The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-10-04
The Battle at Lexington.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.

Corporal RICHARD MURPHY, who was in
the recent fight at Lexington, arrived in
Chicago Wednesday evening, and gives the
Post some further particulars of the siege.
He says the main cause OF the surrender was
the exhaustion of their ammunition. Had
they been plentifully supplied with bullets,
round shot and shells, they could and would
have maintained their position.
He estimates the number of Prices troops
at Is 900, and is confident the number was
not greater than this. They had no shells
at all if they had had them, they could
have killed the entire garrison during the
time that the siege lasted. They had one
twelve pounder, which they tried to get in
position, but they did not succeed. Shots
discharged from it went far over the heads
OF our men.
Corporal MURPHY says that Gen. STUR-
GEs' command did arrive on the opposite
side of the river on Monday, the 10th, and
remained there until the garrison surren>
dered, being unable to get across. There
were no ferry boats above or below, and
had they attempted to construct rats, the
rebels coul have blown them all into the
river, which is said to be in that place nearly
a mile in width. STURGEs had no artillery
heavier than six Founders, (which would have
been of little service at such distance.
Our troops, at the commencement of the
battle on the 18th, had just sixty shells for
their mortars, which they used up during
the first days engagement. Their round
shot was almost entirely gone when they
surrendered, as well as their musket balls.
Colonel Marshall's cavalry were armed
with cutlasses and old fashioned holster pis.
tolls. Had they been provided with car
bines as they should have been before being
sent into the field, they would have been Of
great service acting as infantry. As it was
about all they could do was to assist in the
charges, fighting only at close quarters.
Corporal MURPHY assures the Post that
the men did not take an oath not to fight
again against the rebels, as has been repre-
sented they did. They took no obligation
of any kind whatever, and were not asked
to do so. Had such an obligation been re-
quired, the majority OF them would have
refused to take it. They were allowed to
depart Internationally, after being stripped
of their accoutrements. The rebels had
had quite enough of them, and considered
their room much better than their company.
Corporal MURPHY was unable to give
any additional names of the killed and
wounded. He thinks the number will not
vary much from that previously given.
The wounded who were left behind will
nearly all recover.
Captain GLEAsoN's wounds were less se>
we're than has been previously reported.
The wound in his face is less severe than
the one in his leg, and neither is anything
more than a flesh wound. He is considered
in no danger whatever.
Corporal MURPHY says that nearly every
man in the brigade is ready and anxious to
take the field again, and with determina-
tion to take severe revenge for their present
defeat. But they think they have earned
the right to ask that better arms shall be
put into their hands next time than the
miserable old muskets with which they
fought at Lexington.