Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-03
THE SIEGE AND SURRENDER
OF LEXINGTON.
p.RTIcULaRs OF THE FIGHT
PROM NORTHERN ACCOUNTS.
ACompIete victory Admitted.

ult. from which we extract the following
particulars of the battle at Lexington, Mis-
souri,, as given to the public by the Northern
press. 1t will be seen that they acknowledge
the completeness of the victory gained by
the Confederate forces, and also that there is
an ingenious attempt to lessen its import
ance before the Northern public. We ex-
tract at length:
On Sunday, September 1st, the Irish brig
ade, Col James A. huiligan. who were thea
in a par sally intrenched camp at Jefferson
CITY, were ordered TO proceed to Lexington,
Lafayette county, leo miles up the river, to
reinforce the troops already at that place. I'M
der Col. Peabody, consisting of several hun
dred Home Guards, a few Kansas troops
and a portion of the Missouri 9Th regiment,
Col. White, with 700 of the LIST Illinois cav
airy. Col. T. NJ Marshall. These latter had
preceded Col. Mulligan's force. one week in
their advance from Jefferson City.
Col Mulligan's arrival with the Irish brig
ade swelled the force at Lexington TO about
$500 men, Col. Mulligan taking the COM
mand as senior officer. The brigade reached
Lexington on Monday, September 9th, and
found the attack by the enemy, under Gen.
Price. imminently threatening. No time was
lost in the work Ofintrenching their position,
chosen about midway between the new and
old town of Lexington, which are about a
mile apart. connected by scattering settle
mont Midway stands solid brick ediice,
built for college, and about this snail
breastwork had been already begun.
Bv Col. MulIigan's orders this was extend
ed. and the troops set about the construction
of the earthwork, ten feet in hight, with a
ditch eight feet in width, inclosing large
area capable of containing force of 10000
men. The army train consisting of numer-
Gus mule teams, six mules to team, was
brought within this. The supply of intrench-
ing tools being inadequate, a thorough
search was made through both towns, and
every description of suitable or available
implements appropriated. The work was
pushed with great vigor, the heavy muscle
of the brigade telling well as the brave fell
lows toiIed in the trenches. This went on
for three days. or until Thursday, the 18th,
at which time the portion of the works as
signed to the Irish brigade was well adj
vanced, that of the Home Guard, being still
weak on the west, the New Lexington side.
The College building. within the fortifica=
tious, became Col. Mulligan's headquarters.
The magazine and treasure were stored in
the cellar and suitably protected. The hos
pifaI of our troops was located just outside
the entertainments, in a nOrthwesterly direc-
ton. The river at that point is about half a
mile wide and about half a mile distant from
the Notifications The bluff here is high and
abrupt the steamboat landing being at New
Lexington.
After these several days of anxious watch
ing and unremitting toll, by the little force,
on the afternoon of Thursday the 18th inst,
scouts and advanced pickets driven in, re-
ported the near approach of the rebels At
this time Col. Mulligan had portion OF his
small artillery in readiness. We had only
six brass pieces, and two howitZers, but haF-
ing no she'll the latter was useless. Two
pieces belonged to the Kansas City cOmpa-
ny, and were worked by them splendidly.-
The cavalry company had only their side
arms and pistols, and having no carbines or
rifles could do nothing at long range.
Several mines were laid in front OF the in
trenehments by our men.
The attack on Thursday the 18th, was led
by Gen. Rains in person, with battery OF
nine pieces of artillery on the angle least
prepared to resist assault. The enemy were
repulsed with heavy loss.
As stated. the hospital had been located
on the bank below the new town, and con-
taiaed about twenty-four patients. The at
lacking party did not spare or respect this
building. They were met by the MOntgOme-
~ Guards, Capt. GleesOn, who made brave
resistance. but were driven back with the loss
of twenty-five of their men killed and wound
ed Capt Gleeson was shot through the jaw
and badly wounded. The gallant Mont
gomery made many of the Texans bite the
dust. This fight was very fierce. Some of
the sick were actually bsyoneted or sabered
in their cots. Rev Father Butler. an esteem
ed Catholic clergyman of this city and the
chaplain of the Irish brigade, was wounded
in the forehead by ball which passed across
it, laying open the skin. He was taken pri-
al nr To ba
brigade thus depriving the regiment of the
valuable services of both, during the dark
and trying days that followed, preceding the
surrender.
The issue of the 18th, warned the enemy
that they had a task before them which was
no easy one, and they commenced on Friday
morning new system of approaches. They
secured the entire region for its staple, hemp
in bales. These were thoroughly wetted as
safeguard against red hot shot, aud then were
skillfully used to mask the batteries of the
rebels, and rolled forward as they made their
advance.
The fighting went on thus for several days,
the enemy bringing more of their artillery
into action. Following the skirmish of Thurs
day Mulligan ordered q portion of the old
town on the east to be burned, to prevent the
rebels from gaining therefrom the advantage
of shelter. Meanwhile, the little garrison,
dlTeduy DJ ldDOI Ou Tue
began to look eagerly for the coming of re-
Inducements.
On the 10th, Col. Mulligan had sent Lieut..
Rains, of Company K, of the brigade, with
squad of twelve men, on the steamer Sun
shine, to Jefferson City, one hundred and
sixty miles distant. pressing the necessity for
achievements. Forty miles below, the Sur
shine was captured, aud Rains and his men
brought back to New Lexington and lodged
Al LII L., Oh.
messengers were sent OFF to guard against
the failure of any one.
The enemy were in sufficient force to throw
out parties to intercept the Federal troops en-
route for the relief of Col. Mulligan. Thus,
a detachment five thousand strCng met and
turned back fifteen hundred Iowa troops from
Richmond, sixteen miles from the river, they
retreating, it is reported, to St Joseph. Our
informant says heavy cannonading was heard
at a distance, several times by them in vari-
Gus directions from Lexington, which they
understood to be encounters between the enc
NV and these relief parties
The situation of the Federal troops grew
more desperate as day after day passed. With
in their lines were picketed about the wagons
and trains. a large number of horses and
mules nearly three thousand in all, now Sc
riOus cause of care and anxiety, for as shot
and she'll plunged among them, many of the
were hllAcu anu lIOm
the struggle of the latter the danger of gen.
eral stampede was imminent. The havoc in
the center of the intrenchment was immense.
Wagons were knocked TO pieces, stores scat
tered and destroyed, and the ground strewn
With dead horses and mules.
On Wednesday, the 18th, an evil from the
first apprehended, fell upon Col. Mulligan's
command They were cut off from the river
and their water gave out. Fortunately hea-
80 rfa oil
relief But to show how severe were the straits
of the men the fact may be stated of instances
occurring where soldiers held their blankets
spread out until thoroughly wet, and then
wrung them in their camp dishes, Carefully
saving the priceless fluid thus obtained. Ra-
tions also began to grow short. The fighting
at this time. from the 10th to the 2lst, knew
little cessation. The nights were brilliant
moonlight, and all night long the roar of the
guns continued, with an occasional sharp
sortie and skirmsh outside the works
From tho first hnf rif Iol