Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-08-25
THE WAR In MISSOURI .
General Prices Report.
HEADouARrERs No. STATE Gu

10 His EIee1s1cy, Ctdu0OT1le f. JceSSoa, GorsrE
or Of the State Of Missouri:
l have the honor to submit to your Excellenc
the following report of the operations Of the arm
under my command, at and Immediately proceeding
the battle of Springfield
/ began to move my command from its encamp
ment on Cowskln Prairie, IN Med lnald comfy, OF
the 25th of July, towards Csssvile, in Barry cOun
ty- at which place 1t had been agreed between Gems
| Mccullough, Pearce, and myself, that our respect
i've forces, together with those of Big Gen. Nc
Bride, should be concentrated, preparatory 20 for
ward movement. We reached Cassville on Sunday
the 9th Of July, and on the next day effected a
junction with the armies of Gen. Mccullough and
Pearce.
The combined armies were then put under march
ing ordOrs and the First Division, Gen. Mccullough
commanding, left Cassyille the lst of July, upen
the road to this city. The Second Division, under
Gen. Pearce Of Arkansas, left the LIST day of Au-
gust and the Third Division, Brig. Gen. Steen of
this State, commanding, left on the I'd day of Au.
gust L weEt forward with the Second Division
which embraced the greater portion of my infantry
| and encamped with it some twelve miles Northwest
/ of CassVile. The next morning messenger from
/ Gen. Mccullough informed me thst be had reason
to believe that the enemy were in force the road
/ to Springfield, and that he should remain at his
/ then eneampment on Craneicreek until the Second
| and Third Divisions Of the army had come I'D.
/ The Second Division consequently moved forward
\ to Crane creek and l ordered the Third Division
to position within three miles of the same place
The advance guard of the army consisting of six
companies of Mounted MissOurIans, under command
Of Brig Gen. Rains, was at that time (Fri1sy Aug
| p eRcamped on the Springfield road. about five
miles beyond Crane Greek. About9 o'clock, A NJ
of that day, Gen Rains pckets reported to him that
| they had been driven l by the enemy's advance
guard, and that officer Immediately led forward his
whole force, amounting to nearly 400 men. until he
found the enemy in position, some three miles on
the road. He sent back at once to Gen McCullouph
for relnforcements and Col Mcintosh, G. S. A, was
sent forward with $50 men; but a reconnaissance /
Of the ground having satisfied the latter that the
enemy did not have more than $50 men on the
ground, he withdrew his men and returned to Crane
Creek.
Gen. Rains soon discovered, however that he
was in presence of the main body of the enemy,
numbering, according TO his estimate, more than
five thousand men, with eight pieces Of artillery
and supported by considerable body of cavalry
A severe skrmish ensued, which lasted several |
hours, until the enemy opened their batteries and
compelled our troops to retire. In this engagement
the greater portion of Gen. Rains command, and |
especially that part which acted as infantry, be |
hsVed with great gallantry, as the result demon
strates; for our loss was only killed Lieuten-
ant NOrthcut.) and five wounded, while five Of the
enemy's dead were buried on the field, and large |
number are known to have been wounded.
Our whole forces were concentrated the next day /
near Crane Greek, and during the same night, the /
Texan regiment, under Col. Greer, came up within /
q few miles of the same place.
Reasons, which will be hereafter assigned induc-
ed me- on Sunday, the 4th instant, to put the Mis-
souri, forces under the direction, for the time being
of Gen. Mccullough, who accordingly assumed the \
command in chief of the combined armies. A lit
tie after midnight took up the line of march, |
leaving our baggage trains and expecting to find /
the enemy near the scene of the late skirmish but
we found as we advanced that they were retreat
ing rapidly toward Springfield. We followed them
hastily about II miles, to place known as Moody
Spring, where we were compelled to halt our
forces who were already nearly exhausted by the
intense heat of the weather and the dustiness of
the roads.
Early the next morning we moved forward to
Wilson's Creek, ten miles southwark of Springfield,
where we eucamped. Our forces were put in readi-
ness to meet the enemy, who were posted at
to the number of about ten thousand.
1t was finally decided to march against them; and
on Friday afternoon orders were issued to march
in four separate columns, at nine soclsck that
night so as to surround the city and begin stimuli
taneous attack at dsybreak. The darkness of the
night and a threatened storm caused Gen. McCul-
l0ugh, Just as the army was about to march, to
this order, and to direct that the !
troops should hold themselves in readiness to
whenever ordered. Our men were consequently
kept under arms till towards daybreak, expecting,
an order to march. The morning Of
Saturday the 10th Of August, found them still en-
csmped at Wilson's Greek, fadgued by nights
watching and loss of rest.
About six o'clock received q messenger from
Gen Rains that the enemy were advancing IN great
force from the direction Of Springfield, and were
already within 200 or 800 yards of the position
where he was encamped with the I'd Brigade of his
division, consisting of about l 800 mounted men un>
der Col CswthOFn. A second messenger came i'm
mediately afterwards from Gen. Rains to announce
that the main body of the enemy was upon him,
but that he would endeavOr to hold him in check
until he could receive reinforcements. Gen. No
Culough was with me when these messengers came
and left at once for his own headquarters to make
he necessary disposition OF our forces
rode forward instantly towards Gen. Rains DO |
ition at the same time ordering Gems. Slack, Nc
Bride Clark and Parsons to move their infantry
md artillery rapidly forward. had ridden but
ew hundred yards when l came suddenly upon the
main body Of the enemy, commanded by Gen. Lyon
n person. The infantry and artillery which had
,rdered to follow me came up Immediately to the
lumber of 2096 men, and engaged the enemy. A
eveTe and bloody conflict ensued, my officers and
nen behaving with the greatest bravery, and, with
he assistance of 8 portion of the Confederate
orces successfully holding the enemy in check
iesnwhile and almost simultaneously with the
pening of the enemy's batteries in this quarter a
eavy cannonading was opened upon the rear of
ur position, where a large body Of the enemy, I'M
er Col SZel had taken position, 10 close proximity
D Colonel Churchill's regiment, Colonel Greer's
'exas Rangers, and 679 mounted Missourians, under
ommand of Colonel Brown and Lieutenant Colonel =
Iajor.
The action now became general, and was con- &
ucted with the greatest gallantry and vigor on
9th sides for more than five hours, when the en- nj
nv retreated in great confusion. leaving their
chief, General Lyon, dead upon the =
attle field. over five hundred killed, and great
umber wounded.
The forces under my command have possession C
{ three u pounder howitzeF, two brass pound
RS and great quantity of small arms and ammuni-
on taken from the enemy; also, the standard of ,
lQel's regiment captured by Captain Staples. They
ave also large number of prisoners.
The brilliant victory thus achieved upon this hard
,ught field was won only By the most determined
raYery, and distinguished gallantry Of the COM
med armies, which fought nobly side by side, in
sfense of their common rights and liberties, with
much courage and constsDcy as were ever ex- -
bited upon any battle field.
Where all behaved so well, it is inyidious to make
ny distinction but cannot refrain from express
q my sense Of the splendid services rendered, u