St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-08-22
Death of Gen. LYON.

| nv eN"th Vi Ia u autCl pCIicl oil lN
on is q sad and irrcparable loss to
our country. He fell in the great
battle near Springfield, Mo-, on the
10th of August inst, at the head of
his army. He had just previously
been wounded in the leg, and had his
horse shot under him. The enemy
were approaching in great force, and
were confident Of victory. "Comc on,
brave men !" shouted the gallant Ly-
on, and placing himself in the van, in
moment attcrward he received
rifle ball in the left breast and died al
most instantly. The charge of his
men, however, was successful. The
enemy were repulscd, and the gallant
hero died in the arms of victory. From
an exchange we copy the following
biographical abstract:
Brigadicr General Nathaniel Lyon
was a son of Amasa Lyon, of Ashford,
Windham county, Connecticut. His
grandfather was Colonel of distinc-
ton in the Revolutionary army. Ma
thaniel was born at Ashford in 1919.
He entered the military academy at
West Point in 1887, and graduated
with distinction in lS4l. On gradual
ting he received his commission as
Lieutenant in the army, and was at
once ordered to join the army in Flor
ida, then operating against the Indi-
ans. After uncomplainingly passing
through that most disagrceable cam
paign among the everglades of Flori-
da, he was stationed for some years
at various posts on our Western from
tier. Soon after the commencement
of hostilities between the United
States and Mexico, he was ordered to
join Gen. Taylor, and after reaching
Monterey, accompanied the expedi-
ton against Vera Cruz. In the BON.
bardment and capture of Vera Cruz
and the severely contested battles of
Contreras, Cherubusco, and others
which occurred between that place
and the City of Mexico, his activity
and military skill found full play. He
took an active part in each and all of
them, and while fighting in the streets
of the City of Mexico, near the Belen
Gate, on September 18th, lS47, recei-
we'd wound from musket ball After
the conclusion of peace with Mexico
he was ordered to Jefferson Barracks.
Missouri, for contemplated march
overland to California. BY a change
of orders from the War Department
his regiment was despatched by ship
via Cape Horn, and reached California
soon after its acquisition by the Uni
ted States. His stay in California was
prolonged beyond that of most of his
fellow officers, and his time unceasing-
ly employed in operating among the
Indians, subject to long and tedious
marches, constant alarms and fire.
quent slsirmishes, living a large por-
ton of the time in tents, and subject
to the fatigues and privations incident
to campaign in that new and hitler
to unknown country, SO far removed
from the comforts of civilization. At
ter being relieved from his long SER
vice in California, he was again sta
toned on our Western frontier. sery-
ing most of the time in Kansas and
Nebraska. During the troubles of
1866, the free State of Kansas
found a warm friend and sympathizer
in Capt. Lyon, Notwithstanding his
political sympathies had before been
decidedly on the side of the Admins
tration. lie was then stationed at
Fort Leavenworth, under Col. Sumner,
but was subsequently removed to the
St Louis arsenal, where the outbreak
of the present war found him. His
mastery capture of the rebel camp at
St Louis, and his later victory over
Claib. Jackson at Boonvile, are too
fresh in the public mind to need reca-
pitulation. He received his commits
sion as Brigadier-General, from Wash
ington, only few days before his
death. lie had been acting in that
capacity previously, by the election of
the Missouri volunteers.
In person, Gen. Lyon was below
the medium height, and in manner
sngularly modest and unassuming.
His whole soul was in the war for the
Union, and it mattercd not to him
whether his own rank in the army was
high or low. His public letters and
dispatches have been widely noticed
for their brcyity, conciseness and ele-
Gance oflanguage. His note demand
ing the surrender Of Camp Jackson