The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-08-19


The enemy being largely reinforced, and
having now at least three thousand men,
jumped over into the corn field, and Capt
Plummer's band was Immediately threaten
ed with humiliation. They retreated rap
idly, firing as they did so, when Lieutenant
Dubois, having got his battery under head
way on the hill near the Missouri Volun-
teers seeing the position of affairs on the
opposite side of the valley, threw IN the
most precise manner several shells, when
exploded just as they reached the dense
mass of secessionists, scattering them llieless
on the ground in scores, while all who
could were glad to run for dear life
The gallant men in Col. Blair's regiment
were now ordered back and their position
taken by the Iowa First. Gen. Lyon had
previously had poor opinion of the light
ing qualities OF these men, formed more
from supposition than upon any real failure
in duty, but now the time had colne for
him to reverse his Judgment, which he did
after their first repulse of the enemy. They
fought like tigers, drove the enemy back,
and followed up the advantage gained for
considerable distance Capt Mason, Com
pany G, was killed soon after his regiment
was engaged Lieutenant Purcell was
mortally wounded. Major Porter and Col.
Merritt calamity cheering on their boys es-
capped unframed. The Kansas First and
Second regiments were now ordered for
ward to support the right flank of the
Iowa's.
Colonel Green's Regiment of Tennessee
cavalry, bearing a secession flag, now charg'
ed upon the wounded, who were partially
guarded by one or two companies of infant
ry. Seeing the movement, Capt. Totten
poured a few rounds of canister into their
ranks just in time to save our sick men
from being trampled to death, dispensing the
rebels so completely that nothing more was
seen of them during the day.
Gen. Lyon now desired the Iowa boys,
whom he had found so brave, to prepare to
meet the next onset of the enemy with the
bayonet, Immediately after firing. They
said, " Give us leader, and we will follow
to death. On came the enemy, in over
whelming numbers. confident of victory
over such a meagre force. al will lead
you, =" exclaims Lyon. 'Come on brave
men and placing himself in the van, re-
ceived fatal bullet just at the pit of the
stomach which killed him instantly. The
Iowas delivered their fire, and the enemy
retired, so there was no need of charging
bayOnets. Gen. Lyons body was carefully
picked up and carried lifeless toward the
ambulances by two of his body guard. In
his death, as in his life, he was the same de-
voted soldier, regarding his own life as of
no value if he could but rescue his country
His body has been brought hither and en-
balmed, for conveyance to his friends in
Connecticut. There was no feeling of de-
preston on the part of the troops at the I'M
expected calamity, but rather feeling of
quiet determination to revenge his death
On the previous night previous he had ar
ranged for night attack upon the enemy,
but singularly found himself delayed two
/ hours behind the proper time for
starting, by rumors of skirmish on the
/ praiIie west of town, and the attack was
/ postponed. Wednesday he said to me -
/ " Well, believe our term of soldering is
] about completed. | have tried earnestly to
discharge my whole duty to the Govern
ment and appealed to them for reinforce
ments and supplies but, alas, they do not
come, and the enemy is getting the adyan-
! tage of u.s." He then called a council of
war, at which there was nearly a unani-
nous voice for eVacuating Springfield. Gen.
/ Sweeny plead eloquentiy against pursuing
such a course; declared it would be the ruin
of the Union cause in that quarter of the
/ State, and urged battle as soon as the en-
my was within striking distance. He also
/ pointed out the loss of reputation both to
! the General and his officers, which would
follow such a step. This council decided
the course to be pursued, and Thursday,
when the brigade quartermaster inquired
/ when we were to leave Springfield, General
( Lyon replied, % Not before we are whipped"
/ This was the proper course to pursue. If
/ he retreated without battle he would Ger
tainly have been pursued by boastful and
unpublished enemy, and very likely have
had his retreat entirely cut of. After being
] wounded, he exclaimed to Maj. Sch06eld,
a. The day is lost" but the Major said No,
/ General, let us try once more" So they
tried, and the General fell. 1t was now a
little after nine. o'clock, and the battle had
ragged with a ferceness seldom if ever
equalled, for over three hours. The smoke
| hung like storm cloud over the valley, a
a fit emblem of mourning for the departed
hero.
q" He sleeps his last sleep, he has fought his last
battle,
No sound shall awake him to glory again.
The battle ragged for two hours more, the
command deyolving upon Major Sturgis.-
The enemy made repeated attempts to re-
take the heights from which they had been
driven, but they were CALAMITY repulsed
each time. The Kansas regiments behaved
with bravery seldom or never equRlled,
! forming ambnscades for the benefit of the
rebels by laying fiat on the ground until the
enemy came near enough for them to see
their eyebrows, when they would pour
deadly volley into their opponents and again
remain in possession of the field. The last
repulse of the enemy was the most glorious
Of all, and was participated in by members
of every regiment on the field. The enc
my came fresh and deceived our men by
bearing Union flag, causing them to be-
lieve Sigel was about making a junction
with our forces. Discovering the ruse Just
in time, our gallant boys rushed upon the
enemy, who, with four cannon belching
forth loud mouthed thunder, were on the
point of having their efforts crowned with
success, and again drove them with great
loss, down the slope on the south side of the
hill.
Captain Tottens ammunition was now
nearly exhausted, and placing Dubois's
battery upon the hin at the north end of
the valley, Major Sturgis ordered the am
balances to move towards town. The in