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 34
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
September 26th, the state Legislature was asked to meet at Neosho, October 21st, for the purpose of taking up the matter of seceding from the Union, and no doubt the main object of Price's retreat in that vicinity was to protect the Legislature.
MAJOR ZAGONYI COMES ON THE SCENE.
Maj. Charles Zagonyi, the dashing Hungarian cavalry leader, of whom we shall have occasion to speak of frequently in succeeding pages. now comes on the scene as commander of Fremont's Body Guard, an organization irregularly enlisted. and numbering three companies of near one hundred men each. While Fremont's army lay along. the Pomme de Terre river, about fifty miles north of Springfield. the commander-in-chief ordered Zagonyi to take a detail from each of the companies in his command, and, uniting with Maj. Frank J. White's battalion of "Prairie Scouts," proceed to Springfield by a forced march, and if possible surprise and capture the place. This order was given after two men from the northern part of Greene county had made their way to Fremont's army and. finally penetrating through the numerous guard to the "tent of the high chief." informed him that there was not more than five hundred men at Springfield guarding the place and that they were poorly armed. About nine o'clock Thursday even- ing. October 244th, the command started and the following morning halted about five miles north of Bolivar, breakfasted. rested, fed and watered the horses. Here Major White, who had with him one hundred and fifty-four of his "scouts," was not able to proceed on account of illness. After re- maining a while at a farm house he came on in a carriage, accompanied by a lieutenant and five men as an escort. Continuing toward Springfield. Zagonyi saw no sign of the enemy until he came within eight miles of the town, when about a dozen armed men were discovered taking wheat from a barn in Robberson township. A platoon of the Body Guard was sent after them, and some of them, were captured, the others succeeding in making good their retreat through the neighboring woods. One was badly wounded by saber cuts and taken to the Daniels home for treatment. Major Zagonyi learned that the men were a foraging party from a large force of State Guard at Springfield. and Union citizens in that neighborhood also informed him that the force he was going to meet was much larger than he had been at first led to believe. However, he resolved to push on at all hazards. But they halted at Burney's still-house, on Sac river, in the same township, where they remained "twenty minutes for refreshments," at the end of which time they declared themselves to be ready to charge and defeat Price's entire army if necessary. The farther they went the braver and more reckless they be- came, demanding to be instantly led forward, although reassured from time.
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to time that Colonel Taylor's force numbered about twelve hundred men. The Body Guard expressed the opinion that they were able to clean out any force numbering not more than four to one.
Major White finally came almost up with the main force, still in his carriage, but took the wrong road when a few miles out of Springfield and went to the right instead of following the advancing troops, and. was soon surrounded by a force of the State Guards and captured. In the melee the major broke his own sword, and one of his escort refused to surrender and had to be pulled from his horse by his captors. The major blamed Zagonyi for his capture, who, he says, should have left a picket at the forks of the road to direct him which one to take. The prisoners were taken to the main camp just west of Springfield, where they were surrounded by a crowd of excited secession soldiers, some of whom. according to Major White, cocked their revolvers and swore they intended shooting him and his escort, whom they cursed for Jayhawkers, but two officers interfered and protected the captives. Major White returned the profanity, saying that he was quite sick and did not want to be disturbed. The camp of the Southern forces was located just west of town on the Mt. Vernon road. They were new troops and had no experience in warfare, at least not many of them had, and they were for the most part poorly armed. More than two-thirds of the number was cavalry, eight hundred forming this branch of the service. the rest, some three hundred, were infantry. They were well supplied with baggage, tents. wagons, horses and provisions. These forces were now under the general command of Col. Julian Frazier, of Wright county, and were composed of the cavalry battalion of Col. Miscal Johnston, the infantry battalion of Colonel Schnable and the companies or battalions of Captain Hawthorn, of Dallas county: Captain Wickersham, of Laclede county, and Colonel Turner's. The men were chiefly from counties east and northeast of Greene. Col. Julian Frazier was the senior colonel. Col. J. A. Schnable was next in rank. Lieutenant-Colonel Turner was in command of the forces at Springfield. Col. John H. Price, of this county, was in Springfield at this time in person, but with only a small portion of his command. The forces in camp had been warned of the approach of the Federals by those of the foragers who had escaped when the attack was made upon them by Zagonyi's men. Immediate preparations to receive the attack were begun. Five hundred riflemen were placed in the woods on either side of the road to ambush the visitors, and an equal number of cavalry was formed on the open ground in the encampment. the remainder being secreted in a nearby cornfield and in thickets in the rear.
