The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-09-03
THE BATTLE OF OAK HILL.
A ,SOuthern Account.


The ST. Louis papers contain the official report
of Gen. Price who commanded one of the three
divisions of the Southern army which participat-
ed in the battle near Springfield, Mo- The re-
port is addressed to Gov. Jackson. The following
extracts will be found interesting:
| About six o'clock [ received a messenger from
Gen Rains that the enemy were advancing in great
force from the direction of Springfield, and were
already within 200 or 300 yards of the position
where he was encamped with the second brigade
of his division consisting of about l, 200 mounted
men under Col. Cawthorn. A second messenger
came Immediately afterwards from General Rains
to announce that the main body of the enemy was
upon him. but that he would endeavor to hold
them in check until he could receive reinforce
ments Gen NcCulloch was with me when
these messengers came, and left at once for his
own headquarters to make the necessary DISPOSE
tion Of our forces.
rode forward instantly towards General Rains
position, at the same time ordering Generals Slack,
Mcbride, CLARK and Parsons to move their infan-
try and artillery rapidly forward. l had ridden
but few hundred yards when | upon the
main body Of the enemy, commanded by Gen
Lyon in person. The infantry and artillery which
! had ordered to follow me came up Immediately
to the number of 2,036 men, and engaged the
enemy. A severe and bloody conflict eusued my
officers and men behaving with the greatest brave
ry, and with the assistance of portion Of the
Confederate forces, successfully holding the enemy
in check. Meanwhile, almost simultaneously
with the opening of the enemys batteries in this
quarter, heavy cannonading opened upon
the rear of our position, where large body of the
enemy under Col. Siegel had taken position in
close proximity to Col. Churchils regiment Col.
Greers Texan Rangers, and $40 mounted Mis-
sourians under command of Col. Brown and Lieut.
Col Major.
The action now become general, and was con-
Quoted with the greatest gallantry and vigor
both sides, for more than FIVE hours, when the
enemy rereated in great confusion, leaving their
commandcr-in-chef Gen. Lyon, dead upon the
field Of battle; over five hundred killed. and great
number wounded.
The forces under my command have possession
Of three Il FOUNDER howitzers, two brass pound
ers, ana great quantity Of small arms and am
muniton, taken from the enemy; also, the standard
Of Sci gels reg iment, captured by Capt. Staples.
They have also large number Of prisoners
The brilliant victory thus achieved upon this
hard fought field was only by the most determin-
ed bravery, aud distinguished gallantry of the
combined armies, which fought nobly, side by
side, in defence Of their common rights and liber-
ties, with much courage and constancy as were
ever exhibited upon any battle field.
The great victory dearly bought by the
blood Of many skiful officer and brave man.
FURTHER INTELLIGENCE.
The Memphis Appeal of Saturday, says
Col. James Mcintosh, who commanded the sec
ond Arkansas regiment Of Mounted Rihemen at
the battle Of Oak Hill on the 10th Aug, arrived in
this city yesterday, route for Richmond,
bearing dispatches from Gen. McCulloch to Pres-
dent Davis.
The Colonel having left Springfield on the 14th
inst. furnishes us with some reliable information
in reference to that victory, which corrects many
false impressions that prevalent throughout
the country
The force of the enemy engaged in the conflict,
he represents at between nine and ten thousa nd
strong, which we think is quite probable, notwith-
standing the statement of Gen. Fremont, that
they reached only eight thousand
Our whole force under both McCulloch and
Price, he positively asserts, only 1900,
$500 were infantry, the remainder cavalry and
at no time were more than 5000 of our troops ell
gagged liz the fight.
The Missouri infantry fought calamity only
few of their cavalry showing the white feather
and, as the Yankees say, making 'masterly re-
treat from the field of confict
Col. Mcintosh says that Gen McCulloch's
command remained in their position on Wilson's
creek three or four days before the battle, with
the view o! asccrtaining the force of the enemy
which was exceedingly difficult, the people
"lIhlI IAc vicinity ScCiHcu with the
Hessians, and were very chary about giving infor-
nation IN regard to army matters. On the same
night that the attack made by Lyon, our forces
had received orders to march, but having no suit
able cartridge boxes to protect their ammunition
from the rain which Unexpectedly came upon
them, they were forced to postpone the movement
The impression among officers seems to be-
that the attack of the enemy more fortunate
than otherwise, since, in the event they had been
the defensive, our loss would have been proba-
bly, double what it was
Col. Mcintosh thinks that the Federal loss is
larger than what their accounts represent and
states thai he himself counted one hundred and
fifty Of their dead on the field the day after the
battle
From the details stated by him in reference to
this victory, deem it, if possible, glorious
and complete than at first represented.
ALTERCATIONs.-On Friday last difficulty
occurred in this District, a few miles South-W West
of this place, between Jas. F. Ballard and John
Observation-Disclosures Ballard being armed
with an ordinary shotgun, fired at CreDshaw at n