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 39
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so saved their reputation for bravery, but lost their gun and their lives. Captain Blue died bravely, shooting down three of his assailants before he himself fell. Captain Van Meter fought almost as well; in fact, every officer of the Iowans fought until they were stretched upon the ground with fearful bullet wounds. Captain Blue died four days later and Captain Van Meter died six days later. Their remains now repose in the National ceme- tery here. Maj. John Bowman, the gallant Confederate, died two days after the fight. He was removed by his men to a farm house half a mile east of the Phelps homestead, where two of his men vainly tried to save his life, remaining with him until the last.
SHELBY LEADS FINAL CHARGE.
General Shelby led a gallant charge on Fort No. 4 at five o'clock, as the winter day twilight was settling down. Jeans' regiment and Elliott's bat- talion advanced under cover of the houses, fences and hedges to within one hundred yards of the fort, opened a brisk fire and made a desperate effort to fight their way in. But they were just as stubbornly resisted by Captain Phillips' company of militia, the detachments of the Eighteenth Iowa and the convalescents, opened such a rapid and deadly fire of small arms that the Confederates were driven back, and the attempt to take the fort was a disastrous failure. Meantime, Collins' battery continued thundering away at the town until dark, many shot and shell falling into the midst of the town, but did not cause much serious damage. One shot passed through the office of the Missourian, a newspaper published on South street, and a number of residences and other buildings were struck, but the inhabitants had already secreted themselves in Fort No. I and no one was injured. As long as daylight lasted the charging and counter-charging, shooting and skirmishing continued, and even after dark there was desultory firing until midnight. From eight o'clock until late at night, Lieutenant Hoffman kept up a cannonade from Fort No. 4 on the different portions of the Confederate position. However, there was no serious fighting after dark. The Confed- erates were now in two wings, which formed a very obtuse angle, the point of the angle resting on the stockade and the right arm or Confederate left, extended in a southwesterly direction along the Fayetteville road. The left arm of the Confederate right ran in a southeasterly direction across State street, through "Dutchtown," and past a blacksmith shop, out into the open prairie.
In this position Marmaduke decided to wait until morning, hoping that during the night Porter would come in or at least send some word ahead. The skirmishing ceased about midnight, and soon thereafter the Confed- erates withdrew to the prairie, and at one o'clock on the morning of the 9th
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a venturesome party of Federals found the stockade abandoned, and they speedily took possession. Some of Sheppard's regiment also advanced about midnight some distance to the southward of Mt. Vernon street, finding no enemy. Details worked all night gathering up the dead and wounded, and bearing the latter to the hospitals.
Anticipating a renewal of the attack the next morning the Federals spent the night in preparing for it, but everything was quiet when the day dawned. Officers, with their field-glasses, mounted to the top of the court house and observed the Confederates in motion to the southeast of town on and in the vicinity of Phelps' farm, but the Federals could not determine whether they were preparing for another attack or for retreat. Gradually they moved away, and the Federal line, which had been prepared for either attack or defense, moved forward. They soon decided that the battle was over and they had won the victory and saved the town, with its valuable stores. It was not long until the Union prisoners came in. and a message from Marmaduke was received asking that the wounded of his command be cared for and that the dead be buried. He had released the prisoners on parole. AAmong them was Judge J. H. Shaw, who, with others, had been cap- tured east of town when the early advance was made. There was mingled joy and sadness, for the victory had come at considerable loss to the Fed- eral cause. It was found that besides their commander-in-chief being badly wounded, together with two gallant Towa captains, Major Graves, of the militia, had been mortally wounded ; Lieutenant McCroskey, of the Seventy-second regiment. had been killed, and Major Hornbeak, of the same regiment, wounded ; in fact. the hospitals were literally filled with the Federal wounded. officers and privates, while the Confederates were piled as thick as they could lie in Owens' residence in the south part of town and in other houses. The citizens began to return from Fort No. I to their homes, and to come out of their cellars. Colonel Crabb was satisfied with the safety of the town and made no attempt to pursue the retreating Confed- erates, who were now moving away on the "wire road" toward Marshfield. Some feared a renewal of the attack, as the prisoners had learned and re- ported the presence of Porter's command not far from the eastern outskirts of the town. The cavalry was ready for the order to advance, if such a move was deemed best, but only a reconnoissance to the east and south about a mile from town was made. As the morning wore away order was again restored and all felt comparatively safe again.