Zagonyi's forces left the Bolivar road south of the Sac river and struck across the country in a southwest direction until they reached the Grand Prairie. Here Jabez Townsend, a strong Union citizen, was employed to
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
guide the force over the Carthage road to the enemy's camp, and the road was struck about four miles west of Springfield. Zagonyi pressed on along the main Carthage road until he came near the town, having been guided by Parker Cox. The ground was found unfavorable for the offensive opera- tion of cavalry, this led the major to cross over the prairie to the westward and come into town over the Mt. Vernon road, which maneuver was suc- cessfully accomplished, but at this juncture information reached him to the effect that the enemy, two thousand strong, was drawn up in line of battle, awaiting him. Colonel Frazier's forces selected the ground for the contest on the Mt. Vernon road near their camp, where the old fair grounds were located, the road being the same over which Lyon had marched to the fatal field some two months previous, and here also ran Wilson's creek, a mere brook at this point. Skirmishers were scattered through the woods toward the west, the direction from which Zagonyi's force was advancing. Another detachment guarded the train, holding possession of the fair grounds, then surrounded by a high board fence. However, the main body of the force was drawn up somewhat in front of a hollow square, in an enclosure to the north, the greater portion of the infantry lying along a high rail fence, running nearly to the creek and also at the head of the field bordering on the woods ; most of the cavalry was on the other side of the field, also supported by the forest. The only point of attack left open to the Federals was down the lane on the right, and the enemy was so disposed as to command this approach perfectly. It looks as though the invaders would receive a warm reception, should the infantry have the "nerve" to stand. Many of them were deadly marksmen, having been hunters with the rifle since boyhood, and they had safe positions behind trees; but there was doubt of their cour- age to stand a charge of experienced troops, led by able officers. A long line of infantry stood upon the summit of the slope, and had only to step backward a few paces to be inaccessible to any cavalry, and there were horsemen enough to sweep Zagonyi's force from the face of the earth if the infantry should do their share of the work creditably.
ZAGONYI CHARGES THE ENEMY.
It was the middle of the afternoon when Zagonyi ordered his command forward. His advanced line passed the fair grounds in a trot; soon they reached the corner of the lane where the forest begins, which ran close to the fence on the left for a hundred yards. They could now see the white tents of. the secessionists beyond. They were half way passed the forest when a number of shotguns poured forth charges of buckshot from the bushes nearby. A number of the horses staggered and some of the riders reeled, but the troops pressed forward, shouting and cheering. At the further
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corner of the wood Zagonyi saw the column drawn up to receive him. He was a man of quick decision, and, there being but one thing left for him to do-run the gauntlet, gain the cover of the hill and the shelter of the creek bank, then re-form and charge up the steep, so he halted a moment, waved his saber over his head and, in broken English, ordered the men to follow him, and they dashed at a gallop down the stony road, the first company and most of the second of the Body Guard following him. They were targets for scores of shotguns and long-barrelled rifles from the left. A dozen troopers rose in their saddles and fell to the road, while their steeds plunged frightened against the fences. Farther on there were larger gaps torn in their ranks by the guns from the left, until finally the brook was reached, where the column was halted under the shelter of its banks. The men dis- mounted, and, turning about, attacked the fence, which they soon leveled to the ground. Upon seeing that only a portion of his men had followed him, he believed that he was lost and became frantic, but began trying to extricate his men, hoping that those behind would come up. He did not have long to wait, Captain Foley soon joining him with his company. He had attempted a flank attack upon reaching the corner of the wood and noting the enemy's position, ordered some of his men to dismount and take down the fence, which was done. But owing to the severe fire that was poured on him and seeing that the woods was too dense for the horsemen to operate in, he decided to go on after the advance troops. At the same time his lieutenant, a tall Kentuckian, shouted to his men to come on and to remember old Ken- tucky. They galloped through a lane of fire, but escaped annihilation, which seemed to threaten them in the start. Lieutenants Kennedy and Goff were both wounded, and dead men and horses were strewn up and down the road for some distance. Amid the briars and brambles on the banks of the stream Zagonyi and his officers formed the remainder of the Body Guard for a charge on the main body of the enemy, intending to reach a small open space and there scatter to the right and left and ride down the enemy con- cealed in the bushes. The State Guards continued firing down into the hollow but most of the bullets went over the heads of the Federals. When the order to advance was given, Lieutenant Maythenyi, another Hungarian, with a small detachment, attacked Frazier's cavalry. They ,dashed away with drawn sabers toward a much larger detachment of cavalry standing upon an eminence to the south. A line of fire along the summit of the ridge marked the position of the infantry. But the daring lieutenant and his men were not overawed by the vast host awaiting them and dashed straight for the center of the cavalry. Astonished, the Southerners wavered, broke, then scattered in flight through a cornfield in the rear, the Union troops pursuing, chased them through the field and out into the open country, some one way
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and some another, many coming on through Springfield, but none of them stopping to see how their comrades behind in the main ranks were faring.
