USA > Missouri > Greene County > Past and present of Greene County Missouri, early and recent history and genealogical records of many of the representative citizens, Volume I > Part 29
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bois' battery, supported by Steele's battalion, was placed seventy-five yards to the left and rear of Totten's guns, so as to bear upon a well-served Con- federate battery, probably Captain Woodruff's Pulaski Artillery of Arkan- sas, which had come into position to the left and front on the opposite side of the creek, and was sweeping with canister the entire plateau upon which the Federals had taken position. The Missourians were rallying in consid- erable force under cover at the foot of the slope and along it in front and opposite the Federal right, toward the crest of the main ridge running parallel to the creek. Plummer's battalion had advanced along the ridge about five hundred yards to the left of the main Federal position, and had reached the terminus of this ridge, when he found his further progress ar- rested by a force of McCulloch's infantry, which was occupying Ray's corn- field in the valley. At this time a cannon boomed a mile to the south, where Sigel was supposed to be posted. This fire was apparently answered from the opposite side of the valley, at a still greater distance, the fire of the two batteries being apparently east and west, and nearly perpendicular to Tot- ten's and Dubois' batteries. But after about a dozen shots this firing ceased and nothing more was heard of Sigel until about eight-thirty o'clock, when a brisk cannonading opened again for a few moments, about a mile to the right of that heard at first, and still farther to the rear. Early in the en- gagement the First Iowa had been brought up from the reserve to the front and immediately became fiercely engaged, doing good fighting and winning General Lyon's praise. During the march he had said that he did not believe these men would prove very valuable in a battle owing to their apparent dis- like of discipline. By this time the entire Federal line was well advanced and putting up a spirited fight, with every prospect of success, after thirty minutes of energetic fighting, the roar now being continuous, and was plainly heard in Springfield, in fact, over adjoining counties. Captain Totten's bat- tery came into action by section and by piece, as the nature of the ground would admit, it being wooded, with thick black-jack undergrowth, and played vigorously upon the Confederate lines with telling effect. The high tide of the battle was now reached, and no more desperate fighting was seen during the entire war between the states. The major portion of these troops were inexperienced in warfare, but they were Westerners, brave. daring, loyal; for more than thirty minutes the rugged ridge before mentioned, later known as "Bloody Hill," was the storm center. It was covered with dead, the trees were wrecked with cannon balls and rifle bullets mowed down the under- brush. The hills shook with the thunder of opposing artillery, the gray- blue smoke drifted up from the ravine on the close, sultry air toward the clouds that partly obscured the sky. It was a battle. The First Kansas gave way and went to the rear; the First Iowa promptly took its place, and the fighting continued. The lines of both armies surged alternately forward and
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backward over the ridge. At last the Federals were left in possession of the ground for a short time, the Southerners withdrawing to re-form. Then the contest was on again as before, each side gaining a few yards to later lose them. All the while the fight raged with considerable loss in Ray's cornfield, where McIntosh's regiment of Arkansas riflemen and Hebert's Third Louisiana regiment met and drove back Plummer's battalion on the Federal left. The Arkansas and Louisiana troops both belonged to Mc- Culloch's army. No doubt they would have annihilated Plummer's men had not Dubois' battery opened on them, the continuous stream of shells making the cornfield untenable for any troops, and the two Southern regi- ments retreated with some disorder. The battery was supported by Steele's battalion. Plummer was severely wounded.
