Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-08-27
The Battle near Springfield.

The following letter from a Young SOL
der who was in tue bloody battle near
Springfield, Mo-, to his father in this CITY
will be read with interest:
ARSENAL, ST. LOUIS, Aug. 10. '6I
DEAR FATHER We arrived here night
before last after hard march from Srri5p
nelc to kolla, distance of l22 miles. in
SIX days, and came the rest of the way
from Rolla to this city by railroad.
since wrote you last have been in
TWO skirmishes AID one pitch battle. but
through the mercy of Providence | came
eeSbt entirely unscathed. Of TIE last dos
Pefate and bloody fight YOU have doubtless
heard, as have every one i'm the land II
was terrible struggle. Our officers who
were at Buena Vista say it was n much
harder fight. For six long hours. our lit,la
army OF 4, 300 men stood facing the fearfnI
odds of %, 900, as well armed as we we're
Again and again they charged us, irving
To overwhelm us, cut in vain.
The night before the battle Gen. LYON
came and rode along the line of our regi.
ment, and spoke to each company separ-
ately. AS be passed US he said we were a
hne looking set of fellows, and must make
ou- mimic muske,s tell. Fire low" said
he, land keep your bayonets on" and
concluded by saying he expected we would
give good account Of ourselves. | smoke
up and told him we would try. He turned
and looked at me in the eye, and, as he
Hode OF, said 4 believe you will" This
was just at sun down. We started then on
the march to attack the foe-marched nine
miles that night, and lay down and silent
an hour and half till 3 o'lOck, when we
again started. After going miles further
we came on the enemy's picket and began
the battle. Their artillery did not amour,
to much, we're badly aimed, the shot going
over our heads. Our cannon told with
ieariul enect. From where | stood, | could
watch the effect Of shell and grape, as it
isii amongst them. saw them fall like
NINE pms. We nsve. missed shot
taei1 dead, IN some places, lay our or five
'hlck' one ABOVE the other. At this time
our regiment was ordered into action IN
reneve the Kansas regiment who were
falling back before the terrible fire of their
musketry. From that time till the close
we were IN the hottest part of the field
General Lyon was wounded and hi. bors.
killed while leading US to the CHARGE He
was borne from the field, but soon retarned
mounted on another horse, and remained
with us until he was struck in the braost
By musket ball and killed. Almost rho
last thing be SAID before be was bit vos
addressed to as-"God bless YOU. nv hrave
Iowa boys. You Gre doing nobjv-rolI
them back" At another time Gerarai
Sweeney passed me while was losding nv
piece and asked where | belonged I ,nI3
him to the Iowa. "You are doing we'll ;,
ne sad, give to them, my lads y
Al one time we Law On mr. I..II;o, r..
tSe ground, within hundred wards of n
bsttery, and the grape and shell rattiipo
over US IN perfect shower, cutting the
bushes within foot Of our backs W. Law
there an hour. l never expected To come
out alive. Bullets have a m1urnful sound
as they whistle past the ear. Our company
nad II Ealied' and wounded The foe lost
nVe Thousand, some Say six, in killed and
wounded This was more than our whole
commando Had they known how small
eur force'Was, think we would ali ne
killed or taken prisoners. They must sun
pose We had 2000b men,.
You are surprised that LYON should
attack the enemy with so small force
Inc fact was, he could not help it. He was
obliged to. For two weeks the enemy had
been gathering around him, while he was
vaiuly hoping for reinforcement. for which
be wrote time and again. As an instance
of how we were neglected, | will state a
fact, that for one whole week we lived on
one pint of corn meal day, cooked as we
best could.
Well, help came not, and our brave com.
mander learned that they designed to
attack him on the next Tuesdayeapd it
not being in his nature TO retreat withaut
striking blow-he resolved to uyerreacb
them. There wers however more of them
than he kEew Of as they bad received
5000 men from Tennessee, Arkansas and
Louisiana the same night we were march,
ing to attack them.
For myself, think have dons enouob
to entitle me to rest a while. killed one
OF the enemy that am sure Of for saw
him fall. God knows, a hard life has tbs
soldier. am bent and Drowned and fnr
rowed enough 10 make me FIVE wears Older
Those dreadful marches will never forge,
have been so wearied and heartsick Thai
would have thought il blessing 10 lie
a. wn by the roadside; go to sleep and die
But Tor au thas. am ready TO % age;n &c
am wanted Till then will Law bv
am going to Dubuque, where your answer
will ind me. Good bye.
f. II. CARBERRY.
10 p. CARBERRY.