From: tecump@ucsb.edu (Dal bello)
Newsgroups: alt.war.civil.usa
Subject: Union outnumbered
Date: 7 Sep 92 21:43:02 GMT
Organization: University of California, Santa Barbara

Josh writes that the CSA out#'d USA 10,100 to 5400.  
In fact, the actual confederate # was higher and odds were about 3to1.
However, it must be taken into account that many of these confederates
 were useless (unarmed even!).

Wilson's Creek is a very interesting battle.
General Lyon, not being reinforced by dept. commander Fremont at Springfield
Mo., must either retreat from the town (a bad proposition for an out#d army
and the enemy having much superior cavalry)  or attack the Confederates marching
on the town, and hope to sting them a blow by which he would able to safely
fall back

Lyon SPLIT his already outnumbered force (alla Lee at Chancellorsville)
at Franz Siegel's suggesting sending Siegel and 1200 men around the Confed.
camps about Wilsons creek, while Lyon with the balance marched directly on
the enemy`s camp.

While Siegel had early success, he halted, and seeing a line of gray-clad
troops, held his fire until they were too close, and his command was 
routed from the field (they confederate were mistaken for the 1st Iowa Inf.
who also were dressed in gray).  A humorous side note is that when Siegels
guns oppened up that morning, they were firing OVER the confed camps.
The guns were being manned by Germans (Mo. Home Guard who were usually
infantrymen).  An officer came up and tried to tell them to depress their
guns but either they did not understand him, or believed that all that was
necessary was to load and fire without aiming, and so continued wihtout
correction.

Meanwhile, Lyons main line was holding its own against the forces arrayed
against it at Bloody Hill, tho outnumbered.  the 300 regulars that he had
send across the creek into the cornfield had been driven back by about 1000
rebels, but were coverd by federal artillery.  The union line on Bloody 
hill held firm, even tho Lyon himself was killed.  It is said the confederates
used a national flag captured from Siegal in one attack on Lyons line.
Several times the confederates were able to form VERY close to the union
lines for they were mistaken for Siegel`s gray-clad men as well.  At one
point one union company, having charged down the hill with 2 others, failed to
hear the call to fall back.  A fresh unit was coming up so this company
aligned on them.  looking over, the company commander recognized
the colonel of the regiment as a post-master from kansas - a firm
secessionists and relized that he was marching on the wing of a confederate
regiment.  The company obliqued away and the Confed. adjutant came
running down the line asking the Captain where he was going and telling
him to align on the regiment.  After exchanging unit affiliations
with the adjutant, the company commander continued to march his men back
towards lyons line, and was able to escape without a causualty.

To say the Union lost Wilson's Creek needs clarification, however.  True
Siegel`s column was routed, and Franz retreated back to springfield where
he went to bed instead of trying to join the rest of the army.  Lyon was
killed.  But his line held against Price`s attacks, and the Confederates
were the ones who first withdrew.  It is said that had the federals advance
they could have driven the confederates further back.  But, being outnumbered,
and without their commanding officer, it was decided to retreat to springfield,
and later to No. Missouri.

The confederates, also withdrew from wilson's creek, the Confederate troops
retreating to arkansas while mainly only Price's Mo. State troops remained
in the state.  Lyon had accomplished what he had intended to do -  a strategic
victory.  And not a total tactical defeat at that.

Wilsons Creek is an interesting campaign.  While "insignificant" in numbers,
it was significant in keeping Mo. in the Union.  The confusion with the 
uniforms is sadly comical, Lyons boldness admirable, Fremonts politicking and
refusal to send Lyon reinforcements (even tho there were 42 union regiments
in the state under the likes of U.S. Grant and John Pope) is disgusting.
Siegels desire for indept. command and total failure, but promotion to 
Brig Genl after is evidence of the strong German-American faction that had to
be satisfied in Missouri (St Louis).  While i have mostly concentrated on 
the Union side, the attempts by Price to get the Confederate army to attack
Lyon are interesting in themselves.  Who the confederate commander is slips
me right now, as does a lot of stuff.

Please excuse the length of this post.  and its incompleteness and possibly
confusing passages.  

your servant,
dom
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