New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-21
THE CARTHAGE FIGHT.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF COL. sIGEL TO GEN. sWEESf
AT SPRINGFIELD.
HEADQUARTERS Col. SIGELS COMMAND,
NJ I,.l,, LII 1ShI

sSth of June, Informed that force OF IUJ 10
men were encamped at Pools Prairie abont ak miles
| tonth OF Neo-lo under the command Of Gen. Prize.
also received report that JackOn troops, Parsons
ia command, camped fifteen miles north OF Lamar on
ThursdBy, the 2th and Friday, the 18th, ana that
they were there frst Informed oil GoSernnelt troops
being IN Springfield on their march to the west.
R.s forces were reported having passed Papns
on Thursday evening the 9Th, aud being days march
behind ia Keen on tie 9TH.
Immediately resolved to march first against the
TROOPS at POOL Prairie ard then turoing TO the north,
attack the forces OF Jackson and ins, and 10 keep
oren my commul caon with Gen. Lyons troops. WI !,
said to have had an engagement on tue ZSb OF
Jne ut Balls Mills, the banks OF tue Little Oage
River about fifteen miles north of Nevada City, and
TO WHOM Lad sent several scouts, OF which Gully one
returned, but without bridging reliable intelligence.
Scarcely bad troops left Sarcoxe Oh the mornlns OF
the Ssth when received nformation that the camp at
Poole Praiue broken up on the same morning. and
that tie ITOops bad fled toward Xix Mill, ~ mile >
sontbwest Of Neosho, In the direction OF Camp walker
near Maysve which place not far from the SOUTH
wet c, rner Of the Staeoi Missouri.
II now my duty to give all my attention TO the
Notl eru forces Of the enemy. Approaching tina,
they would try to make their way into Arkansas, l
ordered detachment Of two companies, with two
field pieces under command of Captain Cramer, to
proeeed 10 Cedar Creek and Grand FALL, 10 order to
occupy the road aud collect whatever news they could
concerning tue movements OF The enemy.
furthermore ordered the bat 4lion under Col Sllo-
mon lust then under march from Mount Vernon to
NeosLo, by forced marches.
As ,oon as Il is battalion had arrived and troops
were suficieDtly prepared for the movement, sent
,ben from Neotho and Grand Falls TO Di Inond Grove
l,e,tn miles south of Cartbage where they arrived
about noop and advanced ia northerly direction.
ordered company, under Capt ia knauu, 10 maAe
forward move neat from Mount Vernon to Sircoxle.
I also ordered Capt. Conrad, Of Company Is, (Rihe
Baitalios Third Resiment, to remslu at Neosho, Ia
order to afford prot ctOn to Unon-loyiag citizens
sgsinst the Secession hordes, and necessary TO re-
t,eat TO SaIeoxe. Company III, Capt. lndsst, was
one of TIE two compani-s whom L had Gent to Grand
Fhlls In lad not returned when the battle commenced.
On the evening the 9Th OF July, our troops after
mari Of twenty miller encamped southeast oil Garbage,
was b, MI. time pretty certain that Jacksous
troops reported about 4,OUD strong, were about niue
miles belOIe u.s. their scouts swaimlg over Tue great
plateau tie north Of Carthage aud almost within our
tight. ,
1Tte trrors under nv command on the 9Th Of July,
who were engaged insthe action of the day. we're com
poseu as iollOws: .
Mn. companies of the ID Regiment, with total ef-
fcciiye strength Of so men. oo
Seven companies Of the jth Regiment numbering 100
Two batteries of artillery 4 pieces each.
" ih these troops advanced Glow Is towards the Ell.
emy, oar skriuishers dieing before them numerous
squads Of mounted riilemen, who were observing orr
march, The baggage train followed our troops at dis-
ian,e Of about three miles.