Encouraged by this success, Zagonyi, having in the meantime held his men back, ordered a second charge, and his cavalry, nearly all of whom rode bay horses, suddenly rode out from the bed of the little stream, forming a line in which each trooper had ample room to use his sword arm, and charged furiously. They met a fierce fire from the bushes on all sides, and miany a horse and rider fell, but the charge was not checked. A dozen horses reached a small open space a rod square and almost instantly they were all piled in a heap. filling up the open space. The impetuous troopers dashed on, heedless of the slaughter, and now the State Guards in the main line began to give way, broke and began retreating into the dense woods, only a few of the bolder ones hokling their ground, keeping up a scattering fire from behind trees, resisting all efforts to dislodge them for a few min- utes. The horsemen charged repeatedly into the brush, but each time fell back. then opened at random with their revolving rifles, each gun containing six cartridges. In one of the charges a lieutenant was caught by a grape- vine, dislodged from his saddle and left dangling in the air, like Absolem, whose hair caught in the branches of an oak when he fought in rebellion against his father, King David, but he lost his life and, doubtless so would have our lieutenant had not a comrade finally cut the grape-vine with his saber, releasing him. Now the entire Southern command was in retreat, or more properly. flight, with Zagonyi's men close after them. Some ran through the fair grounds, others through the cornfield. the most of them keeping just within the edge of the woods, as much under cover as possible, striving to get to the road that would lead to General Price's camp, where they knew they would be safe. The pursuers were relentless and hunted them out like hounds after their quarry. One was cut down behind Judge Farmer's barn by a saber, then shot, and two of his comrades were killed nearby. White's Prairie Scouts had come up on the Carthage road, through a blind lane running north and south. A great many ran their horses into Springfield, and were chased through the streets and alleys far out onto the open prairies beyond. Meanwhile Zagonyi rode here and there cheering and urging on his men.
The Prairie Scouts consisted of Company C and Company L, of the First Missouri Cavalry Volunteers, and were commanded by Capts. Miles Kehoe and Charles Fairbanks: and the Irish Dragoons, an independent company. under Capt. Patrick Naughton. When Zagonyi made his detour to the right and came upon the main body of the Confederates. Captain Fair- banks, who was in command of the Prairie Scouts, came up in the rear of the Body Guard. the Irish Dragoons being in the lead. They received a spirited fire from Colonel Johnson's and Colonel Schnable's infantry and a
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
portion of Colonel Frazier's cavalry. They fell back, going toward the west. Some citizens, including John G. Newbill, who lived at that time a half mile west of the fair grounds, saw a battalion of cavalry gallop back to the west just after the fighting began, then turn about and gallop forward, but in a few moments they came back, and went forward again, a portion of them going northward to the Carthage road. This was , undoubtedly Major White's "scouts." In his report he says his men made three charges on the flank of the rebel forces. Doctor Melcher says they were not with the troops that charged through the lane but at that time were in the vicinity of the Farmer barn. In one of the charges made by the Irish Dragoons, Captain Naughton was shot in the right lung; Lieut. Patrick Connelly was mortally wounded through the chest, while a number of privates were wounded. Captain Naughton never fully recovered, but did not die from his wound until 1873. his death taking place in St. Louis. Although Lieutenant Con- nelly was found on the field with six bullet holes in him he lived eight days. and was fully conscious to the last.