TIJE SEVENTY-SECOND REGIMENT IN THE BATTLE.
To give a detailed account of the part played by each of the commands in the battle of Springfield would far transcend the purposes of this chapter.
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However, it is deemed proper to give at some length the part played by the Seventy-second regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia, since it was called the Greene county regiment and was largely officered and composed of Greene county men. Its colonel, Henry Sheppard, and its lieutenant-colonel, Fidelio S. Jones, both of Springfield, led the regiment in person, and they proved efficient and courageous officers. This regiment numbered, all told, officers and privates, two hundred and fifty-three men, represented in Companies A, B, D, E, F, G, H, and I, Company C, under Captain Stone and Com- pany K, under Captain Moore, being absent. At daylight on the morning of the 8th, the regiment was formed on the public square. At about eleven o'clock it was on East St. Louis street to repel the expected attack from that quarter. Later it was sent at high speed out on the Fayetteville road. Be- tween two and three o'clock and when Shelby's men made their grand charge it lay along State street, to the right and south of the palisaded college build- ing. The men were hurried from place to place over town until they were nearly exhausted before they had an opportunity to fire a shot. General Brown had but comparatively few troops and these he showed everywhere. When the main fight took place Sheppard's regiment was on the right and a little in front of the Federal line, unsupported by artillery or reserves, with two hundred cavalry to the right and rear, north of the Fayetteville road. The Confederate advance was dismounted and in two lines. It was com- posed of some of the best fighting men of either army. Shelby's brigade won and deserved an excellent name for its dash, coolness, bravery and gal- lantry in action.
Col. Henry Sheppard, in his report of the engagement, stated that the Confederates advanced in a line of convex shape, the point nearly opposite Fort No. 4, and the wings were out. The line rapidly concentrated when near State street, advanced with a rush through "Dutchtown" and the brush- wood and the gardens westwardly, cheering and shouting and pouring a hot fire upon the Seventy-second regiment, which he had formed along the Fayetteville road, or State street, and behind fences, near the Worley resi- dence. The men were lying down, but their curiosity to see what was coming caused every head to bob up and become a fair target. They now began to return the fire and a spirited fight was soon in progress. In the midst of the rattle of musketry and the duller crack of revolvers and all of the noise of battle, a calf attempted to fun the gauntlet of flying bullets. and sent up a loud, piteous bawling when wounded. One of the boys of the Seventy-second sprang up and shouted to the advancing host in gray: "You had better take care of your calf." This caused a shout of laughter, which rose clearly over all the din of the fight. Shelby's men dashed on, using their revolvers with serious effect, and the militia endeavored to move back a little, occasioning considerable disorder, the men losing their numbers and
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began to mix up. It looked as if they might break and flee to the rear, but Colonel Sheppard and Lieutenant-colonel Jones re-formed and renumbered them under fire, and induced them to hold their ground. By this time the regiment had lost heavily. Major Hornbeak was wounded, Lieutenant Mc- Croskey was killed. Lieutenant Lane's leg was shot nearly off, and the halt and maimed were already thick, and growing thicker every minute. Soon the regiment was again in disorder, wavered a moment and gave way, the men turning to the rear and seeking safer positions. Colonel Sheppard made a desperate effort to stop them, ordered, shouted, threatened them until his voice failed him. Lieutenant-Colonel Jones had lost his horse and was nearly exhausted as a result of his strenuous efforts to hold the men in line. Although badly wounded. Major Hornbeak also struggled vigorously to rally the men. The commander of the militia and his staff came up, and the officers exhorted and threatened with drawn swords and revolvers, but the militiamen paid little heed to any of them and continued to give ground until they got under cover of the little hill that slopes down to the little creek and stopped along College street, re-formed and began loading their muskets. However, one squad, led by a commissioned officer, went on to Fort No. I, reporting that they were ordered to do so. . At this time Maj. A. C. Graves was mortally wounded while trying to rally the men of the Seventy-second. When all was in readiness, Colonel Sheppard and Lieutenant-Colonel Jones ordered the regiment to advance toward the south, from whence it had come. With a shout it moved forward as readily as it had moved to the rear a few minutes previously. Some of the more daring of Shelby's troops had by this time reached Walnut street, firing at whatever they saw. They were driven away by the militia and pushed on up the hill to Mt. Vernon street, where they gained the shelter of the houses, fences, trees and in this position the fight continued until nightfall. the Confederates holding the college building and the line of houses and fences west of it, with Collins' battery in the rear, near the Worley residence. The college building was a strong position, being a substantial brick structure and surrounded on the east, south and west sides with strong palisades of stout logs, driven decp in the ground, and pierced with numerous port holes. Failure to occupy this splendid position in the early stages of the battle was one of the princi- pal blunders of the day on the part of the Federals.
