The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-03-13
The n Retrcas ana Parsust of Prize
4 3iINTFRESTZNG DETAILS. !.

The tt0efC01 0M0 kSOESW9t Oh kSReCc
e,t 5INTERESTZNG "DETAILS. CT
special .icerrespsndencs Of shs 81. Louis Democrat.
h.t4 ie!ieiS 'Caoss HoLrows, Ask.,il Is
-oaaa ~ etro Feb. a5th, 1892. sf
l LEFT Springfield at | O'Clock, p. m, Fri
day last, and reached here Saturday at 5p.i
m., having Travelled 30 miles, in that time.
Everywhere On our route was seen the de-
vastation caused by the march Of armies. :
From the battle field Of Wilson's Greek to
to Cassvills, l should judge that one half of
the dwellings, and barns were burned by
Price and Mccullough when Fremont was
supposed to ybein pursuit. The remaining
half Of the tcnencpts were deserted by Union
men last season, who have since been fugi-
tivesth RSlle. ST. Louis, and throughout
Illinois. These dwellings were frequently
occupied by struggling soldiers. who were
very hospitablein Offering the traveller the
best bed insthe house.. to-wit !: the floor =.
This side Of Cassville, among the Sugar
Creek defiles, We saw where Mccullough,
IN his fight last fall, had detail Of 500 men
to teil nees bra distance, pf several miles
across the, Rad Do prevent Jpurs,,it. 4 This,
barricade was eventually removed by the
rebels themselves for their own convenience.
The few country peopla met will, on the
way gave fun particulars ofthe picket fight
ing between Curtis advance and the rebel
rear, .ss over d TfsF IS
''The rugged road the ragged rascals ran."
Many gallant exploits occurred, and find
our troops, officers md men, cxulting over
the achievements of the famous retreat and
pursuit have obtained from our officers
the following brief account of events up to
the Sugar Greek affair: kiltAA Ef
THE RETREAT AND PURSUIT.
In leaving Springfield, General Price un
dnubtcdly supposed he could make good his
retreat without molestation, thinking, most
likely, that General Curtis would be SO much
pleased with the recapture of the town, that
he would remain7 several day 9 aud glorify.-
In fact, many Of our own officers and men
expected as matter Of course the army
would halt some time. Bnt Price had reck
ened without his hos" and our officers did
not yot understand their header The same
night Of our arrival came orders to march at
daybreak the following morning, the divis-
ions Of Generals Sigel and Ashboth taking
the Mt. Vernon road. while those Of Gener-
ais jeff o. Davis and Carr took. the direct
route to Cassvilie. Pushing rapidly forward,
twelve o'clock Of that day fourd the latter
divisions passing the famous battlefield of
Wilson's Creek, where the enemy had biv-
ouacked the night previous. leaving only
that morning Here their camp fires were
still burning, much of the meat that had
been killed for the troops lying about un-
cooked with every evidence Of having left
sin something Of hurry"
The enthusiasm Of our troops as they
passed this famous place, cannot be des-
cyibed. All around us werc the graves of
oor own friends, who had sacrificed them.
selves for the cause in advance the Same
identical enemy that murdered Lyon. All
felt that It would have been pleasure to
fight the rebels on the same spot. Marching
on, six o'clock brought US to Dug Springs,
where w,wers preparing to bisouae, when
a,messsnger announced that our cavalry had
oveftaken the enemy, and urging the infant
~ forward. Hnngsr, fatigue and all was
forgotten Onward We pushed, never halt
ing until twelve o'clock that night The
division Of Gen. Davis was in advance, with
the cavalry ofcd. Ellis atd Major Mcconnell.
The enemy it seems, had halted on Crane
Greek. and here were captured quite mum
Der Of prisoners. First was the rebel Col
; Freeman, so well kHown IS the murauder
at Salem, below Rolla- Our piclzets were
close upon the enemy 3 camp. and Freoman's
horse escaping from him. ran up the road
followed By the Colonel In svsry few mo.
ments he was On his gay TO headquarters.
Soon aftsr came : dapper little Major. walk
ing right up 70 our piclets and asking II
they could show him Gen. Prices headquar-
tors. "Csrtainly. was the reply, and in 4
tries be wss bsfbre Gen. Curtis. Afterwards
our men captured an engineer and several
other commissioned otiieers.i, ,,.5sis.i
Had not the night been 30 terribly dark.
II Is. more then, likely Gen. Curtis would
have sttacksd the enemy, but he determined
not to be drawn into an ambuscade. The
troSm ny en their arms awaiting the break
ofcAy. Atan early hour, February 18th,
thkacoaIms moved forward, butt duiine the
night Prics had again ned, leaving ! large
proporsion sefhis camp eqnipaga and mum.
her WAGONS. During that day ths chase
was, vssy exciting. there being constant
sksnishine bstvssn our advance and his
rear guita The road. WAS strewn Win
broker Wagons, dsAd snd dying mules and
hosssh lSAd sv.sy soneeivable kind Of goods
: AZ four o'clock Ii the afternoon. the boom.
ing u cannon snn0tined us that Prioe he'd
pads a1tsnd.s The Dubuque battery was
ps,shed forward. and sfter an hour we had
fine artillery nght. By the time our in.
fanxy ct up. die enemy bad precipitaasly
Aed.s on TIE 10th inst, We pushed on, and
inguAAy evidences Of the hasty aight in
that day'sl narch. Dusiug .ths aissraeou
our cavalry saip overlook the rsbeIs !,