Alter crossing Dry Fork Greek, fix miles beyond
Cardiac, ard advancing three miles further, we
found the enemy in line Of battle Oh an elevated
ground gradually ring from the creek, and about one
and q half uilcs distant Ineir hrst hne Was formed
In rec re gn enls del Logged III line, aud with proper
intervals between them. Two regiments forming
tie wings consisted Of cavalry the center OF ihftntryi
cavalry tpd pieces of artillery; the other pisees
Wee ported on the right and one on the left wli1
The WhCle force wit1ln Olr sight may nave uinpsrci
35tc mei,, bc,te Il strong n serve IN the rear
AZ our advanced guard was already engaged sent
two cannon, together with Two companies OF the 81
beeiEent, Tor Ne support, Auo.ueF cannon a,a
bel I'D The creek a. afford protection 70 r big-
gsle aud te troops in the agist the move ueat
OF toe cavalry. The renander Of oor troops formed
IA llo following lsahnsr:
On tho ioit, ths sss5pd battalion Of tho "a Rosi
mont, mdcT command Of MAJOR BschoB, ia solid
column with four cannon. In the center The th Reg
neni in two s,parate haiihlob-, under Col. SaomOn
aud Iaelt..toi NOll On tue night thee CANON
pLL,r conn and of Capt. Essg supporter by the hrsl
In;iALou, "a Regiment, under Leut.-COl. liatscn-
dlutel.
Having made these dispositions aud advsnc f. W
huLaIed pa,e. 1 commanded Major Backhoh to ope
iI. upon H.. enemy with oil the seven held'piecos
no fte W. prntnit ly an,wered l soon perceive
tlsi the two mounted REGIMENTS ~ the rebel army
made ITspsraiOns TO circumyent our TWO wings.
1L,y MADE q EaLking movement, and, describing =
wide iree caused large interval Of space to be let
between them and the center L forthwith ordered
tie whole fire II oar artillery 20 be directed a1aust
tie tight center Of the enemy which had the effect IN
short time Of considerably weakening Tue hre Oh 'no
/ row formed chain Of skruishers between our
car non ordered OF Capt. Essigs pieces from the
tight TO our left wing and made known 10 the com
mabdefs aud uOOIs that il nv intention - gain
he higs ly adNan,ing with LEFT and tabi1g posi-
lion On the light flank 81 the cnemys center. la this
ci'ical moment, Cap. Wilkins, commander OF one OF
IL, two batteries declared that be unable TO adj
ytu,c for want of ION. No time could be DSt
@ part Of the troops on tic extreme night and lett
were abe sdy engaged with the mounted roos, aud "
aGytno with tie ret without the as'stAncc OF artll
lety seemed 90 me movement which couli easily b.
turl ed INTO a Touie. TIE moral eiect OF toe enemys
a. united Ie2aents behind lines although the real
dar ger wiz not treat could he denied 10 loee
whole baggage another consideration Of import
apte. IL war, therefore with great niorleation that
ordered part VI the troops behind Dry Fork Creek.
willie Lieu. Col Hasscudcubc Nth tue first cattal-
ion Of the 81 Reimen and Battalion Of the 9Th,
Ger Licu..Col Wolff followed by fenr pieces Of Capt.
kens battery, paired 70 the baggage train to de-
feld it agsiusl Ia. projected attack.
The enemy follow I'd slowly toward Dry Fork Creek.
Capt: Eitigs battery bad taken position behind the
ford assisted by one CONF any ~ the 9Th Capt. Slep-
hsny the left, and two companies OF the 81 Cap-
taits Gonier and DecglsT) on the right, while two
com, auies of the nth Captains Stark aud Meissner
s;ood as \ reserve bebind the two wings. AT this
Jtint Il was where tie aforesaid companies and battery
nade successful resistance TO the entire force oil tho
.neuy for two hours and caused hlm the heaviest
lossts BY that time two rebel Hays had been shot
Out of sight each act being accompanied by the tri
rpph nj shouts Of tie United States volunteers. la
the meantime the two cavalry regiments had com
pletsly surrounded US and iorutd n line against our
rear. ..-
Thty haJ posted themselves close by a little creek,
called Buck Branch, over which We had 10 pass. la
order to them, abandoned my position at Dry
Fork, and ordered two pieces to the right aud two
piece Ia tie lett Of reserve aud baggage, sup.
ported by the attachments OF Cv Salomon AMI Lieut.
Col. Wolf in solid column. Lieut. Col. WOLF, &C.
eoudDg my movement with his accustomed ability,