, 1861-08-21
BATTLE AT SPRINGFIELD,
Plans OF the Attack and tile Way
in which it was Conducted,
a EPlR TIED LETTER FROM ONE WHO
WAS TBERE,

A-14to1@ 1A4e6uHtl 1tuiDGEHL.
As an eyewitness Of the battle Of Spring
neld, presume may give an account Of
those things which fell under my observation
without oEefburdening your columns or
Weatyng tie patience Of your readers. pre-
lace my account by remaIking that too much
las been sid and written concerning this at
falr oy persons totally ignorant OF the facts,
might be The issue Of q MEASUREMENT. More
tlan this, fatal error has always beea made
in the heralding Of facts concerning our ar
mics, which, seemingly trivial, are Of great
Importance in the Possession Of an enemY.
The plan OF attsck, as Jou are already aware,
Ing Of his oHn regiment, Col. Ss.omon's regi-
nent and rqusdron Of cavalry, sh ,u.dm march
o.: the F.. etteyi1!e read to within q few
nl1les Of the rebel camp, and making detour
to tae left (sonth), attack from the southeast,
the army, proceeding down the Mount Vernon
road, should Sake the northwest cor
lS1 Ct tie enemy'5 camp. The camp Of
tae traitors extsrded about tonr miles along
taa 1As1ne, tssi1uaiga Wic!za tau Wilson's c9eaE
each other, and covered with thtcE growth
ct timber and jungle, In many instances the
undeTbrush was SO dense that the enemy were
Enabled to come up under cover to within q
very few rods OF our men before We could see
them- Both columns arrived at their respect
i've places of attack about the same time, and
began the engagement almost simultaneously,
beth having surprised the enemy By cutting
off their pickete.
OF Gen. Slgels stack and subsequent dis
conlflture, not being present, do not intend
to say moro, than that he made vigorous
beginning, and his artillery did great e1ecu-
ton, driving the rebels out Of their camp,
6no scattering them to the four winds Of
beaven. But his small band could not be ex-
Peeted to have Withstood snch overwhelming
numbers, and being unsupported by any re-
serve, they were compelled to give way before
such . large force. That they fought brave1y
and well, the heaps Of slain rebels must testify,
end the history OF Carthage treasures us
Their artillery officers aud gunners were
nearly all killed OF wounded, and some of
their gaas disabled. All the horses killed,
except TWO, and those two, with the assistance
Of pair Of 4aules, brought away the pieee
Under such Circumstances is it any wonder
they gave way! Yet their ammunition Eas
destroyed, and some OF their guns spiked be-
tore the field was abandoned.
Now, while all this TRR going Oh, General
Lyon has entered the field in the dia1onally
opposite direction. Capt. Plummers bastaL-
lion oi SEQ regulars engage force Of near
3,000 or our lett, il a corn-lie1d the gallant
Missouri First, supported By Totten's battery,
| with Msjor Osterhaus's battalion on the right,
| attack the enemy in front and the batlle IS
| fairly open. Tnen you might haye thought
he'll had belched tefth her ten Of thousands,
| aBd pandemonium was opened. An order
| vas sent to the rear fer infantry, and the First
Kansas, With a shout of exuitation at the
thought, rush to the fight, but before they
reach tie ground the First Missouri has re-
ceived and driven back three successive
| charges from thrice their numbers, aud now
| their thiuned ranks bend and sway before the
| terrible storm OF bullets and missiles that fol
SO long have assatled them in vain. Tney be-
sin to give way and the Firss Kansas take
their places. Manfully they come~up to tbs
wcrk, but tie Shower Of bullets is terrific and
for moment they fall back upon the First
Iowa, aGd this brave corps came forward il
order and with firm determination to dt
their best. They arrived Just in time, for TIL
enemy was growing sick Of this th1ng-a stead,
fire Of 8 few minutea ensues AID the stricken
rebels flee in hot haste
In this fight many brave deed Was don
and many noble soul was sacrificed On it
eoEnt1y's altsr and winged its light to its las
home General Lyon, who Was personally il
his horse, and Major sehofeld, who displaye,
the utmost coo]ness sud bravery, ha1 hi:
LoEse ehot from under him. Meanwhile
Captain Plummere brave band occupies
most critical >sltuasioa. Three Thousand 1eb
about TO oVerwhaan the ANAL force befor
: them, hut Captain Dubois has his bal
terry now tn poeition On our left, IN
Discerning with the eye Of soldier th
| peIu Oh LIE 1Gl0N-Eo4G14f&, 4
opens murderous fire upon the advancln
traitors, and as Leaf shrivels up before ri
ing fame, so the rebels' ranks recoi1 and COW
, | er, and quail before that awful storm Of deaf
and destTuction-they cannot stand it, but al
scattered and driven of. Now pause occur
7 Wherever We have met the enemy, althoug
, in such great numbers, they could not stan
| before ue, and their artillery Was as nothing
while ours was served with N unerfing ce
tsinty and precision, that carried not only te
e ror before It, bnt desth and ffightful Woun6
r | to terrible effect.
= This pause u o. sho!t duration, aad tt
fight Is resumed By the Fist Kansas and 0sts
4 hSuB and Capt Steals batta1ions. Than
!, grows thicker. Mai. schoaeld Leads the low
! On charge to the left, Gen. Lyon follow
Just IN the rear Of the right wing, far to Il
right, accompanied by myeelf and three orde
lies. As we descend the hill, we observe
j. regiment Of Confederstes drawn up In line {
f oaf rieht, and facing the right Hank Of tt
It Iowas. We stopped, and while observi1
4 them, were approached by three officers, vi
Q rode up to within pistol shot and asked vi
:. We wefe- No one replied, but ~ drew o.
: reTolye1s. The Confederate officers, reeel
ing no reply, retired .
It The Second Kansas Tas then brought I
: and az they advanced near the enemy, I
4 body Of Ger. Lyon Was brous ht through t
e ranks by his sefvant-dead. a great wei&
4 teu upon us who knew it, but NO constern
r feE officers knew anything at ali about it IN
,. the battle ended. He fell martyr. He di
j. e1orIone1y, On the field Of battle, 1t the be
= Gf his troops, In the thick Of the fight,
!. slaughtered victim Of this miserable wick
), REBELLION. His blood cries aloud for ve
is gespce, and his sacrifice will nerve the arm
e tye:y patriot in the land.
= Well ind nobly did the Second e.
sac and Iowa boys follow up those charges,
r deed nearly OF quits Ill Of our troops we
p engaged st this period, and the dastsrt
b wtesches were sgain driven before them Ii
d, ! ch*f1.
le Aysia 1u]l occu1h Of some thirty minut
b. duration. Major stuyKis assumss commaz
It and We wait to rest Cur tired men, and If p
le sib.e to reconnoitre the enemy. Descendt
st lie Lil to our front, where Il Tottnn's b
Id ttrr, apa great pazt Of the Infantry, Of
ae | tbe woods some distance, but yet witktn r O
a / ,..r,a xo,r NntA v,fAnA1 4hn r1.~..-,