The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-09-06
The Siktie Of Oak Hills-Gen. Nc
00llooh's Official Report. "a

00lloch's Official Report. ~
HrAssDAnrIns- MeCvLLocn's BRlaApEtf
.a4i CAxP WEIourMAN, " |
N61k-springfield, Mo-. Aug. IL. '6l. \
BrieolSr General J. Cooper, A9judant Gen
(fafC s. A.; SS -
GpsERAL:--Ih have the honor to NAKED
the following official report OF the battle |
OF thdDak Hills, on the 10th inst Hav-
ing akeW4positioH about ten miles from
Springfield, r endeavored to gain the
fiecesshry Information Of the strengttI-i
and position of the enemy, stationed in
and abedt tire town. The information
was very conflicting and unsatisfactory,
\, however, made up my mind to attack
tho enemy in their position, and issued
orders on the 9th instant, to my force. TO
start at o'clock at night to attack at
four different points at daylight. few
days before. Gen. Price, in command OF
tho Missouri force, turned over his COM
mund to me, and assumed command OF
the entire force, comprising my own bri-
gade, the brigade of Arkansas State for
ces, under Gen. Pearce, and Gen. Prices
command of Missourians. s .a
My effective force was five thousand
three hundred infantry, fifteen pieces of
artillery, and six thousand horseman,
armed with flint-locS muskets, rifles and
shot guns. There were other horscmen
with the army, who were entirely unarm-
ed, and instead OF being help were con-
tinua,,y in the way. When the time ar
rived for the night march, il commenced
to rain slightly. and fearing from the
want Of cartridge boxes that my amnn.
milton would be ruined, crSlcrc>l the
movement TO be stopped. hcriue TO move
the next morning. Nv men bad hal
twenty-five rounds OF Cartridge APIECE.
and there was no more TO be had. While
still hesitating in the morning. the enc
my was reported advancing. and made
arrangements to meet him The attack
was made simultaneously At halt-past >.
a. m, on our right and left tanks, and
the enemy had gained the positions they
desired.
/ Gen. Lyon attacked Us on our left and
Gen. Seigle on our right and rear. From
these points batteries opened uIon US
Ny command was soon ready. The Mis-
sourians under Generals Slack, Clark,
Mcbride. Parsons and Raines, were near
est the position taken by Gen. Lyon, with
his main force; they We're instantly turn
| ed to the left and opened the battle with
an incessant fire of small arms. Wood
ruff opposed his battery to the battery of
the enemy under Captain Totten, and a
constant cannonading was kept up be-
tween these batteries during the battle.
| Herbert's regiment of Louisiana Volun-
teers and Mclntosh's regiment of Ar
kansas Mounted Rihemen were ordered
to the front. and after passing the bate
ny (Totten's) turned to the left and soon
engaged the enemy with the regiments
| deployed. Col. Mcintosh dismounted
| his regiment and the two marched up
abreast to o. fence around a large corn
field, where they met the left of the en-
envy already posted. A terrible conflict
of small arms took place here. The OPP
posing force was q body of Regular u. S.
Infantry, commanded by Captains Plum
mer and Gilbert.
Notwithstanding the CALLING fire pour
ed on these two regiments, they leaped
over the fence, and CALAMITY led by their
Colonies, drove the enemy before them,
back upon the main body. During this
time, the Missourians, under Gen. Price,
were nobly attempting to sustain them
selves in the centre, and were holly en-
gagged on the sides of the height upon
which the enemy were posted. Far on
the right, Seigel had opened his battery
upon Churchhill's and Greers regiments,
and had gradually made his way to the
| 'opiIhSHeiu TOul upon eitCu Sluc OI WHICH
the army was encamped, and in prom
inent position he established his battery.
| at once took two companies of the Lou
isiana regiment, who were nearest me,
| and marched them rapidly from the
| front and right TO the rear, with order to
Col. Mcintosh to bring up the rest
When we arrived near the enemy's bat
| terry, we found that Reid's battery had
opened upon it, and it was already in
| confusion. Advantage was taken of it,
and soon the Louisianians were gallantly
charging among the guns, and swept the
cannoniers away. Five guns were here
taken, and Seigels command, completely
routed, were in rapid retreat, with sin
gle gun, followed by some companies of
the Texas regiment, and q portion of
Col. Majors Missouri cavalry. In the
pursuit, many of the enemy were killed
and taken prisoners, and their last gun
captured. raeasfi q, f5i. ... rs ' : .
Having cleared our right and rear, it
was necessary to turn our attention to
the. centre, under. Gen. Lyon, who was
pressing upon the Missouriaps, having
driven them back. To this point McIn.
tosh's regiment under Lieut.. Col. Emery,
and Churchhill's regiment on foot, GRAFT
lots regiment and McRae's battalion,
were sent 10 their AID.
A terrible fire of musketry was now
kept up along the whole side and top of
the hill, upon which the enemy were
posted. Masses of infantry fell back and
rushed forward. The summit of the hill
was covered with the dead and wounded
both sides were fighting with despera-
ton for the day. Carroll's and Greer's
regiments, led CALAMITY by Capt. Brad
flute, charged the battery, but the whole
strength of the enemy were immediately
in rear, and deadly fro was opened on
them. At this, critical moment, when
the fortune of the day seemed to be at
the turning point, two regiments of Gen.
Pierce's brigade were ordered to march
from their position. las reserves to sup
port the centre. The order was obeyed
with alacrity, and Gen. Pierce CALAMITY
rushed with his brigade to the rescue.
Reeds battery was also ordered to
move forward, and the Louisiana regi-
ment was again called into action on the |
LETT of it. The battle then became gen.
eral, and probably no two opposing fore
es ever fought with greater desperation. |
Inch byinch the enemy gave way and |
were driven from their position. Tot |
tens battery fell back. Missourians, |
Arkansians, Louisianians and Texans |
pushed forward. The incessant roll of |
musketry was deafening, and the balls
fell thick as hail stones; but still our gal |
liant Southernern pushed onward, and
with one wild yell broke upon the enc
my, pushing them back and strewing the
ground with their dead. Nothing could |
Withstand the impetuosity of our final
charge; the enemy fed and could not
again be rallied and they were seen at
IL m. fast retreating among the hills in |
the distance. Thus ended the BATTLE
1t lasted six hours and half. |
The force of the enemy. between nine