The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-09-05

III tue cOruneIQ ur6 OF smells, WIN SUCH
marked effect, as to drive him in the utmost
disorder, and with great slaughter, from the
field.
There was now momentary cessation of
FIRE along nearly the whole line, except the
extreme right where the First Missouri was
still engaged with a superior force of the
enemy, attempting TO turn our right. The
General having been informed of this move
ment, sent the second Kansas to the sup
port of the First Missouri. 1t came up in
time to prevent the Missourians from being
destroyed by the overwhelming force against
which they were unfinehingly holding
their position.
The battalion of heavy infantry under
Capt. Steele, which had been detailed to the
support of Lieut.. Dubois battery, was dur
ing this time brought forward to the sup
port of Capt. Totten's battery. Scarcely had
these dispositions been made, when the en-
envy again appeared in very large force
along our entire front, and moving towards
each flank. The engagement at once be-
came general, and almost inconceivably
fierce, along the entire line, the enemy ap-
pearing in front often in three or four
ranks, lying down, kneeling and standing,
the lines often approaching to within thirty
or forty yards of each other, as the enemy
would charge upon Capt. Totten's battery
and be driven back.
Early in the engagement, the First Iowa
came to the support of the First Kansas and
First Missouri, both of which had stood
like veteran troops, exposed to a CALLING fire
of the enemy.
Every available battalion was now
brought into action, and the battle ragged
with undated fury for more than an hour;
the scales seeming all the time nearly equal.
ly balanced, our troops sometimes gaining
little ground, and again giving way few
yards to rally again. Early in this engage
ment, while Gen. Lyon was leading his
horse along the line, on the left of Captain
Totten's battery, and eEdeavoring to rally
our troops, which were at this time in con-
siderable disorder, his horse was killed and
he received a wound in the leg and one in
the head. He walked slowly few PAGES
to the rear and said, " fear the day is
lost. l then dismounted one of my or
derlies and rendered the horse to the Gener-
81, who at first declined, saying it was not
necessary. The horse, however, was left
with him, and I moved off to rally por-
ton of the Iowa regiment, which was be-
ginning to break in considerable num-
bers.
In the meantime, the General mounted,
and swinging his hat in the air, called to
the troops nearest him to follow. The Sec
ond Kansas CALAMITY rallied around him,
| headed by the brave Col. Mitchell. In a
few moments the Col. fell severely wound
! ed about the Same time fatal ball was
lodged in the Generals breast, and he was
carried from the field corpse. Thus gIo-
riously fell as brave soldier as ever drew
| a sword-a man whose honesty of purpose
was proverbial-a noble patriot, and one
who held his life as nothing when his coun-
try demanded it of him.
OF this dire calamity 1 was not informed
until perhaps half an hour after its occur
renee. In the meantime our disordered line
on the left was again rallied, and pressed
the enemy with great vigor and coolness,
particularly the First Iowa regiment, which
fought like veterans This hot encounter
lasted perhaps half an hour.
| After the death of Gen. Lyon, when the
enemy fed and left the field clear, so far as
we could see, and almost total silence reign
ed for space of twenty minutes. Major
| SehO6eld now informed me of the death of
Gen. Lyon, aud report ed for orders. The
responsibility which now rested upon me
was duly felt and appreciated. Our brave
little army was scattered and broken; over
| 10000 men were still in our front, and our
men had had no water since O'CLOCK the
evening before, and could hope for none
| short of Springfield, twelve miles distant :;
if we should go forward, our own success
would prove our certain defeat in the end !;
| if we retreated, disaster stared us in the
face; our ammunition was well nigh ex-
hausted, and should the enemy make this
| discovery through a slackening of our fire,
total humiliation was all we could expect.
| The great question in my mind was tsEV here
! ic
Gus attack by him on the enemy's right
flank or rear, then we could go forward
| with some hope of success. If we had re-
treated there was nothing left for us also.
In this perplexing condition of affairs, l
summoned the principal officers for consul
tation. The great question with most of
them was, Is retreat possible n The con
sultation was brought to close by the ad-
vance of heavy column of infantry ad-
vancing from the hill, where Sgel's guns
had been heard before. Thinking they were
SigeTs men, the line was formed for an adj
vance, with the hope of forming junction
with him. These troops wore a dress much
resembling that of Sigel's brigade, and car
ried the American flag. They were there
fore permitted to move down the hill within
easy range of Dubois battery, until they
had reached the covered position at the foot
of the ridge on which we were posted. and
from which we had been. fercely assaiIed
before, when suddenly a battery was plant
ed on the hill in our 'front.' and heoan nn11r-
ing on US shrapnel and -eanister-a species
of shot not before fred by the enemy. At
this moment the enemy showed bis true COL
ors, and at once commenced along our en-
tire lines the fercest and mos. bloody en-
gagement of the day. Lieutenant Dubois
battery on our left, calamity supported by
Major OsterhauS battalion and the raj
lied fragments of the Missouri First, soon
silenced the enemy's battery on the hill, and
repulsed the right wing of his infantry.-
Capt. Totten's battery in the center, sup
ported by the Iowas and regulars, was the
main point of attack. The enemy could fire.
quently be seen within twenty feet of Tot
tens guns, and the smoke of the OPPOSING
lines was often so COMPOUNDED as to seem
but one. Now, for the first time during the
day, our entire-line maintained its position
with perfect frmness. Not the slightest dis
position to give way was manifested at anv +
point, and while Capt Steele'ss battaIion-