The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-08-22
THE GREAT BATTLEAT
SPRIN&rTEED

AAA WAeG Il BATTLE a Il
SPRINGEIELD.
Why 1t Das .fought-Reported Braoery
Of the Union Iroops-How Gen.
Lyon scas Killea-Part;culars of
the Engagement.
Correspondence of the st. Louis Democrat
- vsiE SPRINGrELD, Green. Co., Mo.aIl
Sunday, Aug. II, 1861. !
Might ht-before last little army of
fifty-two hundred men moved in two
columns, on a march of twelve or fif-
teen miles to attack body of rebels
twenty-five thousand strong. In mil
itary point of, view, the move was one
of doubtful propriety, not to say abso-
lutte rashness. The larger force were,
with the exception of three thousand
men, well armed and equipped, and
they had very large body of cavalry.
But the question of evacuating Spring.
field, the key of the entire southwest,
had already been discussed and settled
in the negative. 1t was decided that
the loyal citizens of Green and sur
rounding counties should not have
cause to say we had left them without
struggle, abandoned themselves, their
families, their all, to a heartless and
desperate foe, until the enemy had felt
our steel and tried the mettle of our
troops. That mettle proved itself
worthy of the great cause in which it
was engaged. The Union troops who
fought and won the battle of yesterday
need no higher mark, no brighter name
than the laurels earned justly entitle
them to. They fought like brave men,
long and well.
Gen. Sigel, with six pieces of cannon,
his own regiment, and that of Colonel
Solomon's, moved in southerly direc-
ton, marchiug about fifteen miles, pass
| ing around the extreme southeastern
camp of the enemy and halted until
daylight, or for the sound of artillery
from the southeast to announce the
opening of the battle. --.
Gen. Lyon, with the volunteers COM
posing the Missouri First, Lieut. Colo
mel Andrews; Iowa First, Lieut.. Colo
mel Merritt; Kansas First, Colonel
Deitzler; and Second, Colonel Mitchell
part of the Missouri Second, under
Major Osterhaus and detachment Of
twenty men from Colonel Wyman's
Illinois Regiment, three or four com
panies of mounted Home Guards; a
force of regulars about eight hundred
strong, and two batteries of four and
six pieces respectively, left Springfield
about eight o'clock p. NJ marching
slowly until A. NJ. when we halted
for two hours, at which time Captain
Gilbert's company of regulars and
Major Osterhaus's battalion were
thrown out as skirmishers on either
side of the column, and was moved
forward.
Shortly after o'clock party of reb-
els, acting as picket, was seen scatter
ing over the field to give the alarm, but
a portion of our column had already
penetrated far enough to cut off their
route, unless they took very circuitous
one, in which case we should reach the
camp ahead of them. We soon came
in sight of the valley in which they
were encamped. A thousand tents
stretching off into the distance and
partially screened from view by a hill
Ijutting into an angle of Wilson Greek
were before us, presenting as animated
an appearance as young city. The
enemy's camp extended from the head
of the valley, overlooked on the north,
east and west sides by hills and ridges
two or three hundred feet in height
southwark about mile, thence east.
ward mile and half, and then south.
ward half mile, following the wind.
ings of the creek, along whose banks
the gently sloping hills on either side
afforded the most excellent camping
ground. i...ff =
| Near the northern end of the valley
lived John McNary, formerly from
Indiana, who, finding the rebels within
five miles, on Tuesday last packed up
his few worldly goods, took his family
and started for the good old Hoosier
State, where it is not crime to be
loyal to the government under which
we live. Not less than twenty OF, thirty
families, living on farms in the vicinity
started about the same time, most Of
them having little or no idea where
they were going, except to escape from
the danger which threatened them.
The battle field, viewed by our cor
respondent, where the most severe
fighting was done, was along the ridge.
and hills on either side (mostly on the
west of the stream for the first mile
mentioned above, where the creek run!
, in southerly direction.
AS we crossed the hill on the north
moving in southwesterly direction
Capt. Wright with the mounted HON,
, Guards, was sent to the east side, so Al
to cut off party of rebels seen in tha
direction. Adjutant Hascock, with
glass, rode to the brow of the bill
where, looking down, he could see
every movement of the enemy beneath
him. His appearance in full view
caused a great hub.bub in the rebe
camp, which had already been thor
oughly aroused by our appearance, ant
camps and baggage were hastily load
ed and moved toward the south. w.
had completely surprised them. Th,
evidence of that fact was everywhere
visible, but they had got quickly into
line OF battle-their clouds of cavalr,
. | wpra visible on6 their twenty. on.