The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-08-19
THE GREAT BATTLE In MISSOURI.
Interesting Additional Details from Our
Special Correspondent.
&c., &c.. &c.

Enemy's Cavnlry-Thc Death Of Gen.
Lyon while Calamity Leading "A Charge
OF the Iowa Troops-The Operations Of
General Sicgels Column-Thc Retreat
OF the Union Forces Neccssitatcd by
Exhaustion and Want OF Am munition-
General Lyons Complaints Before the
Battle OF the Government Leaving
Him without Reinforc ments--The Loss
I'm the Battle--The Killed and Wound
ed, &C., sc.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HERALD
SPRINGFIELD, Mo, August TO- 1861.
After the Of the 81 and 4th ins and tho
falling back of the Union troops upon Springfield, the
rebels made an advance and on the evening Of the 9th
formed their camp upon Wilson's creek, about miles
from Springfield the Fayetteville road. Reports of
spies, deserers and few prisoners made certain that
they were in force from eight to twenty thousand and
were provided with from eight to sixteen pieces OF brass
cannon On the evening of the eth General Lyon formed
plan of night surprise, but the project abandoned
and nothing Of importance occurred until the evening of
the 9TH On that evening the plan formed attack
ing them simultaneously at either end of the camp which
extended for three miles along the banks Of tho
creek.
DISPOSITION OF THE UNION FORCES.
General siegel was sent to the left begin tho
attack that side having with him force of 200
and six pieces of light artillery under command Of Major
open battle the right consisting of three companies First
infantry ,Captc Pummer companies Second infantry,
Captain Steele one company Fourth artillery, recruits,
Lieutenant Lothrop Captains Totens aud Dubois batte-
ries, six pieces EACH Missouri First regiment Colonel
Andrews Kansas Firs Colonel Deitzer Kansas Second,
Colonel Mitchell; Iowa First, Colonel Bates and bah
talon from Second Missouri under Major Osterhaus. In
addition several companies Of Home Guards, part
Of whom did good SERVICE but the majority proved in
tolerable nuisance running like frightened deer at the
least alarm and getting in the way Of others.
MOVING TO THE ATTACK.
The whole force left Springfield about sunset the 9th,
the left column taking the Fayetteville road and the right
the road leading to Mount Vernon leaving them at
proper points for making detours to enclose the
camp. Your correspondent joined the right column,
under General Lyon that promised be actively
engaged Midnight found us in q bayfield, four miles
from the rebel position and not deemed prudent
to approach before morning, the per.
mtted get what sleep they could the hard
ground during the few hours preceding dawn.
At a few minutes before four the whole column
again In motion was not long before the camp appear
ed in sight, located, anticipated, along Wilson'S
creek On either side Of the stream tho valley,
averaging some twenty rods In width, bounded
by range Of low and gently sloping hills, covered
with scanty, but occasionally dense growth Of scrub
oaks Of few feet III height Portions Of these slopes,
together with parts Of the valley had boon cleared and
turned into and wheat fields; the latter had just
been visited by the sickle but the former st
luxuriant growth, aaording complete concealment 10
either foot horsemen. The rebels had selected those
points which admitted of the bes, defence positions for
their and batteries these being mainly the North
side Of the creek The low oaks, with which the entire
camp surrounded prevented our seeing many move
ments until almost at the last moment and the same
did much to hinder the aim of both artillery and
riAemen AT minutes past FIVE the rebel pckets
Seen and driven in and rapidly moved forward to
take position opposite the rebel battery This we Sc
cured gently sloping hill, which had been the ex-
IRENE Of the rebel camp, several wagons few tents,
cooking utensils and other IT ceteras Of sol
der's life plainly indicated
THE BATTLE.
AT distance Of eight hundred yards from the rebeI
battery Captain Totten unlimbered his guns and
speedily joined by Captain Dubois Captain Totten open
the battle with twelve pound shell and promptly
answered by the rebels. In few moments all our
pieces were engaged with equal number Of the
mys cannon, both sides firing with great rapidly Tho
First Missouri regiment placed in position support
the battery with Major Osterbaus battalion on the ex-
IRENE right sknshcrs To the left Of our line
ravnc, with pitous sides adjoining this rayine
was field, and beyond the latter wheat subbe
field Captains Plummer and Gilbert, with three com
panes of regulars and Captain Wright with two comPa-
MES Home Guards sent to occupy these fields and
prevent the enemy from making flank movement upon
the battery The rebels did long allow our forces
wait in line with their rifles unused, but commenced
fire Of musketry upon 0serhaus battalion and those Of
the First Missouri on the right After two Or three
rounds of MIME balls the firing general ong the
line Of this regiment and an attempt at O charge va
broken up and the enemy forced retire. At about tho
time Of the commencement Of the firing by the First
Missouri those left found themselves busy en-
gagged in the cornfed with large body Of rebel troops
that had been sent out TO oppose them. The Homo
Guards as usual fell back safer locality and the reg
lars, finding skrmshng in the destructive to
themselves than to their opponents, from the latter
knowing well the ground, fell back TO the edge Of
the field and succeeded in there holding position
The fire against the regulars before they fell back
particularly heavy and well directed the
aim The regulars gave return shots whenever they OBJ
tanned sight Of an enemy and confident that they did
much TOW ards thinning the rebel ranks
The First Missouri troops, who were acting q sup
port the battery in 'front.' stood their ground like vee-
rams, and sent many Mimic ball true its aim. AS
much of the firing against them from weapons infe-
ror to theirs, they had the enemy slight advantage
when placed man TO man, and though finally much cut
up and forced to retire, they were not with
pulsed the rebels. On each of these occasions
the enemy brought fresh troops into the field,
and it Is believed that during the entire day they
did not bring the force twice into action except in
one or two flank movements When the Missouri First
withdrawn after they had been under fire an hour
and half the Kansas First and Second with the Iowa
First placed in the 'front.' the latter being to the
right of the Kansas troops and further towards the rear
thus keeping the Iowa partly in reserve. The rebels
again up stronger force than ever but
driven back by the KaDsans-the latter, in both in
stances bringing their bayonets TO the charge and pur
suing for some distance down the slope. They wonld
have followed up to the battery had their officers
feared that the retreat might be draw them into
an ambuscade the scanty growth Of trees and bushes
being admirably adapted for forming ambush. All
this time Lieutenant Lothrops regulars were lying down
TO the right Of Dubois battery, waiting for proper OPP
portuny 10 come into action The lieutenant himself sat
his horse In front Of his displaying the most i'm
perturbable GOODNESS. "Dont dodge, said he to re-
porter who shall be nameless, that individual turned
his head aside to allow ball to pass; dont dodge, for