ZAGONYI'S MEN WELCOMED IN SPRINGFIELD.
Fremont's Body Guard galloped into Springfield late in the afternoon and after dashing wildly about for some time, seeking the fleeing cavalry of Colonel Frazier, rode to the public square and liberated the Union prisoners in the jail, but about dark they retreated. since they feared that the enemy would re-form and attack them. But the Unionists of Springfield urged them to stay, giving thein a hearty welcome, the women especially hailing the gallant troopers in their bright blue uniforms as their deliverers. And the people were delighted at the news of a large army of Federals on the way to take permanent possession of the town.
As John H. Stephens, a prominent citizen of Springfield. who, with Thomas Green and Mr. Peacher, had been watching the fight from the top of the court house, was hurrying home upon seeing the flying troops enter- ing the town, he was hailed by one of Zagonyi's men but did not stop, where- upon he was shot down in his own dooryard and instantly killed. It was an unnecessary and regrettable mistake.
Major Zagonyi remained in town but a few minutes, for he received news that the men under Frazier was re-forming in large numbers on the battle-field and intended to attack him; in fact, he was evidently frightened. for he hurried away to the northward to Fremont's army, without thinking to call in his pickets on some of the streets leading into town.
Although Zagonvi claimed that he raised the United States flag over the court house the afternoon of the battle, he did not do so. The flag did not go up until the following morning, when Doctor Melcher borrowed one
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from Mrs. Sophia Worrell, and by his direction two Union soldiers, hospital stewards-Newton G. Long, Company A, First lowa Infantry, and John V. Bonamie, Company G, First Missouri Infantry-raised the flag on the old court house, which stood in the center of the public square. Two days later the court house was burned but the flag escaped in a singular manner. As the flames ascended the cupola it burned off the halyards of the flagstaff, and the ascending currents of air bore the flag upward with the smoke and it floated safely some distance away, descending gently to the ground, only slightly damaged. It was returned to Mrs. Worrell, and shortly afterwards, when Price's army came back to Springfield, his men made many inquiries of her for the flag, but she sewed it in the skirt she wore in order to conceal it.
The majority of Major Zagonyi's command took the road north to Bolivar and to Fremont's main army, with Zagonyi, only about two dozen remaining in Springfield, but none of them were ordered to remain. Most of them camped quietly at the edge of town, fearing discovery, and at day- break they rode out to farmers' houses, demanding breakfast. Others stayed in Springfield and were given every accommodation at the homes of Union- ists. Doctor Melcher, formerly of Lyon's army, and Doctor Hughes, of White's "Prairie Scouts," worked all night caring for the Federal wounded, assisted by some women and Union citizens. When the Scouts withdrew they left about forty wounded and dismounted Body Guards at the hospital. The Confederates re-formed and remained on the battle-field until about midnight, awaiting the return of the Federals. The main body of Fremont's army was camped about five miles of Bolivar, and Zagonyi sent the following dispatch to his general :
Near Bolivar, 10 A. M., October 26th.
General: I respectfully report that yesterday at 4 P. M. I met at Springfield about two thousand rebels, formed in line of battle. They gave me a warm reception, but your guard, with some feeling, made a charge, and, in less than three minutes, the enemy was completely routed. We cleared the city of every rebel and retired, it being near night and not feeling able to keep the place with so small a force. Major White's command did not participate in the charges. I have seen charges, but such brilliant brav- ery I have never seen, and did not expect. Their war cry, "Fremont and the Union." broke forth like thunder.
CHARLES ZAGONYI, Major Commanding Body Guard.
General Fremont forwarded the news by special courier to the Federal authorities at Washington by this message, which was sent all over the country :
-
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
Headquarters in the Field, Near Humansville, Mo., Oct. 26, 1861.
Captain Mckeever, Assistant Adjutant General: Yesterday afternoon Major Zagonyi, at the head of my guard, made a most brilliant charge upon a body of the enemy, thrown up in line of battle at their camp in Springfield, two thousand or two thousand and two hundred strong. He completely routed them, cleared them from the town, hoisted the national flag on the. court house, and retired upon a re-inforcement which he has already joined. Our loss is not great. This successful charge upon such very large odds is a noble example to the army. Our advance will occupy Springfield tonight.