The advantage so far was with the Federals, and as in most all battles, there was a cessation in the firing for a moment, and it was apparent to the Union officers that a portion of the enemy desired to retreat, but it was soon discovered that the camp of the Confederates had been completely surrounded, at least they could not retreat, the Fayetteville road, which Sigel blocked, being their only outlet, as there was no road to the east or the west. There was nothing to do but surrender or continue the battle. Along the right of the Federal line the First Missouri was still desperately assaulting McBride's division of Missourians and was about to be overpowered, when Lyon hur- ried the Second Kansas to its relief and saved it. The Federal line was re- formed during the temporary lull in the firing, under Lyon's personal direc- tion. Steele's battalion, which had been supporting Dubois' battery, was brought forward to Totten's support, and preparations were made to with- stand another attack, which, as could be learned by the shouts of the South- ern officers, so close as to be plainly heard, was being organized. And Lyon had scarcely disposed his troops to receive the attack when the Confederates again appeared with a very large force along his entire front and advanced toward his center and both flanks. Firing was at once begun and for several minutes was inconceivable fierce along the entire line. In some places the enemy was in three ranks, the first lying down, the second on their knees and the third standing, and all the lines and every man loading and firing as rapidly as possible. Every available Federal battalion was now brought into action, and for an hour the battle raged with unabated fury, neither side gaining advantage. each side gaining ground now and then only to lose it soon afterwards. The dead lay in windows, and the ravine ran with blood; the hillsides were plowed up with shells and riderless horses galloped through the woods. The firing was so rapid that gun barrels became too hot to touch them. Officers were killed but the men held their places in the ranks and fought on without orders, their comrades and erstwhile neighbors falling on either side of them. Despite the intense heat of an August morning. the
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gnawing hunger from many hours without food, and the pangs of thirst, the suffocating dust and pungent odor of gunpowder and sickening sight of blood, they stood their ground with grim determination, many of them, until they died. The fire of the Southerners never slackened, their lines being constantly increased by reinforcements. When a man fell another stepped promptly in to fill up the gap in the line. The Federal ammunition was giv- ing out. They could not stand in line as targets for the enemy and not fire back, so detachments began to give way. Observing this, Generals Lyon and Sweeney promptly brought them back. Their places were at the front.
GENERAL LYON IS KILLED.
General Lyon had been the spirit of the battle from the first. He did not establish headquarters away in the rear, out of danger, like many com- manding officers have done-he was at the very front all the while, en- couraging his men, setting them examples of bravery, daring. coolness, en- durance. Soon after the engagement began he was walking and leading his famous white horse along the line on the left of Totten's battery, when he was wounded in both the head and the leg, and his trusted horse was killed. Captain Herron, who subsequently became a major-general and commanded this department, was at that time with the First lowa Infantry, states that he saw the horse fall, and that the animal sank down as if struck in a vital place, neither rearing nor plunging. Lyon then walked on, waving his sword and shouting his orders, but was limping from his wounded leg. He carried his drab felt hat in his hand, and looked white and dazed. Suddenly blood ap- peared on the side of his head and began zigzagging down his cheek. He stood still a moment, then turned and walked slowly to the rear. He was wearing his old uniform, that of captain in the regular army. When he reached a position a little in the rear he sat down; an officer bound a handkerchief about his wounded head. He remarked despondingly to Major Schofield, of Blair's regiment, one of his staff: "It is as I expected; I am afraid the day is lost." The major replied : "O. no, General; let us try once more." Major Sturgis then dismounted one of his own orderlies and offered the horse to General Lyon, who at first declined the animal, saying: "I do not need a horse." Hle then arose and ordered Sturgis to rally a portion of the First lowa Infantry which had broken. In executing this order Sturgis went to some distance from his general. The First lowa was being ordered forward by a staff officer, when some of the men called out : "We have no leader," "Give us a leader then," and other similar remarks were heard. Hearing the remarks of the Jayhawkers, Lyon immediately asked to be helped on the orderly's horse. As he straightened himself in the saddle the blood ran down his leg and dripped off his heel on the leaves below. General Sweeney
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then rode up and Lyon said to him: "Sweeney, lead those troops forward," pointing toward the First Iowa, "as we will make one more charge." Then, swinging his hat. Lyon called out to the Second Kansas regiment, "Come on, my brave boys, I will lead you; forward!" He had gone but a few yards when he was shot through the body. One of his orderlies, a private named Edward Lehman, of Company B, First United States Cavalry, caught him in his arms and lowered him to the ground, as he faintly whispered, "Leh- man, I'm going," and very soon his spirit was ushered into the unknown Beyond, while the battle raged fiercely about him, the place where he fell afterwards being called "Bloody Point." A cairn of stones, a few feet high, marks the spot to this day, after a lapse of fifty-three years. The body of the great general was borne to the rear by Lieutenant Schreyer, of Captain Tholen's company of the Second Kansas. assisted by Lehman and another soldier.
Major Sturgis had in the meantime rallied the disordered Federal line and re-formed it. the First Iowa taking its place in the front again, where it fought like old veterans, according to Sturgis. Assisted by the Kansans and Missourians they drove the Confederates back, but they came on again with redoubled fury, and the situation of the Union forces was now desperate. Confronted by superior numbers, their commander-in-chief killed, with Gen- eral Sweeney wounded, with Colonel Deitzler of the First Kansas lying with two bullets in his body; with Colonel Mitchell of the Second Kansas, it was then thought mortally wounded, by the same fire that killed Lyon, and as he was being borne from the field he called out to an officer under Major Sturgis' staff. "For God's sake, support my regiment:" Colonel Andrews, of the First Missouri, and Colonel Merritt, of the First Iowa, were both wounded. But notwithstanding the fact that all of the regimental com- manders of Lyon's column were wounded, still the battle went on relent- lessly.
