PROGRESS OF THE CONFLICT. was duly felt and appreciated. Our brave little army was scattered and broken; over 20,000 men were still in our front, and our men had had no water since 5 o'clock the evening before, and could hope for none short of Springfield, twelve miles distant; if we should go forward, our own success would prove our certain defeat in the end; if we retreated, disaster stared us in the face; our ammunition was well nigh exhausted, and should the enemy make this discovery through a slackening of our fire, total annihilation was all we could expect. The great question in my mind was, 'Where is Sigel? If I could still hope for a vigorous attack by him on the enemy's right flank or rear, then we could go forward with some hope of success. If he had retreated, there was nothing left for us also. In this perplexing condition of affairs, I summoned the principal officers for consultation. The great question with most of them was, 'Is retreat possible? The consultation was brought to a close by the advance of a heavy column of infantry from the hill, where Sigel's guns had been heard before. Thinking they were Sigel's men, a line was formed for an advance, with the hope of forming a junction with him. These troops wore a dress much resembling that of Sigel's brigade, and carried the American flag. They were therefore permitted to move down the hill within easy range of Dubois' battery, until they had reached the covered position at the foot of the ridge on which we were posted, and from which we had been fiercely assailed before, when suddenly a battery was planted on the hill in our front, and began to pour on us shrapnel and canister-a species of shot not before fired by the enemy. At this 523 moment the enemy showed his true colors, and at once commenced along our entire lines the fiercest and most bloody engagement of the day. Lieutenant Dubois' battery on our left, gallantly supported by Major Osterhaus' battalion and the rallied fragments of the Missouri 1st, soon silenced the enemy's battery on the hill, and repulsed the right wing of his infantry. Captain Totten's battery in the centre, supported by the Iowas and regulars, was the main point of attack. The enemy could frequently be seen within twenty feet of Totten's guns, and the smoke of the opposing lines was often so confounded as to seem but one. Now, for the first time during the day, our entire line maintained its position with perfect firmness. Not that the slightest disposition to give way was manifested at any point, and while Captain Steele's battalion, which was some yards in front of the line, together with the troops on the right and left, were in imminent danger of being overwhelmed by superior numbers, the contending lines being almost muzzle to muzzle, Captain Granger rushed to the rear and brought up the supports of Dubois' battery, consisting of two or three companies of the 1st Missouri, three companies of the 1st Kansas, and two companies of the 1st Iowa, in quick time, and fell upon the enemy's right flank, and poured into it a murderous volley, killing or wounding nearly every man within sixty or seventy yards. From this moment a perfect route took place throughout the rebel front, while ours on the right flank continued to pour a galling fire into their disorganized masses. order to retire was given, and while it was undecided whether the retreat should be continued, or whether we should occupy the more favorable position of our rear, and await tidings of Colonel Sigel, one of his non-commissioned officers arrived, and reported that the Colonel's brigade had been totally routed, and all his artillery captured, Colonel Sigel himself having been either killed or made prisoner. Most of our men having fired away all their ammunition, and all that could be obtained from the boxes of the killed and wounded. Nothing, therefore, was left to do but to return to Springfield, where two hundred and fifty Home Guards, with two pieces of artillery, had been left to take care of the train. On reaching the Little York Road, we met Lieutenant Farrand, with his company of dragoons, and a considerable portion of Colonel Sigel's command, with one piece of artillery. At five o'clock we reached Springfield." leading this assault were Adjutant Hez- here remembered, that just after the cock, Captains Burke, Miller, Maunter, Maurice, and Richardson, and Lieutenant Howard, all of the 1st Missouri. There were others of the 1st Kansas and 1st Iowa who participated, and whose names I do not remember. The enemy then fled from the field. A few moments before the close of the engagement, the 2d Kansas, which had firmly maintained its position, on the extreme right, from the time it was first sent there, found its ammunition exhausted, and I directed it to withdraw slowly and in good order from the field, which it did, bringing off its wounded, which left our right flank exposed, and the enemy renewed the attack at that point, after it had ceased along the whole line; but it was gallantly met by Captain Steele's battalion of regulars, which had just driven the enemy from the right of the centre, and, after a sharp engagement, drove him precipitately from the field. Thus closed -at about half-past eleven o'clock-an almost uninterrupted conflict of six hours. The order to retreat was given soon after the enemy gave way from our front and centre. Lieutenant Dubois' having been previously sent to occupy with its supports the hill in our rear. Captain Totten's battery, as soon as his disabled horses could be replaced, retired slowly with the main body of the infantry, while Captain Steele was meeting the demonstrations upon our right flank. This having been repulsed, and no enemy being in sight, the whole column moved slowly to the high open prairie, about two miles from the battle-ground; meanwhile our ambulances passed to and fro, carrying off our wounded. After making a shor' halt on the prairie, we continued our march to Springfield. It should be From this account of the main action, we turn to the narrative of Colonel Sigel of the part borne by his command at the opposite or southern end of the the valley. "On Friday, the 9th of August," says he, "General Lyon informed me, that it was his intention to attack the enemy in his camp at Wilson's Creek, on the morning of the 10th; that the attack should be made from two sides, and that I should take command of the left. The troops assigned to me consisted of the Second Brigade, Missouri volunteers-900 men-infantry of the 3d and 5th regiments, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Albert and Colonel Salomon, and six pieces of artillery, under Lieutenants Schaeffer and Scheutzenbach; besides two com COLONEL SIGEL'S ATTACK. 