J. C. FREMONT, Major-General Commanding.
There was considerable exaggeration in the foregoing dispatches, as to the number of secession troops, the character of the fighting, the raising of the flag and other items, and it is said that Zagonyi's statement regarding the war cry given here is purely fiction, and the truth is that profanity in a boisterous form was about the only kind of "war cry" given during the charge.
Fremont's Body Guard was one of the most imposing that any Ameri- can general ever had, if not equal to many in foreign countries, where "the. pomp and circumstance" of 'war have always meant more than in free America. It was an independent organization composed of three companies. of cavalry enlisted for the special purpose of protecting General Fremont. They were Kentuckians, for the most part, but one company was composed of clerks and similar men of St. Louis, but they were all stalwart and of splendid appearance in general, and nearly all were mounted on fine bay horses. Each man was armed with the most up-to-date weapons-two re- volvers, dragoon size, and Colt's revolving rifle, carrying six shots, effective at a distance of one mile, and a heavy cavalry saber. Their uniform was new, neatly kept and gorgeous, and every man wore a plume in his hat. The "charge" proved to be their last service of the guard as an organization, for about a month later the War Department refused to recognize the enlistment of the men for the purpose of being solely body guards to any one, and they were mustered out. When taunted regarding the defeat of the Confederates, one of Frazier's men replied, "Well, no wonder the Body Guard whipped us; for we were nearly all just common soldiers, and they were all captains." This imposing looking guard to the noted "Pathfinder" was occasion for a. great deal of jest.
When the fight began, Major Frank J. White, commander of the "Prai- rie Scouts," who had just previously been taken prisoner, was hurried away by his captors, and with his escort, was taken through Springfield and on to
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the residence of D. A. Dryden, eight miles south of town, just across the line in Christian county. The party was in charge of Captain Wroton. They stopped for the night there, and their host proved to be an ardent Union man; however, he kept quiet and made no comment. After night- fall he took his son, Tom, out of the house, and bade the boy, then about thirteen years of age, to make his way to Ananias West's home and to the residences of other Union men living in the neighborhood and inform them that some Federal soldiers, now prisoners, were at Dryden's and ought to be liberated while their guards were in good conditions to be captured. The boy mounted a fleet horse and rode like another Paul Revere from house to house through the sparsely settled neighborhood, rousing up the Union men. most of whom had only recently been members of Colonel Phelps' Home Guards, and soon about twenty of them, Mr. West in the lead, were on their way to the Dryden home, cach bearing his trusted rifle which he had long had securely hidden to prevent them from falling into the hands of the enemy. It was daybreak before the party reached Dryden's. Mr. Dryden, who had patiently awaited their coming, now informed the Southern captain that a body of Federals had arrived, too numerous to be resisted, and Cap- tain Wroton and his men surrendered without a fight. Major White was released and his captors were made prisoners, and the entire party was soon on its way toward Springfield. They reported to Doctor Melcher at the Federal hospital, and Major White being still indisposed. immediately went to bed, and the Unionists returned to their homes, before the State Guards under Colonel Frazier, who were numerous in the town and vicinity, dis- covered them.
THE WOUNDED AND DEAD.
After the Home Guards had dispersed, two surgeons of the Missouri troops came in with a flag of truce, reporting to Doctor Melcher, saying that they came to make arrangements for burying their dead and for an ex- change of prisoners, stating that they had Major White, Captain White and eight soldiers to exchange. Doctor Melcher told them that the dead of the State Guard had already been buried, the wounded cared for and that they were mistaken as to having Major White as their prisoner. The doctor then went into the major, who was still indisposed, and told him of the visit of the bearers of the flag of truce. Upon learning that Fremont's army was not yet in sight. Major White dressed and came out with much decorum and announced to the two Southerners that he was officer of the day, representing a large force, under command of General Sigel, who was encamped at the edge of town, and stated that under certain restrictions the State Guard might send a party to bury their dead. Major White then detailed some of his men, and under their direction those of the secession dead were buried
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