The Federal officers could not account for lack of news from Colonel Sigel, why he had apparently failed to co-operate with them. They believed that if he should join them at that time with his division of nearly one thousand men, a combined attack on Price's right flank and rear might turn the tide of battle in their favor, but if the enemy made another general attack they doubted their ability to withstand it. They did not know but that Sigel had been defeated and was himself retreating. Major Schofield, General Lyon's chief of staff, informed Major Sturgis that their general was killed and that no news of Sigel's whereabouts could be obtained; also informed him that their ammunition was nearly gone, some of the troops being en- tirely out. Thereupon Sturgis assumed command and immediately held a consultation with what officers of important rank that were left in the Union army.' It was soon decided that if Sigel did not join them at once nothing
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was left for them to do but retreat, if indeed retreat were possible. Just then a heavy column of infantry was seen advancing from towards the hill where Sigel's battery had been heard early in the morning. These troops carried flags which, drooping about the staffs, much resembled the stars and stripes, and the troops had the appearance of those in Sigel's command. A staff officer who stood some distance in front of where the conference was being held, rode back to his superiors and informed them that it was Sigel's command. Each officer immediately hurried away to his troops to prepare for the expected change in the program, their hearts beating high with hope of turning seeming defeat into victory. Steadily came the advancing column toward Sturgis' front coolly and silently, sweeping down the hill and across the hollow in front and took positions along the front of the ridge occupied by the Federal lines. Now the Kansans and Iowans who were in the front ranks and very near the new column shouted back that the visitors were rebels. Suddenly Guibor's battery, which had just reached a position in front of "Bloody Hill." wheeled about, unlimbered and with incredible swiftness began pouring in shrapnel and canister into the enemy's ranks, and simultaneously the infantry stationed at the foot of the hill began firing and slowly ascending the hill, and in a few moments the fiercest, bloodiest and most spectacular struggle of that terrible day was on. The fighting of the morning seemed but a skirmish compared to it. The roar of musketry and the big guns on either side was deafening and continuous, a solid sheet of flame leaped from both armies, the distance separating them now being in- significant. The troops from both sides advanced or retreated over the bodies of the dead and dying lying in heaps. Guibor's battery was soon checked by Lieutenant Dubois' battery, on the Federal left, supported by Osterhaus' two companies and the rallied fragments of the First Missouri Infantry. Totten's battery. still in the Federal center, supported by the lowans and regulars. seemed to be the main point of the Confederate attack. The two clouds of battle smoke mingled until they seemed but one. Fre- quently Price's Missouri State Guard charged within twenty feet of the muzzles of Totten's guns only to be swept backward by the rapid charges of canister, the powder from the big cannons flashing full in their faces. But neither line would give ground. The contending lines, never wavering, never flinching. now stood so close that the muzzles of their muskets almost touched. Captain Steele's battalion. which was a few yards in front, to- gether with the left flanks, was in danger of being overwhelmed and cap- tured, but observing the precarious situation, Captain Granger, of Sturgis' staff. hastened to the rear and brought up as a support, Dubois' battery. · Osterhaus' battalion, detachments of the First Missouri and First Kansas and two companies of the First Iowa, in quick time, and took possession on the left flank, meanwhile pouring in a heavy volley on the Confederates,
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which was so murderous and destructive that that portion of the line gave way. Capt. Patrick E. Burke, Capt. Madison Miller and Adjutant Hiscock, of the First Missouri, were especially mentioned for gallantry in this assault. The entire Confederate line now fell back a short distance and began re- forming.
THE FEDERALS RETREAT.
