Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1861-08-23

COL Green's regiment of Tennessee cavalr
bearing a secession flag, now charged upc
our wounded, who were partially guarded b
one or two companies of infantry. Seeir
the movement, Capt. Totten poured fe
rounds of canister into their ranks Just in tin
to save our sick men from being trampled
death, dispensing the rebels so completely tbs
nothing more was seen of them during tn
day.
Gen. Lyon now desired the Iowa boys
whom he had found so brave, to prepare
meet the next onset of the enemy with tn
bayonet Immediately after firing. "The
said give us leader and we will follow un
til DEATH" On came the enemy in overwhelm
ing numbers, confident of victory over such
meagre force No time could be lost to selec
IA leader. 81 will lead you," exclaimed Lyon
"Come on, brave men," and placing himself il
the van, received fatal bullet at the pit o
the stomach which killed him instantly. Tn,
Iowas delivered their fire and the enemy re
tired, so there was no need of charging bayo
nets. Gen. Lyons body was carefully picked
up and conveyed lifeless toward the ambu
lances by two of his body guard. In his dcatt
as in his life, he was the same devoted patri
otic soldier, regarding his own life as of nc
value if he could but rescue his country. His
body has been brought hither and embalmed
for conveyance to his friends in Connecticut
There was no feeling of depression on the part
of the troops at the unexpected calamity, but
rather feeling of quiet determination to re-
venge his DEATH On the Tuesday night pre-
vious he had arranged fora night attack on
the enemy, but singularly found himself
delayed two hours behind the proper time for
starting, by rumors of a skirmish on the prai-
rie west of town, and the attack was post
poned. Wednesday he said to me: "Well, l
begin to believe our term of soldering is about
completed l have tried earnestly to dis
charge my whole duty to the government,
and appealed to them for reinforcements and
supplies but, alas, they do not come, and the
enemy is getting the advantage of u.s." He
calleda council ofwar, at which there was nearly
an unanimous voice for evacuating Spring
field. Gen. Sweeny plead eloquently against
such course, declared it would be the ruin
Of the Union cause in that quarter of the State,
and urged battle as soon as the enemy were
in striking distance. He also pointed out the
loss of reputation both to the General and his
officers which would follow such step. This
council decided the course to be pursued, and
Thursday when the brigade quartermaster in
quired when are we to leave Springfield, Gen.
Lyon replied "Not before we arc whipped"
This was the proper course to pursue. If he
retreated WITHOUT battle he would have GER
tainly been pursued by boastful and unpun-
shed enemy, and very likely have his retreat
cut off. After being wounded he exclaimed
to Maj. Scofield, "The day is lost" but the
Major said mo General, let us try once more"
III ,:oJ ell
now little after nine O'Clock, and the battle
had ragged with q tierceness seldom if eyer
equalled, for over three hours. The smoke
hung like storm cloud over the valley,
He sleeps his last Sleep he has fought his battle
No sound shall awake him to glory again.
The battle ragged for two hours more, the
devolving upon Maj. Sturgis. The
enemy made repeated attempts to retake the
heights from which they had been driven, but
were gallantly repulsed each time The Kan
sas regiments behaved with bravery seldom
or never equalled, forming ambuscades for
the benefit Of the rebels by lying fiat on the
ground until the enemy came near enough for
them to see their eyebrows, when they would
pour deadly volley into their opponents and
again remain in possession of the field. The
last repulse of the enemy was the most glori-
Gus of all and was participated in by members
of every regiment on the field. The enemy
came fresh and deceived our men by bearing
a Union flag, causing them to believe Sigel
was about making junction with our forces
the just in time, our gallant
boys rushed upon the enemy, who with four
cannon belching forth loud mouthed thunder,
were on the point of having their efforts
crowned with success, and again drove them
with great loss, down the slope on the south
side of the hill.
Capt. Totten's ammunition was now nearly
exhausted, and placing Dubois battery upon
the hill at the North end Of the valley, Major
Sturgis ordered the ambulances to move to-
wards town. The infantry and Totten's full
battery followed in good order, and were not
pursued by the enemy, who was evidently
glad to be let alone.
Among the prisoners taken was surgeon
living in st. Charles county. He was imme-
diately released, and DIR. Melcher accompanied
him to the rebel generals, arranging for the
and dead.
Lieut.. Col. Horace H. Brand, of the first
regiment, sixth division, who commanded the
rebel force at Boonville, and who said he was
now acting as aid to Gen. Price, was taken
prisoner early in the day.
The Illinois twenty made themselves useful
by guarding the prisoners. One of them had
a horse shot under him.
When Gen. Seigel, who commanded the
eastern division, heard the roar Of Totten's
artillery, he at once attacked thesenemy in
his quarter, driving him half mile and TAX
ing possession of his camp, extending west
ward to the Fayetteville road. Here terri
BILE fire was poured into his ranks by regi-
ment which he had permitted to advance
within few PAGES of him, supposing it to be
the Iowa first. His men scattered considera-
bly,, and Col. Soloman's could not be rallied.
Seigel lost five of his guns, the
other being brought away by Capt. Flagg
who compelled hi, prisoners some sixty in
number, to draw the artillery off the field.
Our troops took some four hundred horses
and about seventy prisoners, and compelled
the enemy to burn nearly all of his baggage
to keep it from falling into our hands.
The enemy had twenty -one pieces of cam
non, and at the last twenty-six, including
those taken from Seigel They were none of
them worked with precision, every shot for
nearly an hour going whiz twenty feet over
our heads.
Our army reached Springfield in safety, and
are now preparing to move toward Rolla, but
with no hopes whatever of reaching there
With baggage train five miles long to pro-
tcct, it will be singular indeed, ie the enemy
does not prove enterprising enough to cut off
a portion of it, having such heavy force of
cavalry. With two more regiments we should
have driven the enemy entirely from the val
ley, and with proper cavalry force, could
have followed up such a victory with decisive
results. .u.
DEPARTURE OF THE SEVENTH Iowa REGI-
MENr FOR RoLLA-At o'clock last evening
the Seventh Iowa Regiment moved from JEFF
ferson Barracks and proceeded to the depot of
the Pacific Railroad A thousand muskets,
of the improved MIME style, had been con-
veyed thither in boxes, together with cart
yi1ro hOvac hovOpef chnathc &c and the