The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-12

interrogation failed TO elicit anything Of Importance
They pretended to be ignorant OF their force but
confident we should have q severe battle within
an hour or two. One stated that there was Lou.
sana regiment in McCullochs command finely
disciplined and equipped and mentioned the Baton Rogue
company particularly excellent He did not appear to
have much confidence in the fighting abilities Of the Mis-
sourians but thought tho other Southern troops would
give good account Of themselves We could not
tain the loss Of the rebel force the affair of the day
vious but observation and estimate places the killed at
not far from twenty-five and the wounded from arty
to one hundred. These wounded positively asserted
that they had artillery but 1t was the opinion of most
OF our officers that two pieces shown the the edge
OF the wood and Captain Granger of the regulars says
that he went within few rods Of two small pieces which
were In charge Of three each had he been sup
ported by half dozen men he would have captured both
Of them. My own observation convinces that tie
rebels had artillery and that two six FOUNDER shots were
fired at u.s. The said their force was not more than
four hundred but think their number was not less
than three thousand Of whom one-half were mounted
Nothing further could be elected, and moved on.
Some four miles from camp wo reached She brow
OF HILL overlooking lovely valley. four miles in
length and about threefourths Of mile in width.
have never been the Waterloo battle field but from
descriptions would Judge the valley had then reached
bore strong resemblance to the ground which made
Wellington famous, though IL lacked La Haye Sain
Hougoumont. Tho slope the side where we were was
cleared as also the valley itself but the opposite
covered with wood from foot to summit. The road
passed down the slope, crossed the valley and wound up
tho sdo over against US, and for n milo along the
road through this wooded slope dense cloud of dust was
rising above the ree.tops, showing the approach OF
large force Line Of battle at formed with the
expectation that the enemy would march from
tha tio,hap
Companies and d, of First cavalry, with
the regular infantry, under Major sturgis, sup
ported by the Kansas Second Coopel MITCHELL took the
centre, followed by Captain Toten's b.ttery The Iowa
First Colonel Bates with Captain Dubois battery went to
the right and were soon followed by portion of Colonel
sieges infantry. The Missouri First Colonel Andrews
and the Kansas First which bad Just reached the column
,,o c,.s.r... Mill. commanded by Colonel i,,,..,ler
took the right Colonel Scgcls battery, with portion Of
his infantry and Colonel Salcmans infantry remained with
the baggage train The line was formed midway between
the slopes and the left extended upon small hill at The
head Of the valley Dubois battery occupied this eeya
ton and the line Termed the captain sent
shell into the centre OF the cloud Of DUST which marked
the position Of tho advancing enemy and followed it with
twelve pound shot The dust cloud showed that
the rebels retreatng and in less than hour after
wards General Lyon occupied the late Headquarters Of
General Rams, The rebel commander 1t was ata house
owned by Mr. McCulloch (no relative to Ben promi-
nent Union man Of Stone county. CM4an Post Office was
kept here but nearly all the traces Of agency OF the
Postal Department had been removed by the rebels The
family had been driven away from tic house and plumber
ed OF everything Of value.
The command camped here; but our lines extended
nearly mile further along the road few shots were
exchanged by pckets but nothing further occurred in
the fighting order The utmost precautions taken
TO prevent surprise, but no attack made.
Soon after the arrival OF our force at MoCuloch's
house some forty mounted rebels rode lesurely past,
engaging in conversation with They were sup
posed to be Home Guards and the mistake WAS not dis
covered until they out OF reach. They did not
ascertain anything Of Importance. Sixteen ofthe rebels
were taken during the day and thirty horses were
captured. dcsetcr, who came from the rebel side
stated that ther FORCE, IN his judgment, was between
six and eight thousand though they claimed as hgh as
thirty thonsand They had eight cannon aud We're en-
eamped Crane six miles from our position
On the morning OF the ith council OF war, c.mrosed
OF the principal officers held at the headquarters OF
General Lyon toconsider tho psopriey of further adj
AS had expected TO meet tho enemy within
twenty miles OF Springfield, and had taken rations for
but four days, IL was not doomed prudent % go,
on. Tho enemy had way doubt agreeable TO them
Of retrcang before u.s. and some Of the officers contend
ed that might follow the rebels the end of Cape
Horn without inducing them to make stand. Accord
hSy II was fe.ded 10 return to Springfield, ana the
column was beaded in that direction. Ia the course OF
INC gay we ecertanou tha ocCuochs force started in
Meste'y Iccoh at aoout me same inc that the Union
Troops took tler me ui mHrch Tor Springfield.
Vi lne evening OF lne 4th dosefer from The louisiana
rebinen came m and was nj once brought before Cen
lyon lie coroporatea inc statement Of tic desertor Of
e % lie SAID that NO WAS pressed into service at tho
tuiN INC regiment was formed, alu added that the deser
IONS since hey et LOUISIANA had been upwards Of three
hundred There were with McCuoch. in addition to The
Louisiana regiment, two regiments from Arkansas and
lew companies from Tennessee The balance of the
force WAS made up OF " shot gun M!ssourians.U
But two regiments Of the whole camnand made any
prtenson I" discipline. NcCuoch Is expecting more
regiments from Texas before long, and like number
from Arkansas. The men have had enough to eat until
within week or ten days, when they short of eve
rythng but beef. The camp whore they had made pre-
naratons TO receive rs on the "a the ton of
wooded hiu where il was difficult Of ascent excepting
IN the road In the middle Of tho road, the summit
Oh me mn they had planted four OF their eight cannon
ahd INTENDED to sweep us rs we came up within range
Tue rebels nave Tor some time been designing 10 attack
Springfield and would have marched upon il this had
We not gone IN their direction What their designs may
be ~ the future the deserted could not say.
me killed IN the aiar OF the I'd were Corporal Kline and
privates stokes Givens ana Devn. The wounded
sergeant sullivan ana prVaes jacobs, Fry, Miller Dough
ey ana mciNahe all OF company Z, FIRST cavalry. They
were OF tne twenty VINO mate under Lieut.. Kelly the
oranl charge against 500 rantry breaking their ranks
ana putting thein 20 isht'
panic occurred IN on the afternoon 4th