Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-09-07

er aud we will follow to the death !"
On came the enemy, in overwhelming
numbers confident Of victory. No time
could be lost to select leader. 81
will lead you," exclaimed Lyon; come
on" aud placing himself in the van re-
ceivesl fatal bullet just at the pit Of
the stomach, which killed him instant
". The Iowas delivered their fire and
the enemy retreatcd-so there was no
nc ID of charging bayonets.
Gen. Lyons body was picked up and
conveyed towards the ambulances by
two oils body guard.
On the Tuesday n: ght previous he
had arranged for a night attack upon
the enemy, but singularly found him.
self delayed two hours behind the prop
,7 time for starting. by rumors Of
,kirmish on the prairie, west of tue
town. and the attack was postponed.
ednesday lie said To me, swell. !
believe our term of soldering is about
completed ] have tried earnestly To
discharge my hole duty to the Govern
ment. and appealed To them for rein
:i,rcemen;s and supplies; but they .io
not come, and the enemy is getting the
advantage at Us.
lie then called council of war, at
which there was nearly a unanimous
voice for evacuating Springfield.
General Sweeny pleaded anxiously
against that course; declared that it
4 l., al. a. -.
in that quarter of the State, and urged a
battle IL soon rs the enemy were within
striking distance. lie also pointed out
the loss of reputation to the General
and his officers which would follow
such a course. His council decided the
course to be pursued, and, therefore,
when the Bri gadc Quartermastcr in
quired when we were to leave Spring
field, General Lyon replied, "Not be-
fore we are whipped"
This was the proper course to pursue.
If he had rctreated without battle, he
would certainly have been pursued by
q boasttul and unpublished enemy, and
very likely have had his retreat entirely
cut oft.
After being wounded, lie exclaimed
to Major Scotield, at the day is LOST" but
the Major said, "No, General let us
try it once morc;" so they tried, and
the General fell. 1t was now little
after nine o'clock, and the battle had
ragged with tierceness, seldom if ever
cqualled, for over three hours, and it
continued for over two hours more.
The command devolved upon Major
Sturgis. The ehcmy made repeated at
tempts to retake the heights from
which they had been driven, but were
CALAMITY repused each time.
The Illinois regiments behaved with |
admirable bravery, seldom or never
cqualled.
The last rcpnlse of the enemy was
the most glorious of all, and was parti-
cipatcd in by members of every regi-
mcnt on the field. The enemy came
fresh aud deceived our men by bringing
II Union flag, causing them to believe
that Sigel was making junction with
our forces. Discovering the ruse Just
in time, our gallant boys rushed upon
the enemy, and drove them to the
South side Of the hill.
When Gen. Sigcl, who commanded
the eastern division, heard the roar of
Totten's artillery, he at once attacked
the enemy in his quarters, driving him
half a mile and taking possession of his
camp, extending eastward to the Fay
ctteville road. Here terrible fire was
poured into his ranks by n regiment
which he had permitted to advance
within few PAGES of him, supposing it
to be the Iowa LIST. His men scattered |
considerable, and Col. Salomon's could
not be rallied together again, conse-
quentIy Gen. Sigel lost FIVE Of his guns,
the other being brought away by Capt.
Flagg, who compelled his prisoners to
draw the artillery off the field.
Our troops took some four hundred
horses and about twenty prisoners,
and compelled the enemy to burn near
~ all his baggage, to keep it from fall
ing into our hands.
The enemy had twenty pieces Of cam
non. They were none Of them worked
with precision, every shot for over an
hour going ut least twenty feet over
our heads.
With two more regiments we should
have driven the enemy entirely from
the valley, aud with q proper cavalry
force, could have followed up such =
victory with decisive results.
Our army reached Springfield in safe
ty, aud arc now preparing to move to-
ward Rolla.''