COLONEL SHEPPARD'S ACCOUNT.
We quote the following paragraph from an account of the fight by Colonel Sheppard :
When night came on my men were placed in the line of buildings im- mediately west of the Baptist church in the Hornbeak home-a brick house
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-also at the Methodist Episcopal church, South (then the arsenal), and in Fort No. 4, to the command of which I was assigned. In the night I had the howitzer in the fort, a twelve-pounder, pepper the rascals in the palisade col- lege building, two hundred and fifty yards away. The moon shone beautifully and the Dutch lieutenant (Lieutenant Hoffman) made splendid practice. The "secesh" vacated it and at one o'clock in the morning I put a company in it. All night my boys, in squads, under careful officers, were crawling over the ground to the front, spying out the land, but daybreak showed only dead and wounded rebels before us. An hour later, with General Brown's field-glass I sat in a bastion and saw the long lines of the enemy working their way eastward from the Goose pond, where they had withdrawn during the night. To only one idea did it seem reasonable to attribute this move-
ment-that the attack was to be renewed from the east and north. * * My regiment was only two hundred and thirty-eight (privates) strong in the fight. We lost fifty-three killed and wounded. The advance of the enemy from Ozark was so rapid that the members of the regiment living in the country were cut off from town and were unable to join us. We buried fifty-one of the enemy. We brought off the field about eighty of their wounded; they carried away a good many of their wounded in wagons, and, of course, numbers of their slightly wounded rode away on their own horses. Nine prisoners, armed with Enfield rifles, were taken in one house by a squad of the Seventy-second. Bill Frazier was witht them, and badly shot; he was sent to the hospital. Lingow was also with them, and so ex- hausted that he lay down in one of the little houses in "Dutchtown" and did not wake until morning. Then, supposing the Confederates had possession of the college, he went in and was kindly received by Captain Small, who sent the gentleman over to me. He was a lieutenant of artillery. Everyone is of the opinion that it was my men who saved the town, protected the immense accumulations of government stores for the Army of the Frontier, and preserved the communications of that army and the quiet of the whole Southwest. I doubt not that my gallant boys rendered triple more actual valuable service to the United States government than General Fremont's entire army of magnificent Body Guard. We lacked letter-writers, how- ever, and he had them in abundance. ,
Colonel Sheppard took the gun and accoutrements from Will Ridgely, sixteen years old, and ordered him out of the fight, but he mounted the colonel's horse, which he had been ordered to lead to the rear, and galloped off and served all day as orderly to the commander of the militia.
Detailed information as to the part taken in the battle by the Seventy- fourth regiment, under Col. Marcus Boyd, is lacking. However, it has been understood that only three companies of the regiment participated in the fight-Captain Redferan's, Captain Small's and Captain Phillips'. The com-
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pany commanded by the last named was in Fort No. 4, and that commanded by Captam Small occupied the college building at one o'clock in the morning of the yth, after the Confederates had withdrawn from the town. Colonel Boyd himself was present and assisted in directing the movement of the troops and in any way he could. Some of the Confederate sympathizers in Springfield were greatly elated at the prospect of the capture of the town by Marmaduke until Colonel Sheppard informed them that turpentine, oil and gunpowder had been distributed in such quantities that if the town did fall it would soon be in flames, adding, "I intend to fire my own store with my own hands."
Seven resident printers, belonging to the Enrolled Missouri Militia, took part in the fight. Major Graves, of the Journal, was mortally wounded, and Corporal Boren, of the same paper, was slightly wounded. Capt. W. P. Davis, the veteran publisher, took an active part in the engagement. Four printers from the office of the Missourian participated.
A soldier from the First Iowa Cavalry, who was out on the picket line with Sergeant Garrison, of the Seventy-second regiment of militia, deserted and went over to the Confederates during the fight. He was greeted with a great cheer. The information he gave caused Marmaduke's troops to move away from Fort No. 4 to the west.
