. Upon the ridges and sides of the lime

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stone hills, over which the road lay, there were trees, but these were only stunted oak saplings, which afforded but little shade for man or beast.

The troops, though greatly fatigued, kept up a manful spirit, which was encouraged by the prospect of soon meeting the enemy, whom the loyal countrymen on the road reported to be but a few miles distant.

At about eleven o'clock in the morning the skirmishers discovered several mounted men of the enemy. A sixpounder being brought to the front and a shell fired, they immediately dispersed. The march was now continued with greater caution, and the woods and thickets on either side of the road carefully beaten to provide against the chances of surprise and ambuscades.

On reaching Dug Springs, about nineteen miles south of Springfield, great clouds of dust were seen rising along the base and sides of the hills which bordered the valley in the distance. As our troops advanced, large bodies of men, both mounted and on foot, could be distinctly discerned, and soon were heard the sharp reports of the rifle, showing that the Federal advanced guard had already arrived within shot of the enemy.

A spirited fire was begun by our skirmishers, when the enemy strove to cut them off. Captain Stanley, however, with his company of cavalry, made a dashing charge and drove them back. As the enemy strove to regain their lost ground, Captain Totten dispersed them with a fire of shells from guns he had

planted on a commanding hill. In this preliminary skirmish the Federals had 4 killed and 5 wounded, but the enemy's loss was supposed to be much greater.

It was thought that this would have led to a general engagement, but the enemy retired, and Lyon followed in pursuit. He thus proceeded day after day, having an occasional skirmish with detached rebel troops, and pursuing a difficult march, which was testing the strength and perseverance of his men to the utmost, until finding that the enemy were in overpowering numbers, and threatening to cut off his communications, he determined to return toward Springfield.

On reaching this place, General Lyon telegraphed to General Fremont at Washington, urgently asking for reinforcements. Receiving no answer, and Fremont having in the mean time arrived at St. Louis, he sent three or four special messengers to him there, to state his needs and urgently solicit the required aid. Lyon not only wanted more men, but supplies for those he had, who had been for some time on half rations of bread. His messengers were commended by the impressive sanction of high position, one being a former Secretary of State and the other a member of Congress, and by thorough acquaintance with the perilous position of the Southwest, of which both were residents. They failed, however, to obtain a hearing after having forced their way through the imposing throng of guards and fav

ored suitors who hedged in the great explorer, like the parasites and Janizaries of some Eastern monarch. The chief officer of the State, Governor Gamble, presuming upon his official dignity, strove to make an impression upon the exclusive Fremont. He, too, though urgently appealing to the Commanderin-chief to send aid to General Lyon, met with no favorable response.

The spirited Lyon, notwithstanding, was resolutely determined to meet the enemy. His daring spirit and devoted patriotism, or an excessive confidence in his superior-which led him to hope that the succor he demanded would still be conceded-may have carried him beyond the bounds of prudence. It must not be forgotten, in fairness to General Fremont, that he himself was surrounded with difficulty. Embarrassed with the overwhelming labors of organizing and equipping an army, and distracted by the diversified claims upon a military leadership, for the duties of which he was ill-prepared by previous study and experience, it was not surprising that Fremont should have erred, if error there was, in not responding to the urgent demand of Lyon. Time only will enable us to form a dispassionate judgment of the conduct of Fremont. A multitude of friends, even before the verdict is pronounced, have anticipated his innocence by shouts of applause, and those who reserve their judgment hope for an acquittal which shall free a popular favorite from public suspicion.