Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-12-27
Gen. Pore,s RrlIlant 1ieIorr.


Of Gen. Pops'B brilliant capture Of over thir-
teen hundred rebels, We extract as follows
SEDALIA, Dec. 20.
On Sunday last the army took up ia line
Of march, following the Clinton road. There
were two brigades. The second brigade was
commanded BY JEFF O. Davis, and was COM
posed Of the following regiments; the 22d
Indiana, Col. Hendrick; 27th Ohio, Dol. Ken
nett; lsl Nebraska Col. Thayer; one battery
commanded by Lieutenant Marr, and part
OF two companies Of the 4th Cavalry (Regu-
lars, commanded by Lieuts. Emory and
Gordon. The LIST Brigade under the command
Of Col. Steel, consisted Of the 18th Indiana,
COL Patterson; 9Th Indiana, Col. Benton;
24th Indiana, onesbAttery, Capt. Klaus, and
four companies Of the lst Iowa Cavalry; Ma
lor Terrence.
With this force Gen. Pope marched eleven
miles the Erst day, In the direction OF Olin-
ton, camping on Honey Greek. Next day
march Of thirty-seven miles brought him to
Shawnee Mounds, where he received definite
information that the enemy his men so much
desired 70 meet, were encamped twelve miles
northwest. The rebels were reported TO be
In considerable force, and seven hundred cav
airy under command of Lieut.. Col. Brown,
was sent against them. The number ol this
rebel force could noii ios ascertainei with GER
tainty, but II is supposed to have exceeded
one thousand. Here began rapid flight and
hot pursuit that did not end until Colonel
Brown reached JohnstoWn, in Bates county.
While encamped near Warrensburg, Gen.
Pope received information that large rebel
/ force, numbering twelve or fifteen hundred,
were encamped near Milford on Blackwster.
Having sent MerrilPs Horse out on the road
| leading from Milford to Warrensburg, 10 in
tercept the enemy should they attempt ahight.
he marched the remainder of the army to
! Walnut Greek, on the road leading from
(yarrenshurg to Knob Noster, and there
encsmped. Milford is distant from Knob
Noster. northwest about ten miles, and there
the enemy were eneamped on the north side
of BlackNrater; totally unconscious Of the
proximity Of the Federal army. From the
camp on Walnut Greek to Milford is about
six miles. Gen. Pope sent 450 cavalry, un-
der command of JEFF G. Davis, to Knob Nos
ter. with instructions to proceed thence di-
rectly upon the rebel camp. By this dispO-
sition of his forces Cen. Pope had the rebels
completely surrounded at all points they
were likely TO attempt flight his main army
being on the South, MerrilPs Horse on the
West and Col. Davis, the attacking party,
coming down upon them from the southeast,
At glance it will be seen no better disposi-
ton of the troops could have been made to
secure a triumphant Issue. AS a support to
Col. Davis, q section Of artillery followed
him under command of Major Speed Butler,
with one company of the lst Iowa cavalry.
The attacking force Immediately under the
command of Col, Davis, was part of the let
Iowa regiment, led by Majer Torrence and
parts of two companies United States Reg
iuars, commanded respectively by Lieuts.
Gordon and Emory.
With this force, not exceeding 45O men,
Col. Davis marched upon the enemy. 1t Is
plain. the rebels had no idea Of the close
| proximity of Gen. Pope's army, for when
lew men were thrown forward by Col. Da-
VS., the rebels eagerly sought to surround
them in considerable force, and retired pre-
ciuitateIy when they discovered the remain
der of his force. Prior to this, however,
/ the rebel pickets were driven in by the reg
ulars under Emory and Gordon, whose men
succeeded in killing one picket and captuF-
ing another. The regulars led the charge
on the bridge over the creek where they
were encamped, and gallant charge It was,
for the bridge was well guarded. Having
forced the bridge, the enemy guarding it re-
( tired rapidly, some following the rosd
/ straight out from the creek and up hill,
and others following along the creek to the
main camp. Lieut.. Gordon with great gal
lsntry followed the latter, charging upon
them with all speed, and coming upon the
enemy in large force, he discharged two
yolieys ct them, and in return received a
heavy FIRE from nearly all the rebels in camp,
/ by which he lost one man mOrtally and nine
/ severely wounded. Col. Davis then moved
his men up the hill Immediately in the rear
of the enemy's camp, which was situated in
bend in the creek, and soon had the foe
between himself and the creek, and COM
pletely surrounded.
The remainder of the story is soon told
The rebels, thus finding themselves hemmed
| in, had no alternative, but to fight or sur
render. They chose the latter, and before
another gun was fred they hoisted white
fsg, and asked for thirty minutes to con-
slider what they would do. It was then get
ting dark, and Col Davis told them the
lateness of the hour forbade the demand
They then asked for time to return to their
commander, and come again. This was
granted. The white flag was borne by a
brother of Colonel Robinson, who was in
command of the rebels, and soon he re .ap-
peared with Col. Anderson, and an uncon-
ditional surrender agreed upon. The whole
force thus taken was ] $40 men, including
three colonies and seventeen captains. In
addition to the prisoners of war, the glorious
little army under Col. Davis also captured
over thousand stand of arms, near four
hundred head Of horses, sixty-6ve wagons,
and large amount of baggage, tents, pro-
Visions etc.
In conversation with Col. Magofin,
leared the rebels we're terribly frightened
from the moment Of the first attack. A
picket, it Is said, came into their camp under |
whip and spur, having run bis horse for two |
uiles at the limit of his speed, and reported |
the Federals were coming down upon them |
5000 strong. Col Magofin asked him,
nHow do you know there were 6,0OO2p- |
HWhy," he replied, fhaEent been watch |
ing them pass BY for the last three hours2" |
and with this evidence of the Eithfnl dis |
charge of his duty the picket again mounted |
his horse and put out in search of "some |
vast wilderness where, doubtless, be Is to- |
night, housed in hollow lo-. learn from |
some of the prisoners that large number of |
the cavalry fed preeipitateiy at the first
alarm, and made good their escape. So
alarmed were they that they imagined the
unarmed recruits who had been sent to the
rear, to be the enemy.
The prisoners present a most mournful sp-
pearance. They are motley beyond descrip-
tion in appearance, and in every way poorly
prepared to endure the hardships of a winter
camp life. A very few have overcoats, and