Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-08-22

IN driving Them back, with the assfSfance
of Totten's battery, and gaining the sum-
nit In this part Of the fight the gallant
Missouri volunteers acted bravely-indeed.
no words OF praise could more than do
them justice.
OF course many acts of yalor were per-
formed not witnessed by me. but among
those l saw conspicuous were Captain
Gra;z. leading his men against oyerwhel-
ming odds. and falling In death Just as he
had repulsed the foe. Lieutenant Murphy
dashing forward ahead Of the line. waiv-
ing his sword high in the air, shouting on
ward TO the almost wavering men, who
gained fresh courage from the exhibition.
and pushing forward, drove the enemy
from the field. In this fight, many of our
brave soldiers fell to rise no more. while
Colonel Andrews had his horse shot from
under him aud was WOUNDED himself
slightly. General Lyon suffered in sim
liar manner; Captains Lavender. Cole and
Yates. each slightly OF at least not danger.
ously wounded. Licutenants Brown and
johnson. and Corporals Conant and Ros.
ers. more or less severely wounded.
During this engagement two companies
OF regulars were sent TO the east side OF the
creek to engage force which was opera
ting against Capt. Wright's cavalry, shell
tering themselves behind fence. Capt.
Plummer and Capt. Gilbert with their
companies marched close up to the fence
and delivered an effective fire, but were
compelled by great odds t. retire. which
fbpv .1i,l bnf r.,nn,r.l Al.
The enemy being largely reinforced. and
having now at least three thousand men.
jumped over into the corn field. and Capt.
Plummer's gallant banl was imme liately
threatened with annihilation They re.
treated rapidly. firing as they did so. when
Lieut.. Dubois having got his battery unler
Roadway on the hill near the Missouri
volunteers. seeing the position Of affairs on
the opposite side of the valley. threw in
the most precise manner several shells.
which exploded just a. they reached tn.
dense mass of secesSiOnists, scattering
them lifcless on the ground in scores,
while all who could were gla.l to run for
dear life
The gallant men in Col. Blair's regiment
were now ordered back aud their position
taken by the Iowa First Gen. Lyon had
previously had a poor opinion Of the fight
ing qualities of these men, formed more
from supposition than upon any real fail
ure in duty. but now the tim. hal come
for him to reverse his judgment. which he
did after their first rcpul-e of the enemy.
They fought like tigers. drove the enemy
back. and followed up the advantage gain
ell for considerable distance. Capt Ma
son. Company G.. was killed soon after his
regiment was engaged. Lieut.. Purcell was
MORALLY wounded. Major Porter and
Col. Merritt gallantly cheering on their
boys. escaped unharmcd. The Kansas
First ana second regiments were now or
dcrel forward to support the right flank
of the lowa's.
Col. Green's regiment Of Tennessee cav
airy. bearing a secession flag. aow charged
+-pon our wounded, who were partially
guarded by one or two companies of in
fantry. Seeing the movement. Capt. Tot
ten poured few rounds of canister into
their ranks just in time to save our sick
men from being trampled to death. dis
persing the rebels SO completely that
nothing more was seen of them during the
day.
Gen. Lyon now desired the Iowa boys,
whom he had found so brave, to prepare
10 meet the next onset of the enemy with
the bayonet Immediately after firing
= hey said, Give us lea.er and we viii
follow to the DEATH" On came the ene-
my in overwhelming numbers confident Of
victory over such meagre force No
time conld be lost to select a leader. Il
will lead you." cxclaims Lyon; ''comc on.
brave men!" AMI placing himself in the
van. received fatal bullet just at tn, pit
OF the stomach, which killed him instant.
ly. The Iowas delivered their FIRE and the
enemy retired. so there was no need Of
charging bayonets. Gen. Lyons holy
was carefully picked up and conveyed life
less towards the smbulanccs by two of
his holy guard. In his death as in his
life, he was the same devoted. patriotic
soldier. regarding his own life as of no
value il he could but rescue his own conn
try. His body his been brought hither
and embalmed, for conveyance to his
friends in Connecticut. There was no
feeling Of depression on the part of the
troops at the unexpected calamity. but
rather feeling Of quiet determination to re-
venge his death. On the Tuesday night pre-
vious he had arranged for a night attack
upon the enemy. but singularly found him
self delayed two hours behind the proper
time for starting. by rumors Of a skirmish
on the prairie west Of town. and the attark
was postponed. Wednesday he said to
me: "Well. | begin to believe our term
Of soldering is about completed.
have tried earnestly to discharge my who 9
duty to the Government. and appealed to
them for reinforcements and supplies: but;
alas. they do not come. and the enemy is
getting the advantage Of u.s. He then
called council of war. at which there was
nearly unanimous voice for cvacuatins
Springfield. Gen. Sweeny plead eloquent,
| " against such a course, declared it would
be the ruin Of the Union cause in that
quarter of the State. and urged hattie As
soon as the enemy were, within striking
distance. He also pointed out the loss Of
reputation both to the General and his of
ficers which would follow such step
This counsel decided the course to DO pur-
sued. aud Thursday when the brigade
Quartermaster inquired when VIC were 10
leave Springfield. Gen. Lyon replied Not
before VIC are whipped" This was the
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