The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-01-28

VI uhe oatuc VI NaftSVile, WHICH was Tie
maiden fight Of our fine 2lst Iowa regi.
ment: ss3... asA4 f.I5+. .s..-4.t- il
HEADQUARTERS, HorsroS, Mo.,l
Jan. l6, 1868.
COLONEL IL have the honor to report
the operation Of my force against the com
bined troops Of Gen. Mar,nadukc, and Col.
Porter. Immediately on receipt of the tel.
rgram from Brig Gen Bran, commanding
at Springfield, Jan. 9th, informing Major
Gen. Curtis Of the advance Of \ column of
six thousand rebels toward Springfield, |
ordered Col. Merrill OF the 2lst Iowa. sen.
ior officer, to move with 700 men. infantry,
cavalry, and one section Of artillery, by a
force march to Springfield, to report to the
commanding off: GER there My own health
incapa' it"ted me from the fatigue Of the
expedition. For greater speed, and pro,
gress, | sent with them heavy transport
tation train for the use Of infantry. They
reached Huntsville at 6 o'clock a IN, Sat
urday, and learned that Parte,'s column
had passed through, taking the Marshticld
road. Here Col. Merrill was r. nforced by
1870 men Of the 81 Iowa and 81 No. cavai-
ry, under command Of Capt. Black, Of 3D.
Mo. cavalry, sent by me to overtake and
j''in' them. The command pushed on some
miles towards Springfield, and halted for
supper and rest in Woods fork.
No indication of the enemy were observ-
ed, until the revillc was sounded at 9 o clock
Sunday morning, when our scouts reported
the advance Of heavy column, in the di.
rec,ion Of Springfield. Our position was
most unfavorable one, being an open space
in the MARGIN Of the river, with high swells
Of ground covered with timber, and brush
surrounding. The command was thrown
into line Of b,ttle, and skirlnishcrs sent out
to dispute the advance.
Brisk firing was kept up for an hour,
during which Capt. Eradway, CO. b, Sd
Mo. cavalry, was killed; when the enemy
fell back IN a southerly direction. This
Had they made a stand with their combin
ed forces they would have completely en-
vcloped the command and cut them to
pieces. Sending ont pursuing force of
cavalry, Col. Merrill resumed the march on
the llartsvillc road, and soon discovered
that the rebel force was swinging round
and moving on uartsville by the old
Springfield road
The cavalry were promptly ordered to a
trot, artillery thrown in the front, while
the infantry came up on double quick in
grand style Col. Mcrrill's dispositions
were made with great Judgment and cool.
ness. The cavalry took position on u
favorable elevation, west of the Court
House; the goth H. formed the right,
thanked on the LIFT by the 2ls, Iowa, both
in cover Of low brush, while the left
composed dctachmentS Of the Sd Mo. and
81 Iowa cavalry dismounted, extended in
an attcnuated line on the Lebanon road,
also screened BY sparse undergrow,h.-
ur artillery opened fire at l | o'clock.
The position Of their troops was 900
thrown out three and hall miles on the
Houston road; 900 held the lower ap.
preach from Springfield; 1000 rested on
the gascOna'le south of town, covered by a
high bluff. while $500 to 1900 men were
IN the open field in front of our lin and
occupying the Court House and the dwell
'ngs Of the town. Their artillery Give
pieces was in battery on high bluff east
OF town, and to occupy it. they used road
cut out by order, for the same purpose,
during my former occupancy Of Hartsville
The officers in command with Gems Mar.
madnke and Mcdonald, were Coils. Porter,
Thompson, Bnrbridge, Shelby, Uncker,
Jeffrey, and Campbell.
The battle opened, after the fire of ar
tillery, by charge Of Jeffrey's cavalry, 700
in one whole line; the infantry lying fiat,
hid themselves with great coolnt SIS until
the line was IN easy range, when they fired
with great accuracy, and threw the whole
force into utter confusion. From this time
until half past four, the firing was inces.
SAINT, but smaller bodies of men were bro /,
out and, although at times both tanks and
center were heavily pressed, no larger col.
umns marched up.
Our men held their own and did fine ex
ecu:ion, while the artillery Shellcd the enc.
my from the court and other houses. At
this time q O'clock had We reserve ol
500 men, We C uld nave broken their lines
and compelled them to retreat in disorder
but every man was required to hold on,
own avcnu. of retreat, the Lebanon road
where our communication was constantly
threatened. The enemy commenced falling
back, as am informed by Lieut.. Bran, Sd
Iowa cavalry, taken a prisoner while re
connoitering at Woods Fork during the
first fight ut 3 o'clock, and the retreat be
came general at twilight. In the meantime
our artillery ammunition beng nearly
spent, Col. Merrill, ignorant Of their move
:. cnts, ordered the detachment to tall back
on the Lebanon roa which they did in per.
feet order with the whole transportation
losing not even musket, or cartridge box
Our loss, rs by statements appended here
unto, is seven killed, sixty four wounded
five prisoners, and two missing Theirs i.
large in men and Off GERS From subse
quent details, am satisfied it will exceed
three hundred ~ killed and wounded, be
sides two lieutcnants and twenty sever
privates prisoners.
Among the killed (whosc bodies wer,
recognized Mt HartsyilIe.) are Brig Gen
Eininett Mcdonald, Coils. Thompson an,
llinck r, Maj. krtley, Capt. Turpin, an,
two Ii utenants, names unknown. Col
Porter mortally wounded, since died Capt
Cracker, well known in western Missouri
and two others severely wounded. On
piece Of their artillery was dismounted an,
abandoned.
They retrcated towards Houston, but o,
Monday changed their direction and m we,
rapidly south, t. tn. fork If White river
at the III outh Of Indian Creek, where the,
paroled and released Lieut.. Bran, and GU
other prisoners. Gen. MarInaduke, scvcra
times on the march, expressed his wonde
at the bravery Of our troops, repeating
why, Lieutenant, your boys fought lik
devil,!"
| ! cannot sufficiently express my almira
ton of their conduct. The 2lst Iowa an,
99th Illinois We're never before under fire
vt not II single man or officar hinchcd.-
Nothing could have been finer than thei
>tea'lincss and discipline. The 81 Iowa an,
81 Mo. cavalry are equally cool and deter
mined, out they have before seen dangerou
service. When all were so brave. I al
embarrassed to distribute commentator
1" Col Mcr>ill in command Of the force,
am nAder high obligations for his prulen
firinnrss and good disposition. Lit. Col