Although it seemed that the Federals were holding their own against the great odds, Major Sturgis knew that without the support of Sigel and with ammunition nearly gone the situation was hopeless, and he took ad- vantage of the temporary lull in the fighting to prepare for retreat. After seeing that Totten's battery and Steele's battalion were entirely safe, for the present, and directing Captain Totten to replace his disabled horses as soon as possible, Sturgis sent Dubois' battery, with its infantry supports, to the rear, to take up a position on the hill in the rear and cover the retreat. The Second Kansas on the extreme right, having been nearly out of ammunition for some time, was ordered to withdraw, which it did, bringing off its wounded. This, however, left the Federal right flank exposed, and about one hundred of the Missouri State Guard at that point at once advanced, but were soon driven back by Steele's battalion of regulars. As soon as he was enabled to do so, Sturgis gave the order for a general retreat. Fresh horses replaced the wounded and dead ones of Totten's battery and he retreated with the main body of the infantry, while Captain Steele met the feeble demonstrations of a handful of plucky Missouri skirmishers, who were still ·opposing the Federal right flank, not having withdrawn to the rear to re- form with the rest of the Confederates. It was not long until the entire Federal column was moving in fairly good order and entirely unmolested to the rear, striking the open prairie east of Ross' spring, about two miles from the battle ground. The artillery and the ambulances were brought off in safety. After making a short halt on the prairie the retreat was con- tinued to Springfield over practically the same route they had come to the ill-fated field the day previously. The advance was led by the remnants of Plummer's battalion, and came into Springfield with the drums beating, the flag flying, the men in four ranks, as if they had merely been out on a drill.
While Sturgis was debating whether to withdraw entirely from the field or to take up a new position, after he had given the command to retreat, Sergeant Froelich, one of Sigel's non-commissioned officers, came up to him on a horse which bore every evidence of having been hard ridden, and re- ported that Colonel Sigel's brigade had been totally routed, his artillery cap- tured, and the colonel himself either killed or taken prisoner.
When the retreating Federals reached the Little York road Sturgis (18)
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encountered Lieutenant Farrand, with his company of dragoons, one piece of artillery and a considerable portion of the Third and Fifth Missouri in- fantry regiments, all of Sigel's command, which had made their way across the country in order to unite with the main army and be saved from entire destruction. Most of these brave men who had "fit mit Sigel," many of whom were Germans from St. Louis, were a sorry looking sight, their clothes torn and faces begrimed with dust and smoke. The march was resumed and Springfield was reached at five o'clock in the afternoon, the army having been absent from the city just twenty-four hours. The survivors were worn out from the half day's battle, the march of over twenty miles, loss of sleep, with practically no food, an inadequate supply of water, the intense heat and excitement. The battle lasted from five o'clock in the morning until just before noon, the Federal retreat having begun about eleven-thirty o'clock.
COLONEL SIGEL'S PART IN THE BATTLE.
In view of the fact that Col. Franz Sigel fought an independent en- gagement in the battle at Wilson's Creek, it is proper to give an account of his action in separate paragraphs from those treating of the fight by Lyon's column. As previously stated. Sigel moved entirely around the southern end of the Confederate line of camp, placed his infantry and artillery in position to prevent the Southerners retreating by the Fayetteville road, and quietly awaited the sound of Lyon's guns some two miles to the northward. When the firing of small arms was heard at about five-thirty in the morning, some two miles to the northwest, Sigel opened on McCulloch's camp with four guns under Lieutenants Schuetzenbach and Schaeffer. After a few more rounds the Confederates abandoned their tents and hastily retired to- ward the northeast and northwest. Both McCulloch's infantry and cavalry soon began to form in battle line, and Sigel brought his entire line forward into and across the valley, the two companies of cavalry on the right, the artillery in the center and the infantry on the left. When the two columns advanced there was irregular firing for about half an hour, the fighting being carried on Sharp's farm, just across the line in Christian county, the Sharp liome standing on the county line. The Confederates retired into the woods and ascended the adjoining hills. The firing toward the northwest was now more distinct, and Sigel was convinced that General Lyon was engaging the enemy along the whole line, so Sigel again advanced, hoping to drive the enemy before him and to get in position to co-operate with Lyon, intending to attack McCulloch in the rear. Sigel continued his advance until reaching the Cassville road, making his way through a large herd of cattle and horses, reaching a little hill where the enemy had been slaughtering cattle, near the Sharp residence, at which some prisoners were captured, who were straggling
