Daily national Democrat., 1861-10-13
The Battle at Lexington, MO--Details of
the Fight and Surrender.

The Unions st. Louis letter of Sept cath,
has the following particulars of the late fight
at Lexington
| Muligan had first been in commnnd at JEFF
ferson City. but rs il was deemed necessary
to have Federal garrison at Lexington, he
had been dispatched tllither, % ilh the promise
that il in danger OF being overpowered, he
should have all the reinforcements he might
need. strong intrenchmenls had already
been made at Lexington. and everything put
in re diness tor long siege,
Mulhgan took with him his Irish brigade
OF loo men, besides 500 Home Guards and
an Illinois regiment of 500 men-in all
amounting to > 500 men. with ammunition
and stores, as he thought, sufficient to last un-
til more should he seat him Day after day
messages came into the town bringing the
intelligence that General Price and his rebel
army were approaching. Mulligan received
this news ndltierently, as he had tull faith in
his superior officers, and believed he should
lie able TO withstand any force brought
against him.
On the evening of Tuesday, the 18th, a
messenger came riding into town with the as
founding news that the enemy, % 600 strong,
was within two miles of the town and still
advancing Mulligan coolly replied, Let
them advanced" They did advance, and took
possession of Lower Lexington, commanding
the river. Muligan, on Wednesday morning,
welcomed the rebel hordes by few shells
and sixty four Founders, which had the effect
of driving them from their position Temporal
riiy, with severe loss 1t should be remarked
that the Federal garrison, gaantly de-
Tended 10y Colonel Mulligan, was in the north
part of the town. or what is called New Lex
ngton. Prices forces first took position at
Old Lexington more than IL half mile distant
After the first repuse Price retired uiile or
two to reorganize his forces and refresh them
lie did not return to the attack that day, but
early on Thursday renewed the assault with
increased vigor.
At the commencement of hostilites, as was
mentioned in my last letter, he sent de-
mand for surrender, but received from Col.
Mulligan an emphatic refusal. On the second
day he sent a'similar demand, which was also
refused.
Henry Bradburn, who belonged to Mulli>
gau's command, arrived in this city this
morning, 10y the North Missouri Railroad
and furnished the particulars of the surrender
He says the fort was surrendered on Friday
afternoon. The men fought for fttg.ltiHc
honrS wHhont 1cater and had only three bur-
rels Of ciHegdr to quench their thirst during
all that time There were no springs or wells
of water on the camp ground, as has been
site !. Tic supply WAS from the river and
Was cut off after IA desperate fight on W ednes
day.
The Camp ground consisted of ten acres.
and was located short distance from the
river There were Ureastworks entirely
around it. with the exception of the portion
next the river 1t was here the hardest bat
tie took place The rebels procured a large
number of hemp bales. rolling them in ad.
vance, and under their cover gradually sue
ceeded in securing position in the rear
They then cut off the supply of water and
had the fort completely surrounded. They
made but few charges upon the breast
woIks during the entire seige. Their object
seemed to be to surround the fort and cut off
the sUprly of water: and having succeeded
in their plans, they waited until Col. Multi
gan was compelled to yield to a foe more
terrible than the y 600 rebels who surround
ed him.
Previous to his surrender, Col. Mulligan
offered to take a position on Il level spot
of ground, aud give Gen. Price the odds of
four to one, in fair ana open fight, but no
attention was paid to it,
After the surrender the rebels mounted
Y.
Bradburn my informant, states that thel e
were u 900 of them. They were command
ed 10y Major General Sterling Price, Gen. NJ.
NJ. Parsons, aud G EN- Rains. He heard moth p
ing of McCulloch's whereabouts As soon aS
the urrender took place party took dow n
the Federal flag and trailed it in the dust
An immense amount of gold, auTposed to he
about a quarter of million, fell into the
possession of the rebels 1t was taken from
the banks and buried hy Col MulIigan on
the camp ground some time ago. The rebels
speedily unearthed it.
1t is said that the brave Mulligan wept like
a child when he found himself compelled to
surrender. The morning after the surrender
The men were all released on parole and per-
mitted to cross the river The officers were
retained The men worked their way to the
Hannibal and st. 10. Railroad, and, with the
exception of my informant, proceeded to
Chicago
Bladburn thinks about forty of Col. Null
ligans command were killed, and one hun
dred wounded. lie had no means of know
ing the loss on the rebel side, but thought in
killed and wounded it would amount to one
Thousand.
The first attack proved more dsastrou
! than the siege which followed. Nothing wa
heard or seen by Bradburn of Gen. Sturgi
and his command or day other reinforce
ments. Sturgis and Lane, with separate
commands, are probably not far from Lex
ington.
I'm &