American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-09-07
Battle of the Oak Hills.
IelAL REPORT OF GENERAL ~'cCLtoeu.

HEAD2rARTERs McCULLocH's BRIGADE-
camp Weightman. near Springfield,
Mo. August y. le5l.
BrigadieI General \. Coopss, IGatIHt General
Confederate States -trmg.
GExERAL-I have the honor to make
the following offieial report Of the battle
Of the Oak Hills. on the lO,h Of August.
Having taken position about ten Mills
from Springfield, endeavored to gain
the necessary information of the strength
and position of the enemy, stationed in
and about The town. The information
was very conf citing and unsatisfactory.
|. however, made up my mind to attack
the enemy in their position, and issued
orders on the 9th inst, to my force to
start at 8 o'clock at night 10 attack at
four different points at daylight. 4 few
days before, Gen. Price in command Of
the Missouri force, turned over his COM
mand to me. and assumed command of
the entire force, comprising my own brig
ade, the brigade Of Arkansas State forces
under Gen. Pearce. and Gen. Prices
command Of Missourians
Ny effective force was five thousand
three hundred infantry. fifteen pieces of
artillery, and six thousand horsemen,
armed with flint lock muskets, rifles and
shot guns. There were other horsemen
with the army who were entirely unarmed,
and instead Of being help, were contin-
ually in the way. " hen the time ar
rived for the night march, it commenced
to rain slightly, and fearing, from the
want of cartridge boxes, that my ammu-
milton would be ruined, l ordered the
movement to be stopped, hoping to move
the next morning. My men had but
twenty-five rounds Of cartridges apiece,
and there was no more to be had. While
still hesitaing, in the morning the enemy
was reported advancing, and | made ar
rangements to meet him. The attack was
made simultaneously at half-past FIVE
A NJ, on our right and left TANKS, and
the enemy had gained the position they
desired
Gen. Lyon attacked US on our left and
Gen. Seigel on our right and rear
From these points batteries opened upon
US. Ny command was soon ready. The
Missourians, under Generals Slack, Nc
Bride, Clark, Parsons and Raines. were
nearest the position taken by Gen Lyon
with his main force; they were Instantly
turned to the left. and opened the battle
with an incessant fire Of small arms
Woodruff opposed his battery to the bat
terry of the enemy under Capt. Totem,
and constant cannonading was kept up
between these batteries during the battle
Hebert's regiment of Louisiana volunteers
and McIntosh's Arkansas regiment Of
Mounted Rifemen were ordered to the
front. and after passing the battery (Tot-
ten's) turned to the left and soon engaged
the enemy with the regiments deployed.
Col. Mcintosh dismounted his regi2ent,
and the two marched up abreast to a
fence around large corufeld. where
they met the left of the enemy already
posted A terrible conflict of small arms
took place here. The opposing force was
body Of regular Z. S. Infantry. com
manded by Captains Piummer and Gil
bert.
Notwithstanding The CALLING fire poured
on these two regiments, they leaped over
the fence, and, gallantly led by their Col
onels. drove the enemy before them back
upon the main body. During this time,
the Missourians, under Gen. Price, were
nobly attempting to sustain themselves
in the centre, and were holly engaged on
the sides of the height upon which the
enemy was posted. Far on the right.
Gen. Stigel had opened his battery upon
ChurchiIl's and Greer's regiments, and
had gradually made his way to the
Springfield road, upon each side Of which
the army was encamped, and in promi-
nent position he established his battery.
at once took two companies of the
Louisiana regiment, who were nearest
me, and marched them rapidly to the front
aud right and to the rear. with order to
Col. Mcintosh to bring up the rest. When
we arrived near the enemy's battery, We
found that Reds battery had opened
upon it, and it was already in confusion.
Advantage was taken of it, and soon the
Louisianians were CALAMITY charging
among the guns, and swept the cannon
iers away. Five guns were here taken.
and Siegel's command, completely routed.
were in rapid retreat, will single gun,
followed by some companies of the Texas
regiment, and portion of Col. Majors
Missouri cavalry. In the pursuit many
of the enemy were killed and taken pris-
oners, and their last gun captured.
Having cleared our right and rear, it