THE LOSSES.
The total loss of the Seventy-second Enrolled Missouri Militia in the Battle of Springfield was fifty-three, of which number seven were killed or mortally wounded, forty-five severely and slightly wounded, and one man reported missing. The following are the names by companies :
Field and staff-Maj. A. C. Graves, brigade commissary, mortally; wounded : Maj. John Hornbeak, slightly wounded. Company A, Capt. Jack- son Ball commanding-Killed, Second Lieut. David J. McCroskey; Private John N. Cox: wounded. Corporal Elisha L. Elam and Privates Stephen Sink. John Davis, Nimrod P. Ginger, Aaron T. Bacon and D. M. Wallace. Company B, Capt. R. K. Hart commanding-Wounded, Sergt. John H. Williams, in thigh ; Privates Levi E. Grimmitt, in the ankle, and Jackson O. Hale, in leg. Company D, Lieut. George S. Patterson commanding- wounded. Sergt. John L. Rainey, in arm, mortally : Corporal J. W. Boren, in head, slightly: Privates Silas Digger, severely, W. J. McDaniel, in hip, S. M. Gresham, in shoulder. Thomas Wilson, in foot, Elisha Painter, in foot, W. R. Russell, in face. H. C. McKee, in hip, N. J. Dyer, in hip, F. M. Chiping. Company E, Capt. George A. Dillard commanding-Wounded, First Lieut. W. F. Lane, leg broken, mortally: Corporals Hiram Vaughn, in shoulder. and John Hissey in arm : Privates Charles Crane. in leg, severely,
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George W. Townlin, in head, Robert P. Ellison, in head, Josiah M. Cunning- liam, in arm. Company F. Capt. George T. Beal commanding-wounded, Sergts. W. R. M. Campbell, in head, mortally; P. G. Perkins, in leg; Pri- vates W. H. O'Neal, mortally; W. Braswell, severely ; Louis Payne, in knee ; J. M. O'Neal, in hand and leg; W. W. Ward, J. A. Hampton, W. R. Nor- man, Baker Russell and W. A. McCroskey, slightly. Company G, Lieut. Irwin W. Jenkins commanding-Wounded, Privates W. T. Noblett, mor- tally, and Russell Stokes, slightly. Company H, Capt. Vincent Cummings commanding-wounded, Privates Absalom Wheeler and Henry Goodnight, slightly. Company I, Capt. J. B. Perkins commanding-killed, Sergt. S. Burling ; wounded. Privates John Watson, John Mills, James Adams and Joseph Hursh ; missing, D. M. Bedell.
According to the official reports the Federals had one thousand, five hundred and sixty-six men, all told in the battle. This included convales- cents and the men from the hospitals. The Confederate strength was about two thousand. The Federal loss was eighteen killed outright, twelve mor- tally wounded, who within sixty days died from wounds, and the wounded numbered one hundred. The total killed and wounded on the Union side, including citizens, convalescents, and all, was about one hundred and twenty- five. The Confederate loss was much greater, but the exact number has never been definitely given. According to the Missourian, in its issue of January 17th, nine days after the battle, thirty-two Confederate dead were picked up on the battle-field, and further stated that those of their wounded who had since died raised the total in killed to over forty. Dr. S. H. Melcher later said that he knew that altogether eighty Confederates were buried from first to last, and that there were left in charge of four of General Marmaduke's surgeons confederate wounded to the number of sixty, of whom only twenty-eight were alive on January 31st, showing that only the more dangerously wounded were left behind. Some of those who fought under Marmaduke and Shelby said that all of their wounded that could ride away did so. It was ten days after the battle that Colonel Sheppard said that they had buried fifty-one of the enemy. It was reported that twenty- seven dead Confederates were buried on Colonel Phelps' farm: fourteen in the local cemetery, and that twelve more died of their wounds ten days after the fight. The Confederate officers killed were Major John Bowman, of Jeans' regiment : Captain Titsworth and Lieut. John Buffington, of Gordon's regiment (originally Shelby's) : Lieutenants Steigall and McCoy. of Jeans' regiment, which was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Gilkey, Colonel Jeans not being in the fight. It is said that General Marmaduke came near being cap- tured on the morning of the 9th, he having lingered in the rear. He left Colonel Phelps' house about nine o'clock. He had slept there and he found upon arising that his command had nearly all ridden away and left him,
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and a company of King's Third Missouri State Militia was on a scout in that vicinity at the time, but the Southerner evaded them and dashed away to safety, AAn hour later his command was well out on the "wire road" leading to Rolla, seeking to join forces with Colonel Porter. At Sand Springs the advance of Porter was met and a halt was made. Here the prisouers were all paroled and seut back, and the united command began to retreat eastward by way of Marshfield and Hartville. A strong Federal force, under Col. Fitz Henry Warreu, of the First Iowa Cavalry, was en- countered at Hartville, and a hard fight ensued on the 11th. Here Emmett McDonald and Col. John M. Wymer, of St. Louis, were both killed, and Col. Joe Porter mortally wounded, dying a week later near Little Rock, Arkansas; Maj. George Kirtley, Capt. Charles Turpin, Captain Garrett, Captain Duprey, Lieutenant Royster, all Confederates, were either killed or mortally wounded. After the fight Marmaduke and Shelby retreated rapidly into Arkansas.
