The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-10-09
THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON
OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEN. PRICE.
HBApQUARTBRs MISSOURI STATE GrARp J
Camp wallace, Lexington, Sept -, 1851. )

OFFICIAL REPORT OF GEN. PRICE.
HBArQr.RTBRs MIssoCg! STATE GUARD,
camp wallace, Lexington, Sept -, 1851.
To the Hon. CLATBoRS +. JACKSON,
GcseTR0r Of the State OF Missouri
have the honor 70 submit to Your Excel
lency the following report OF the action
which terminated the 10Th instant, with
The surrender Of the United States forces aud
property, 1T tbs place, TO the army under nay
command:
After chastising the nlaraudng armies Of
Lane and Mon tgonery, and driving them
out OF the State, and after com spelling them
to abandon L ert Scott, as detailed iii my last
report, continued my march towards this
point with an array increasing hourly ii
mum beTs and On thUSiasm.
Un the 10th inst, just we were about -
cncamp for the day, mile CT two west OF
Rose Hill, ! learned that Il detachment OF
Federal troops and Home Guards Were march
ing from Lexington to Warrens5urg to rob
the bank in that place and plumber auC! arrest
The citizens of johnson county, in accord
ance with Gen. Frelnont's proclamation
and instructions. Although NY men were
greatly tsttIgued by several DAYS continuous
and rapid marching, determined to press
iorWarI 50 as to surprise the enerny, il posi-
bic, ut WarIensburg. Therefore. amer rest
ing few hours, We resumed the march 8:
sunset, and marched without intprlniSsion
un III o'clock in the morning, when il be-
came evident shat the infantry, very few 0 {
whom had eaten mouthtul in TWENTY-FIVE
hours, could march no further. Their halted
them, and Went forward with the larger mart
Of my mounted men till we came ii j,out day
break. within view of Warrensburg, where l
ascertained that the enemy had hastily fed
about midnight, burning the bridges behind
them. The raj II began to fall about the same
time.
This ciTcur stance, coupled with the fact
that my men had been fasting for more than
twenty four hours, constrained me To aban-
don the idea OF pursuing the enemy thai dav,
infantry and GrrillR.'Y hI wing nv,
we encamped Al Warreusburg, whose citizens
WED with each other in feeding my almost
famished soldiers. An unusually violent
storm delayed onr march the next morning
till about 10 O'Clock we then pushed for
ward rapidly, sun hoping to oveItake the
cErinN. Finding / tim liOSSi bic TO do his Will
NY infantry, | again ordered n detachment to
move forward, and, placing myself 1t their
head, continued me pursuit % within two
and 4 half miles OF Lexington, when, haYin &
learned that the enemy Were already within
town. and ii being late, and my men f.
ligued hy forced IN rch, and utterly
without provisions, / halted Tor the nj ht
ABOUT ia break the next morning sharp
skirmish .ook place between Our pickets and
the ensmy's outposts. This threatened tc be-
come general. Beins- unwilling, however, to
risk a double engagement when short della '
wouid make success certaia, IL back Two II
three miles and awaited the arri val of ILy in
fautry and artillery. These having come uD.
| We advanced upon the town, driving in the
enemys p.clSets until we came within Il short
distance of the city itself. Here the enemy
atten' pied 70 make stand, hut they were
speedily driven from every position and forced
70 take shelter within their fntrenchments-
| We then took our position within easy range
OF the college, which building they had
| strongly fortified and opened lIpon them Il
| brisk fire from Bledsoe's battery (Which, in
! the absence of Capt. BledSoe, who had been
wounded at Big DryWood, was galIantly
| commanded by Capt. Emmett McDonald,)
| and BY Pare0n s battery, under the skIlifui
| command of Capt GuibOr.
Finding after sunset that our ammunition,
| the most of which had been left behind on
| the march from Springfield, was nearly ex-
| hausted and that my men. thousands of
! whom had not eaten i particle in 81 hours,
| required rest and food, l withdrew to the
| Fair Ground and encamped there. My am
| munition wagons having been al last brought
| up, and large reinforctlnentS having been re-
| ceiyed again moved into town on " ednes-
| day, the 18th INST. ana began the final attack
! upon the enemy's works.
| Brig. Gen. Rainss division occupied Il
| strong position on the east and northeast OF
| the fortificatious, from which an effective
| cannonading WAS kept up on the enemy by
| Bledsoe's battery, under command, except on
| the last day, OF Capt. Emmett Mcdonald "a nd
| another battery commanded by Capt.
| Churchill Clark, of St. Louis. Both of these
| gentlemen, and the men and officers under
| their command, are deservedly commended
in the accompanying report OF Brig. Gen.
! Rains.
| Gen. Parsons took a position southwest
of the works, whence his battery, under COM
mand OF Capt. Guibor, poured steady fire
! into the enemy.
| Skirmishers and sharpshooters were also
| sent forward from both of these divisions to
| harass and fatigue the enemy, and TO cut
| them o Il from the water on the north, east,
| and south of the college, and did inestimable
service in the accomplishment OF these pur-
poses.
Colonel Con greve Jackson's division and q
/ part % Gen. Stems were posted near Gen.
\ h,tf 10
occasion occurred to call them into action.
| They were however, AT ali times yigilaut,
! and ready 20 rush upon the enemy.
Shortly after entering the city on the 18th,
! Col. Riyes, who commanded the fourth di-
| vision in the absence of Gen. Slack, led bis
regiment and Col. Hughes's along the river
! bank, To Il point Immediately beneath and
west Of the fortitications-Gen- Mcbride 5
command and portion of Gen. Harris S
having been ordered to reinforce him. Col.
! Rives, i'll order to cut of the enemy's means
of escape, proceeded down the bank OF the
river TO capture steam boat which was lying
lust under their guns. Just at this moment 81
heavy ire was opened upon him from Col.
Anderson large dwelling house on the sum
nit OF the bluffs, which the enemy We're oc-
cupying as a hospital, and upon which 4
white flag was flying. Several companies OF
| Cen Harris's command and the gallant SOL
| diers Of the fourth division, who have Won
| upon so many battle-fields the proud istinc
! ton of always being among the bravest OF the
| place.
The important position thus secured was
within one hundred and twenty i've yards OF
| the enemys entertainments. A company
| from Colonel Hughess regiment then took
| possession of the boats one of which was
| richly freighted with valuable stores. Gene
| raj McBride's and General Harris's divisions
| meanwhile gaiiantiy storrned and occupied
| the bluffs immediately north of Anderson /
| house The possession OF these heights ena-
! b.ed our men to harass the enemy so greatly
| thar, resolving 10 regain them, they made
| uoor the house Q successful assault, and ons
! bad 81 moi bees accompanied by GA act al
savage narbari.y--ths cold. blooded and cow.
ardly murder Of three asfencelsss men, who
had laid down their arms ana surrenasTsc
retaken BY the enemy was soon regained BY
] the brave men who had been driven from II
and was theuceforward held bY them TO ths
very end Of the contest.
The heights To the left OF Anderson's house
which mad been taken, as before stated, .,