The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-19


was advancing six hundred yards from our left,
with the evident intention outankng and falling on
Our rear There appeared to DO full regiment some
nx or eight companies and about fifteen hundred men
not In ranks Captain Dubois brought his battery to bea1
upon Them and she'll grape and canister directly in
their midst, causing hasty and confused retreat
largo body of them made rush for an opening In tho
fence behind which clump OF timber and, as they
were crowdng through, two twelve FOUNDER sphericai
case exploded among them, leaving tho dead
and wounded thick upon the ground Our rear was not
for some time again menaced in that direction.
Very soon after this it that tho rebel cavalry
about 800 strong forming in the Of right TO
make a charge upon tho ambulances, which being
brought up for the OF tho wounded Captain Woods
Kansas Rangers and two companies Of Second Kansas
infantry which happened the at this time'
drew up to resist them As the cavalry came on the in
fantry opened with voley but did not succeed in check
Ing their advance. When they within less than two
hundred yards Of lines Capt Toten opened upon them
with two rounds from his entire battery which had boon
hastily brought into position unknown to tho rebels The
FIRE dagonaly the body and each shot cut its
lane entirely through leaving dead wounded horses and
riders mingled Unfortunately together The charge was
broken and the rebel cavalry made dsordery retreat
to the timber. Some twenty horses galloping
rderlcss about tho field and secured by our men,
the owans brought tho thick Of the contest,
giving the Kansas brief respite They repealed an adj
vance Of rebel infantry which disappeared than
II succeeded by fresh force larger than tho previous
one Tho Kansas First again brought forward and led
to the charge by General Swoony Colonel Dclcr having
been wounded and taken to the
DEATH OF GENERAL LYON.
General Lyon standing by his horse the Iowans,
and several among the latter asked for to lead
them Instantly General Lyon took command Of tho reg
ment to lead forward but before they reached the
mys lines he struck in the breast by rife ball and fell
dead from his horse Tho rebos sooing tho approach
of the Union troops scattered and fed before the latter
got sufficiently to tho bayoaet. All this trans
p4red in a very few moments, and it known to but
few that General Lyon had fallen The Of
his death made the soldiers till after the baltic
was over.
After this but little done either side for upwards
OF half hour the rebels changing tho position OF their
battery to higher ground in the rear of its former To-
cation, and Captain Tottcn advancing his few rods,
while Captain Dubois remained at his old post Captain
Granger, of the regular service, detected flank move
nent preparation against left, and took three
panes of the Iowa regiment to the edge Of the avne and
caused them to lie down in the grass and await the
my's approach. Very the column approached, Cap
tain Dubois pouring grape and canister when they got
range of Captain Granger the Iowans taking sigh. with
out rising from their position poured in most destruc
tive fire of Mimic balls with terrific effect The cannonade
and musket fire too much for the rebels and they
made the best possible OF their pedals back place
Of safety.
THE REBEL WAGON TRAIN ON FIRE.
Immediately after this flames burst orthfrom the
rebel baggage train which stationed about mile down
the crock and from the extent of tho fire and the
columns of smoke, it is supposed that the entire wagon
train. Of the rebel army destroyed. How the
fire originated Is not known but is supposed that the
rebels fearing defeat and rou, themselves rc to
the wagons rather than have them fall the hands
Of the Unionists They to destroy twenty
wagons near their battery short time after
the fire burst forth in the large train, and is but
sonabe to suppose that ito latter turned ashes and
smoke by the owners themselves. While the conlagra-
ton its height the rebels made furious attack on
the Union front and right at the time The battery
in front opened urously and several pieces which had
been brought against right, under Of the tim
ber, played vigorously from cleared space eight
hundred yards distant. very large force Of infantry
out in limo Of battle from the very place
where we had for time expected Colonel Siege to
appear No bayone changes made by either side,
but tho roll Of muskcry and the boom Of cannon were
more fierce and continuous than at any previous timo
during the day. For half an hour deep, deaf.
ching roar resoundng through the air and the field be-
came canoped with dense clouds of smoke the position
of cannon could only be made by the dull red flash
through the fog like atmosphere, and all around was
falling pitilcss shower of lead and iron Too rapid IN
succession to think Of counting the smooth whistle
of the common rife ball. the shrill buzz of tho Mimic
the dull hum Of the round ball and above them all the
sounds produced by the various descriptions of
munton. For half hour it continued, and was ended
nv of the rphp
field In this last scene Of the battle all tho Union force
the field in action and half our loss Of the day
occurred at this time.
OPERATIONS OF GENERAL sIEGEL's COMMAND
''Where is Segelg had been passing from lip TO lin
Tor an hour before this attack and he had been anxousy
looked for at the very point where the rebel infantry
bearing the secession flag had made their appearance
AS had heard from him the night previous,
by the reports of his cannon we were uncertain
10 his fate and fearful that might upon him should
he approach did not not know from what quarter
to expect him Our ammunition was nearly ex.
hausted and several companies of infantry had expended
their last round Of cartridges Major Sturgis (who took
command after General Lyons death) ordered rotrcat
and the whole army took up its line Of march for
Springfield Ambulances sent back with n flag Of
truce to gather the dead and wounded Tho flag was
received by General McCuoch and Colonel Mcintosh and
by n,no T. NJ the ambuanccs returned bringing all that
could be found The battle commenced fow minutes
past six A. NJ and the was ordered at eleven
With but few intervals the batteries both sides were
in constant action throughout the WHOLE and wer.
few minutes when tho roll of musketry could not b,
heard.
To understand Colonel Siegels position II vii
be necessary to explain fully the situation
Of the rebel camp Wilson's creek has a genera
southery direction but at farm called McNary.
it makes a sharp bend to the cast, follows ar
eastery for two and half miles and then bends
suddenly TO the south The Fayetteville the
creek about mile and three fourths below the upper
bend. The rebel camp extended three miles along the
creek-two and a half in castcry direction and a
quarter of a mile above the upper bend towards the
north, and the distance below tho lower bend to-
wards the south General Lyons attack was made on the
weste sic just above tho upper bond Colonel Siegc
marched from Springfield down (gong SOUTH the FAY
cttcvc road left that road four miles this side of VII
sons creek and turned to his left around the rebel
camp, into the road two miles beyond Wilson'S
Creek and marched up the Fayetteville toward the
cnemys camp Some who his command coming
about daylight from the direction Of Arkansas walked