525 "Marching forward, we struck the Fayetteville road, making our way through a large number of cattle and horses, until we arrived at an eminence used as a slaughtering place, and known as Sharp's Farm. On our route we had taken about two hundred prisoners, who were scattered over the camp. At Sharp's place we met numbers of the enemy's soldiers, who were evidently retiring in this direction, and, as I suspected, that the enemy, on his retreat, would follow in the same direction, I formed the troops across the road by planting the artillery on the plateau and the two infantry regiments on the right and left, across the road, whilst the cavalry companies extended on our flanks. At this time, and after some skirmishing in front of our line, the firing in the di panies of regular cavalry, belonging to and increased, until it was evident that the command of Major Sturgis. I left the main corps of General Lyon had enCamp Fremont, on the south side of gaged the enemy along the whole line. Springfield, at 6 o'clock, on the evening To give the greatest possible assistance of the 9th, and arrived at daybreak to him, I left my position in the camp within a mile of the enemy's camp, and, and advanced toward the north-west to after taking forward the two cavalry attack the enemy's line of battle in the companies from the right and left, I cut rear. off about forty men of the enemy's troops, who were coming from the camp in little squads to get water and provisions. This was done in such a manner that no news of our advance could be brought into the camp. In sight of the enemy's tents, which spread out on our front and right, I planted four pieces of artillery on a little hill, whilst the infantry advanced toward the point where the Fayetteville road crosses Wilson's Creek, and the two cavalry companies extended to the right and left to guard our flank. It was 5 o'clock when some musket firing was heard from the northwest. I therefore ordered the artillery to begin their fire against the camp of the enemy (Missourians), which was so destructive that the enemy were seen leaving their tents and retiring in haste toward the north-east valley. Mean-rection of the north-west, which was while the 3d and 5th had quickly advanced, passed the creek, and traversing the camp, formed almost in the centre of it. As the enemy made his rally in large numbers before us, about 3,000 strong, consisting of infantry and cavalry, I ordered the artillery to be brought forward from the hill and formed there in battery across the valley, with the 3d and 5th to the left, and the cavalry to the right. After an effectual fire of half an hour, the enemy retired in some confusion into the woods and up the adjoining hills. The firing toward the north-west was now more distinct, during an hour's time, roaring in succession, had almost entirely ceased. I thereupon presumed that the attack of General Lyon had been successful, and that his troops were in pursuit of the enemy, who moved in large numbers toward the south, along the ridge of a hill about 700 yards opposite our right. "This was the state of affairs at 81 o'clock in the morning, when it was reported to me by Dr. Melchior and some of our skirmishers, that Lyon's men were coming up the road. Lieutenant Albert of the 3d, and Colonel Salomon of the 5th, notified their regiments not to fire on troops coming in this direction, whilst off his retreat, which order I tried to I cautioned the artillery in the same execute, whatever the consequences manner. Our troops at this moment ex- might be. Second, the time of service pected with anxiety the approach of our of the 5th regiment Missouri Volunteers friends, and were waving the flag, raised had expired before the battle. I had as a signal to their comrades, when at induced them, company by company, once two batteries opened their fire not to leave us in the most critical moagainst us-one in front, placed on the ment, and had engaged them for the Fayetteville road, and the other upon term of eight days, this term ending on the hill upon which we had supposed Friday the 9th, the day before the battle. Lyon's forces were in pursuit of the Third, the 3d regiment, of which 400 enemy, whilst a strong column of in- three months' men had been dismissed, fantry, supposed to be the Iowa regi- was composed for the greater part of rement, advanced from the Fayetteville cruits, who had not seen the enemy road and attacked our right. It is im- before, and were imperfectly drilled. possible for me to describe the conster- Fourth, the men serving the pieces, and nation and frightful confusion which was the drivers, consisted of infantry taken occasioned by this important event. from the 3d regiment, and were mostly The cry, They (Lyon's troops) are recruits who had only a few days' infiring against us!' spread like wild fire struction. Fifth, about two-thirds of our through our ranks; the artillerymen, or- officers had left us; some companies had dered to fire, and directed by myself, no officers at all-a great pity-but the could hardly be brought forward to consequence of the system of the three serve their pieces; the infantry would months' service." not level 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 bye-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 3d, the color-bearer having been wounded, and his substitute killed." "In order," adds Colonel Sigel," to understand clearly our actions and our fate, you will permit me to state the following facts: First, according to orders, it was the duty of this brigade to attack the enemy in the rear, and to cut General McCulloch, the commanderin-chief of the several divisions of the insurgent forces in the field, thus reports the operations of the day, his account abundantly confirming the valor of the assailants as reported by the Union officers: "General Lyon attacked us on our left and General Sigel on our right and rear. From these points batteries opened upon us. My command was soon ready. The Missourians under Generals Slack, Clark, McBride, Parsons and Rains, were nearest the position taken by General Lyon with his main force; they were instantly turned to the left, and opened the battle with an incessant fire of small arms. Woodruff opposed his battery to the battery of the enemy, under Captain Totten, and a constant cannonade was kept up be |