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back from the front, unaware of Sigel's presence. After a brief conference with some of his officers, Sigel concluded that Lyon had been successful in driving the Confederates back. He knew that this road was the only way of retreat, and believing that he had a splendid opportunity for blocking up the way and of capturing several thousand secessionists, he accordingly formed his troops across the road, planting his artillery in the center on a plateau, and a regiment of infantry and a company of cavalry on either flank, and awaited the coming of what he believed to be the vanquished foe, large numbers of whom could be seen moving toward the south along the crest of a ridge about a quarter of a mile opposite the right of the Federal right. It was now about half past eight o'clock, and the firing in the northwest, where Lyon's main force was supposed to be, and where he was really fighting, had almost entirely ceased. At this juncture Dr. S. H. Melcher, the assistant surgeon in Salomon's regiment, and some of the skirmishers re- turned from the front, where desultory firing had been going on, and re- ported that Lyon's men were coming up the road, for they could plainly distinguish the Iowa troops, who wore gray uniforms. At once Colonel Salomon, of the Fifth Infantry, and Lieutenant-Colonel Albert, of the Third Missouri Infantry, ordered their men not to fire on the troops coming up from the northwest, for they were Unionists, and Colonel Sigel himself likewise cautioned the artillery. All were much surprised at this unexpected turn of affairs, and the Germans of Sigel's and Salomon's regiments began jabbering away in their native tongue and in broken English delightedly, and the color-bearers were signalling with their flags to the advancing troops to "come on"-when, without warning, two batteries of artillery, one on the Fayetteville road and one on the hill where it was supposed Lyon's men were in pursuit of the flying Confederates, opened with canister, shrapnel and shell, while the gray-coated troops, that were mistaken for Iowans, advanced from the road and assaulted the Federal right, and a battalion of cavalry made its appearance, ready to charge. The tone of the German jabbering was instantly changed. Consternation seized them and all was confusion in Sigel's ranks, which could hardly realize that they were confronted by a powerful enemy bent on their destruction. They thought someone had blundered, that their own comrades were in the front. The burden of the German shout, translated, was "They are firing against us! They make a mistake!" Some of the American soldiers shouted, "It is Totten's battery !" And, all, making little effort at resistance, began retreating.
All the artillerymen were recruits from the infantry, and had seen but little service of any kind, were with difficulty brought forward to serve their pieces, although commanded by Sigel himself; the infantry refused to begin action until it was too late: in fact, they could not be turned in their running retreat and made face the Confederates. Salomon cursed them most roundly,
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using English, French and German, with little effect. Sigel's threats, en- treaties and commands also failed to make the desired impression. Some of the artillerymen brought off one piece, which had not been unlimbered and put in position. It was dragged through the woods at a gallop, the wheels bounding two feet or more from the ground.
The Confederates pursued rapidly. It was Colonel Hebert's Louisiana regiment that had been mistaken for the First Iowa, because of its neat steel-gray uniforms, and this regiment was in the advance, followed by Colonel Dockery and Colonel Gratiot. of the Third and Fifth Arkansas regiments : Colonel Greer's regiment of Texas cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Major's battalion of Howard and Chariton county men. Johnson's battalion of mounted Missourians and detachments from other commands. The firing was general all along the line, and the grays charged right up to the muzzle of the cannons, killing the artillery horses, and a number of the artillerymen, firing fairly into the faces of the panic-stricken Germans, forcing them to take refuge among the underbrush, behind rocks, in gullies or wherever they could find a place of shelter. The color-bearer of Sigel's own regiment was badly wounded; his substitute was killed, and the flag itself was cap- tured by Capt. Thomas Staples, whose home was at Arrow Rock, Saline county, Missouri. When the plateau was reached the cannon captured and the field gained. the infantry stopped and cheered, Bledsoe's and Reid's bat- teries fired parting salutes into the flying Union regiments, then the cavalry pursued. while the infantry and artillery turned back and went up the valley to the northwest and re-inforced Price's men and shared in the final victory against Sturgis. Sigel's command was completely routed. They threw away their guns, cartridge boxes, canteens-everything that would hinder their flight, which was madly continued south into Christian county, the Texas, Missouri and Arkansas cavalry overtaking them, here and there, and slaying them wherever they made the least show of resistance, and taking those that surrendered as prisoners. Three miles from the battle ground four fugitives hid under the mill dam of Nolin's mill on the James river, and, refusing to come out. were riddled with buckshot. Although Sigel lost but compara- tive few killed, wounded or dead, men lay all over that part of the country after the battle. Prisoners were taken in great numbers-the Texas rangers riding them down and corraling them like domestic animals. Finally, Sigel himself caught the spirit of terror and fled to Springfield, across the country, accompanied by only two guards. The trio halted long enough to obtain a drink of water at the home of Thomas Chambers, four miles south of Spring- field. then rode away rapidly on their jaded horses, the colonel reaching town with but one orderly. Only the cavalry under Captain Carr and Lieu- tenant Farrand, the one piece of artillery, two caissons and about one hun- dred and fifty infantry came off in anything like order, and these followed
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