Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-15
Further Particulars Of the Carthage Battle


In Missouri
From the Missouri Democrat OF tie ll,h ins,a nj
we make up the following summary Of tie late
battle In that State:
Last evening we had an interview with Lieut.
Tusk, bearer Of dispatches from Col Sigel who
gives highly-interesting account OF the battle
near Carthage. He saws that the commend under
Coz. sigel, amounting to about leo men, q, Car
thsye, heard, on the evening Of the attn, of the
presence OF the enemy at point about seven miles
eastward on the prairie. The force OF the enemy
was not known; but the troops Were SO impatient
20 nave brush, that Col. sigel decided to give
them battle. AT , O'Clock on the morning Of the
otn' the march was begun, The command came
upon the rebel forces under Gems Rains aud Par
| sons, at about sX O'Clock In the forenoon They
prairie having Eve pieces Of artillery-one To-
FOUNDER posted In front ard two 6. FOUNDERS on
the right and left, the cavalry on each flank and
tne Infantry In the rear OF the artillery. The pc.
sltlon was a formidable ore.
Col Sigel approached TO within distance Of
about 500 yards, with four pieces of artillery I'm
his centre, supported on bis left by command Of
infantry, under Lieut. Col Hassendeubel, and a
sx.pound cannon-on his rls ht by the command
Of Col. Solomon, ard another six-pounder. In
the rear OF the centre pieces of artillery was the
command Of Major Bisbop. Before opening re,
Col. Sigel briefly and eloqueutly addressed the
troops, reminding them Of their battles In the old
country, and asking them to stand by him In The
present hour. Hetben opened fire with shrapnes
soon the engagement became general The rebels,
though strongly posted, had no grape-nothing
but ball-and proved themselves to be bad artil l.
lerists, the most of their balls flying high and
blowing up the prairie beyond the federal troops
They had confederate flags flying on their ex-
treme right and left divisions and the Missouri
state nag In their centre. Sigels men twice shot
down the traitors flags, their first shots being es
pscaly directed at these objects saving that they
had no desire to fire upon the State flag In three
quarters Of an hour thr twelve FOUNDER In the
rebels front was dismounted, and their centre
column completely broken. In two hours more
their artillery was entirely silenced. They re-
sumed fre after a short interval, but were second
and last time silenced.
BY this time Gel. SioeI, observing that a dan X
| movement was being made by both wings Of the
rebel cavalry, became concerned for bis baggage
wagons which were stationed three miles In ais
rear, and accordingly sent back one field piece
and column OF infantry to protect them and the
ferry across a small creek between him and them
The cavalry still pressing him the left and
right, he ordered retrogfaae movement Of his
whole cor mand, which was admirably PERFORM
ed, the artillery continuing to do admirable ser
vice, md fighting slowly every inch Of ground
| The baggage wagons having been ached, they
| were Immediately formed In solid columns Of
eight, and the infantry and artillery posted
on all sides, presenting an impregnable array. In
| this condition, and with perfect order bis CON-
| mand continued the retros rade movement to-
wards Carthage, fighting bravely az airst the SUI
perior odds, until about5 O'Clock In the afternoon
AT last they came TO place where the road pa Ised
| directly through a high bluff, on each side Of
| which the enemv's cavalry were posted I'm large
numbers BY a feint, az II Intending to pass round
the bluffs, Col Sigel drew the cavalry In snlid
body in the road, between tie bluffs at a distance
Of $50 yards from his position, when, by skill
ful and rapid maneuvre OF his artillery, he poured
Into their ranks a most destructive cross fire of
canister shot, which did not last but ten mi nutes
| before the enemy fed In great disorder. Lieut.
| Tusk says the prairie was full of fyiug and ri
| derless horses, Of which they captured IS, and
| picked up from the ground IS doubled barreled
| shot guns Two officers, whose names Lieut. Tusk
could not recall were also captured at this point
and they stated that up to that time they had lest
| about $50 men.
1t was still three miles to Carthage Col SIeel
was anxious to reach that point and take posi-
ton In the woods on the north OF that place on the
Sarcoxe road, so that he would not be any further
1 annoyed by the rebel cavalry. This movement
l occupied from 6H O'Clock to about S% O'Clock In
the evening, and here was the hottest lghtng OF
| the day, the enemy evidently appreciating Col
Sigers desire TO get into the cover of the woods
| and disputlng the ground most stubbornly with
him. Finally, against the tremendous odds Le
l gained the timber, when the enemy retired &c
! Carthage.
As soon az he ascertained that the enemy had
/ given mp the day, he took up the line Of march
l and pressed on twelve fourteen miles To Sar
coke, where they arrived without am furthel
1 trouble at three O'CLOCK In the morning Here
| they took b earty breakfast, dinner and good
rest. On the same evening they marched 20 Mt
| Vernon and passed the night in that place where
they were mos; joyfuly received, and Lcspi:a bly,
1 entertained
The ladies, many Of them the wives OF leading
| citizens baking bread and supplying them witt
refreshments during the greater part Of the ht
| During the night, large numbers OF the Unior
| Home Guards came in the town In detaeh
| to assist Col. Sigel.