The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-08-31
LETTER FROM LIEUT.. HILLS.

we are peILHlueu 10 make the IolloWlnt
extract from letter written to a citizen o
this place by Lieut.. C. s. Hills. of our com
pany. who was in the Springfield battle
The letter is dated ''St. Louis, Aug. &C.
and will be read with great deal of interest
Il am wounded, and under the Surgeon:
care at st. Louis. l do not know
what you think of the battle - whether
YOU call it skirmish, or brush, or what
you call it-but we that participated in il
call it rough way of intercbanging opin-
ions. Our company suffered more severely
than any other Of the Second Kansas Regi-
ment, as we carried the only flag in the
regiment, ours being selected as the colors.
Burt was the only one that died
on the field. We were obliged to leave
Springfield, but left surgeons and attend
ants to minister to the wants of the wound
ed. l have not learned who of them have
since died, nor have / seen but one or two
since they were wounded. Samuel Ham
mill is fatally wounded, and presume is
dead ere this. Thos. Miller, our Ensign, I
fear is dead through the kidney-suf-
fered beyond description. hardly know
what to say of Trask. His wound is very
severe, and he suffered intense pain, but
had very good prospects of recovery-shot
through the arm, also through the body,
near the left nipple. George Reed
is undoubtedly past help; still he may live.
He is shot through the right lung with
musket ball. and through the arm with
buckshot. His wife is with him. Chas.
Archer is not seriously wounded, although
painful. John Clark will live, with proper
treatment. Michael Myers is shot in the
handwriting very serious-will lose fin
ger" Every one who knows John Cur
tbs, will recollect him as a jovial, good
natured Irishman, and of course inclined
to be little skittish among musket
balls, and although not hurt, he thought he
was killed several times.-ED1ToR. "John
Curtis was killed instantly three times-now
as we'll az ever. He was struck with spent
grapeshot, which only bruised. He told me
twice during the battle that he was killed.
rather, across the lips-is now nearly we'll
All the boys received more or less scratches.
Fuller's pocket-knife was snot into frag
ments. So Small an article saved his life.
Our little flag the ladies gave US is com
pletely riddled with shot and shell, and the
brave one who carried it will not carry it
home again. Tell the donors it has not
been disyraeed. Itel! you. marching around
town is one thing, but bloody battle is
another. You know the odds we fought
against, and you know the result, and can
draw your own conclusions. feel proud
of our little Emporia company-of the regi-
tie State we came from. The
State shall meUer be disgraced by us. Our
boys fought like devils for five long hours,
and when the field was cleared the Kansas
Second was the last to follow, and cover
the whole force. Ask Arkansas, Louisiana, |
and the Cherokees, what they think of the
Kansas boys. Some can tell you-nsore
have gone to their long homes. Oh it was
a sickening sight to see the poor fellows
calling for water, as they lay on the field,
trampled under foot, and the fearful carnage
around adding scores to their number each
minute But the end has not come yet, |
and Missouri is going to be The battle
here expect to die. 1 es-
capped once, tits true, but have no assurance
hat will again.
1.-The boys are in camp about 100 miles
southwest of this place, where I expect to
Join them next week. Gov. Robinson was
here yesterday, to persuade Fremont to let
US go home aud rest. But no; he replied
that the Kansas boys mast stay, if they
have only ten men in company. He says
hat they must be along, but they will not
be placed in position to be cut up again.
If it can be avoided. Some of US will be
back to recruit our company, before long.
81 forgot to tell you that was struck
with fragment of shell, on the right hip
"a glancing blow, that did not injure the
bone. have walked 40 miles since the
battle, but cannot walk much now but
time and care will soon place me on duty
again."