M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-05-16
time, if we are MT mistaken, OF the
surrounding Of his camp:
HEADQUARTERS US. TRooPs,
ST. LOUIS, Friday, May 10, 1861.


ST. LOUIS, Friday, May 10, 1861. 4
To Gen. D. M. Frost, Commanding Camp
Iscksou-Sir: Your cammand is regarded
"a evidently hostile toward the Government
or The Uniied States. It's for the most part
made nm Of those SecessionisIs who have
openly ayowsd their hostility to the Gen
efal Government, and have been plotting at
the seizure OF its property and overthrow OF
its authority. You are openly in communi'
cation with the, 80 called, Southern Conidd-
eracy, which is now at war with the United
States, aud you are receiving at your camp,
from said Confederacy, and under It's nag.
large supplies of material Of war, the most
of which is known to be the property oil the
United States. These extraordinary prepa'
rations plainly indicate none other than the
well known purpose Of the Governor OF this
State, under whose orders you are acting and
whose purpose, recently communicated TO
the Legislature, has just been responded to
by that body in the most unparalleled ieglS-
lation, having in direct view hostilities to
the General Government and co-operation
with its enemies.
In view of these considerations and Of
your failure TO disperse, in obedience to the
proclamation of the President. and of the
eminent necessities of state policy and well
fare, aud obligations Imposed upon me by
instructions from Washington, 1t is my duty
to demand, and do hereby demand, Of yon
an immediate SURRENDERED your command;
with no other condition than that all persons
surendering under this demand, shall be hu-
namely and kindly treated. Believing my
self prepared to enforce this demand, one
half hours time before SO doing will be al
lowed for your compliance Herewith.
Very respectfully, your ob't serv't.
N. LYON,
Capt. ed Infantry, commanding troops.
Immediately on the receipt of the
above, Gen. Frost called hasty con
sultation of the officers of his staff
The conclusion arrived at was about
as follows: The brigade was in no
condition to make resistance to force
so numerically superior. With but
few field pieces vf small caliber, and
with less than q dozen rounds Of cart.
ridges for his command, a battle must
necessarily be of short duration, and
of but one result--the total rout and
defeat of the State troops. The de-
msnd of Capt. Lyon was accordingly
agreed to. The State troops were
therefore made prisoners of war, but
al offer was made to release them on
condition that they would take an oath
to support the Constitution Of the u.
s., and would swear not to take up
arms against the Government. These
terms were made known to the sever.
al companies, and the opportunity
given to all who might feel disposed
to accede to them to do 80. Some
eight or ten men signified their viii.
lingness; but the remainder, about
eight hundred, preferred, under the
circumstances, to become prisoners
Those who declined to take the pre-
scribed oath said that they had already
sworn allegiance to the United States
and to defend the Government, and
to repeat it now would be to admit
chat they had been in rebellion, which
they would not concede.
The preparations for the surrender
aud Tor marching, as prisoners, under
the escort OF the arsenal troops, occu
pied an hour or two. The brigade
was then formed in line, headed by
Gen. Frost and staff, on horseback
and with colors flying and drums bea
ting, marched through the wood skir
ting the road up to an opening thai
had been made in the fence near the
turnpike. Here halt was ordered
for some reason, aud the opportunity
was improved by large crowd of ex
cited citizens to draw near the officer
of the staff, and salute them will
cheers.
About half past five the prisoners
of war left the grove and entered tn,
road, the United States soldiers inclo
sing them by single file stretched
along each side Of the line. A bal
was ordered and the troops remained
standing in the position they had dc
ployed on the road in. The head o
the column at the time rested oppos
ite a small hill on the left as you ap
proach the city, and the rear was Of
a line with the entrance to the grove
Vast crowds OF people covered th'
surrounding grounds, and every fence
and house top in the vicinity. Sud
denly the sharp report Of several fire.
arms were heard from the front of th
column, and the spectators that line'
the adjacent hill were seen fleeing il
the greatest dismay and terror.
appears that several members of one
OF the German companies, on being
pressed by the crowd and receiving
some blows from thom, turned an,
discharged their pieces.
Fortunately no one was injured
and the soldiers who had done the &C
were placed under arrest. Hardly
however, had tranquility been re
stored when yolley after volley !