BRAVE EMMETT M'DONALD.
The death of the brave and chivalrous Emmett McDonald was learned with regret in both the Federal and Confederate lines. He was known to all as a daring and desperate fighter when fighting was to be done, but he was a kind, obliging and generous gentleman when the fight was over. His kind offices to Union wounded and prisoners, and his generous conduct regarding the body of General Lyon, a fellow-hero, though an enemy, had won for him great respect among the Federal troops, and the people of Springfield and Greene county admired him for his many commendable attributes.
The day after the battle of Springfield Col. James W. Johnston, with the Twenty-sixth Enrolled Missouri Militia, from Polk county, came into Springfield, he having been unable to get his command together and at the front on the Sth. He had a good force and his arrival made the Federals here feel safer.
The official records show that, in addition to the list of Federal wound- ed already given, the Second Battalion of the Fourteenth Missouri State Militia, lost two men killed-E. C. Vanbibber, regimental commissary, and Private S. H. Hyde. Company D-ten wounded, and one missing. The Third Missouri State Militia lost one man killed. Simon McKissick, private of Company B; James T. Harris, of Company D., wounded, and James Pennington and H. S. Rickets were taken prisoners. The Fourth Missouri State Militia had two men killed-Michael Schmidt, private of Company C. and Reuben Parker, private of Company K. The Eighteenth Iowa In- fantry had six men killed outright, five mortally wounded and forty-two severely and slightly wounded. Capt. William R. Blue, of Company C, died on the 12th, and Capt. Joseph Van Meter, of Company H, died on the 14th.
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Capt. John A. Landis, of Company D, and Second Lieut. A. B. Conway, of Company C, were severely wounded. These four officers were all of the Eighteenth Iowa.
The Federal dead were buried on Sunday, January IIth, the battle having been fought on Thursday. The ceremonies were held pursuant to the following order from General Brown :
Headquarters Southwest District of Missouri,
Springfield, January 10, 1863.
The general commanding is desirous that the noble dead who have fallen in defense of Springfield should receive in their death, that honor which they have purchased with their lives. It is therefore ordered that the bodies of all officers and men who were killed in the Battle of Springfield be buried on Sunday, the IIth instant, at two o'clock in the afternoon.
Col. Walter King is hereby appointed field marshal of the day and will make the necessary arrangements for the funeral.
Two companies of infantry will be detailed as an escort and will report to Colonel King for orders.
The procession will form at four at Fort No. 4, and move through the public square and out North street in the following order: Band, escort, the bodies of the dead, the horses ridden by the slain, chaplains, infantry, cavalry, mounted officers, citizens on horseback, citizens in carriages, citizens on foot. Officers and soldiers not detailed on special duty will join the procession ; they will carry their arms.
By order of
Brig .- Gen. E. B. BROWN.
James H. Steger, Asst. Adjt. General.
Besides the honors thus shown the Union soldiers who gave up their lives in defense of Springfield, an appropriate monument, costing five thou- sand dollars, was erected in the National cemetery here in their memory, by Dr. T. J. Bailey of this place.
As a result of the excitement caused by the battle, Hon. Littleberry Hendricks, who was ill at the time, died at his residence in Springfield two days after the fight. He was at that time circuit judge of this distrct and aided the Union cause in many ways. -
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