The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1861-11-01
AfAirs in Missouri.



10Th, for the interesting information below:
COLUMBUS, October 20, 1861.
The current Of news has been almost stagnant
here recently, though the waters were again
"troubled" yesterday afternoon by the arrival ut
headquarters of courier from Ben McCulloch
and one from Gen. JEFF. Thompson.
Mr.. Conner, the courier from McCulloch, brings
information that the command is now in Benton
county, on the Usage river, some four hundred
and thirty miles from here, and In communication
with Gen. Price, though these two generals have
not yet seen fit to form conjunction. McCul-
loch's troops were in good order and eager for an
opportunity to meet the enemy. Gen. Price had
fallen back from Lexington to position higher
out on the Usage, and was only restrained from
giving Fremont battle by his want Of ammunition,
being entirely out of caps AS soon ms measures
can be taken for the replenisbing Of his military
stores, and n conjunction effected between the
forces of Price and McCulloch, Fremont will be
ground between these two commands like fox fire
in bark mill. Things are drawing to n crisis
with Fremont in Missouri and one more signal
defeat will be enough not only to disgrace him,
but to shake the Federal power in the State to
the very center. Fremont is well assured Of this,
and will spare efforts to regain the lost conf
dence Of the Washington despotism; but in Price
and McCuloch he has 10 combat the prestige of
success and mature experience. in both of which
he is himself wanting. Unless forced into en-
gagcment before they are ready for it, we may be
assured that Fremont will be crushed in the next
battle between his hirclings and the forces under
Price and McCulloch.
The courier from Gen. JEFF. Thompson reports
mn engagement near Iron Mountain on the 9th,
between about eighteen hundred Confederates,
under JEFF. Thompson, and between four aud FIVE
thousand Federalists. After burning a number
Of the bridges on the Iron Mountain railroad, cut
ting off communication with StLouis. and making
himself master OF his situation, us he supposed,
by means of scouting parties kept out IN every
direction, Gen. Thompson was finally induced to
make an attack upon the Federal forces at Iron
ton. Marching upon that place win his thtls
force of eighteen hundred men, he drove in their
pickets and choosing position in an old field
awaited IN attack. Placing his little battery in
position, his troops were distributed as most
| cffcrtually to command the ground the enemy
| would be forced to. occupy in making the attack
| being entreuched behind fences, logs and every.
| thing that would protect them from the view as
| well as the aim of their ndvcrsarics. Thus in
trenched, he had not long to await an attack, for
| the Federalsts soon commenced pouring in upon
| him in unexpected numbers. They steadily ad-
vanccd under the fire from the batteries until with
in good rifle range, when simultaneous vollcy
| from Thompson's concealed lines moved down
the whole front rank, causing the column to
wavcr, without replying to the fire. The period
of this trepidation gave Thompson's men oppor.
tunity to reload. and another volly decimated
the ranks of the Fedcrasts, but by this time theii
firing had discovered their position, and the Fed
eralists were better prepared to direct their aim
against the impromptu intrenchments of our sol
| dicry.
In the meantime force of cavalry made M
| attack upon Thompson's battery. when they rur
| upon "masked battery" of rifcmen chat, ac
| cording to my informant empted third of theii
saddles on the first discharge. The battery con.
tinued to play, and the fight to rage between the
| concealed Confederates and the exposed Fcderals
| until Thompson's ordnance stores gave out, and
the battery was withdrawn from the field, in do
ing which the horses attached to twclve.poundel
took fright and upsctting the carriage, the coup
| ling came loose and the hind wheels and carriage
were left upon the field. My informant was MOI
| able to say how long the fight lasted, but Gen
| Thompson finding himself likely to be outlanket
| by the superior force of the enemy, withdrew in
good order and fell back upon Grcenevillc whence
| he dispatched for reinforcements. The enemy hat
| engaged on their sido four infantry regiments q
battalion Of cavalry and heavy pack of artillery
| Very little injury was done to our troops by tn,
infantry or cavalry of the enemy, most of tn,
| damage being done by the throwing Of shell,
from their Parrot guns into the exposed positions
occupied by our troops
The loss on our side was about thirty. among
whom is Col. Lowe and one Captain of infantry
whose name / could not obtain 1t was the opn
| ion of the courier, who was on the field through
out the battle, that the loss of the enemy coult
not be less than three or four hundred, and IN in
definite number wounded.
There are cases in which victory is decided,
with the vanquishcd and this is one of them.