The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-19
Correspondence Of The 1Tissstiri Demoerat,
The Great Battle at Spring
field.
Gallant Bearing Of our Volunteers.
SPRINGFIELD, GREEN Co, Mo,
-. II 1901

I tack body OF rebels twenty-five thousand
strong. In a military point Of view, the
move was one of doubtful propriety, not to
say absolute rashness. The larger force
were, with the exception of three thousand
men, well armed and equipped, and they
had q very large body of cavalry. But the
question of evacuating Springfield, the key
of the entire Southwest, had already been
discussed and settled in the negative. 1t
was decided that the loyal citizens of Green
and the surrounding counties should not
have cause to say we had left them without
| a struggle, abandoned themselves, their
families, their all, to heartless and desper-
ate foe, until the enemy had felt our steel
and tried the mettle of our troops. That
mettle proved itself worthy Of the great
cause in which it was engaged. The Union
! troops who fought and won the battle of
yesterday need no higher mark, no brighter
name than the laurels earned justly entitle
them to. They fought like brave men, long
and well.
Gen. Sigel, with his six pieces of cannon,
his own regiment and that Of Col. Solo
mons, moved in a southerly direction,
marching about fifteen miles, passing around
the extreme southeastern camp of the enc
my and halted until daylight, or for the
sound of artillery from the northwest to
announce the opening of the battle.
Gen. Lyon, with the volunteers cOniHos
ing the Missouri First, Lieut.. Col. Andrews,
Iowa First Lieut.. Col. Merritt, Kansas First,
Col Deitzler; and Second, Col. Mitchell,
part of the Missouri Second, under Major
Osterhaus and detachment Of twenty
men from Col. Wyman's Illinois Regiment;
three or four companies Of mounted Home
Guards; force of regulars, about one hun
dred strong and two batteries of four and
six pieces respectively, left Springfield about
o'clock p. NJ. marching slowly along I'M
til A. NJ, when we halted for two hours,
at which time Capt. Gilbert's company OF
regulars, and Major Osterhaus's battalion
were thrown out as skirmishers on either
side of the column, and we moved forward
Shortly after 5, party of rebels acting
as picket, was seen scattering over the
hills to give the alarm, but portion of our
column had already penetrated far enough
to cut off their route unless they took a
| very crcuitOu3 one, in which case we
! should reach camp ahead of them. We
soon came in sight of the valley in which
they were encamped. A thousand tents
stretching off into the distance and partial
" screened from view by hill jutting into
an angle of Wilson Creek, were before us,
! presenting as animated appearance rs a
Young city The enemys camp extended
the north, east, and west sides by hills and
f ridges two or three hundred feet in height
southwark about mile, thence. eastward q
mile and a halt, and then southwark half a
mile following l.ir tndings of the creek,
along whose b. ~ he gently slOping hills
on either side afforded the most excellent
camping ground.
E Near the northern end of the valley lived
3 John McNary, formerly from Indiana, who
finding the rebels within five miles on
Tuesday last, packed up his few worldly
Z goods, took his family, and started for the
good old HoOsier State, where it is not .
q crime to be loyal to the government under
s which we live Not less than twenty OF
thirty families, living farms in the vi
q cinity, started about the s&me time, most OF
them having little or no idea where they
were going, except to escape from the dan
i ger which threatened them.
) The battlefield. viewed BY your cores
pondent, where the most severe fighting
was done, was along tile ridges and hills on
r either side (mostly the west Of the
stream for the first mile mentioned above
where the creek runs in n sonlherly di-
rection.
Y As we crossed the hill on the north, NOV
g ing in southwesterly direction, Captain
Wright, with the mounted Home Guards
8 was sent 40 the east side so rs 10 cut off 8
- party of rebels seen in that direction. Ad-
"a jutant Haseoek, with glass, rode to tht
brow of the hill, where, looking down, b,
could see every movement of the enemy
.. beneath him. His appearance in full view
II caused great hnbbub in the rebel camp
e which had already been thoroughly aroused
l. by our appearance, and camps and baggage
were hastily loaded and moved toward the
south. We had completely surprised them
The evidence of that fact was everyw here
ir visible, but thev had got quickly into lin,
% of battle-thelr clouds of cavalry were Wis
ible and their twenty-one pieces OF cannon
were not long silent after ours had opened
3 the engagement.
8, On the sioes of the first ridge on the west
If ern side of the valley, Col Blair's regiment
at ten minutes after six o'clock, encounter
ed heavy force of infantry, not less thar
a full regiment, and after severe contes
i they gained the summit, and the defeated
Is rebels dispersed rapidly, going in direc
10 ton which rendered it impossible for any
considerable number of them TO again par
ticipate in the battle. Totten's battery thei
threw a few balls as feelers, to draw out thu
s enemys cannon.
r Col. Blair's regiment moved forward ant
"a were soon met by a well equipped regimen
of Louisiana troops, when, after bite
contest OF forty-hve minutes, they succeed
N ed in routing, though suffering severely
r themselves. Captain Lathrop's company O
p. rifle recruits now assisted, them anl togeth
:, er they, with Maj. Osterhaus men, movee
u up to the second hill, which was considera-
8, bly, larger than the first, and meeting a thir,
s. regiment, finally succeeded in driving then
back with the assistance of Totten's battery
and gaining the summit. In this part o
q the fight the gallant Missouri volunteer
acted bravely, indeed, no words Of prais,
., could more than do them justice.
OF course many acts of yalor were per
N formed not witnessed by me, but among
is those | saw conspicuous were Captain Graft
n. leading his men against Overwhelming odds
-, and falling in death just as he had repulse,
" the foe, Lieutenant Murphy dashing for
+ ward ahead of the line, waving his syyor,
n high in the air, shouting onward to the al
rs most wavering men, who gained fresh cour
os age from the exhibition, and pushing for