Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-07-12
THE HER A Id.
GEN. LYON.
New and Interesting Account Of ,he Battle of
Wilson Creek.
Gath" in the Cincinnati Enquirer.

fought by the armies of Kansas and
Missouri. He is st. Louis man and
was an editor, negotiant, and amateur
politician, and has an engaging ad-
dress, and superior powers of narra>
ton. Col. Snead is now citizen OF
New York. / wrote Immediately
after bis statement, in the midst OF
the busy scenes of that day, his gen.
erous tribute to Gen. Lyon.
"Lyon," said Col. Snead, "was the
greatest man / ever saw. That has
been my statement everywhere. L
felt it and said it the day We held
that memorable interview of six
hours with him at the Planters
House, st. Louis.
ave were TO hold that interview
in order to see if war could be pre-
vented. | am the only survivor OF
it. Claib, Jackson, and Sterling
Price were the ablest politicians OF
Missouri. / was the Governors
(Jackson's) Secretary. Lyon came
there with Frank Blair, jr., and Gen.
Conant. The latter was afterwards
killed. Price was a successful mill
tary officer and Major General in the
war with Mexico. Lyon was Moth
ing but a Captain OF artillery. But
such was his clearBess, force, and real
genius, that he met those old polit-
clans at every point ,concedingnoth-
ing but never discourteous,h his reason
and will equal. The whole party
felt him TO be the master mind.
"Lyon advanced into the roOm-a
little, red bearded, red haired, pre-
else, positive, plain man. He sat
down and crossed one leg over
the other stiffiy, and his face was
serious and stern. He spoke each
word separate from the others, pro.
nouncing the little words like me
and to with as much emphasis as the
longer words. He raised bis right
arm automatically as the conversa-
ton proceeded, and brought it down
with jerk, the fore-finger extended,
yet never speaking higher or lower
than at first. We felt the sense of
war and government in all his bear
ing.
al shall take a small part in this
conference said Lyon. MR. Blair is
familiar with this question, and
knows the views of my Government
and has its full confidence. What he
has to say will have my support
"Yet in half an hour he took the
case out of Blair's mouth and advanc-
ed To the front and Frank Blair was
dumb. The United States never
could have been tyrified by more
invincible mind and presence. 1t
was three O'Clock when the meeting
broke up. The last attempt Jackson
made was to have both sides agree
not to recruit troops in Missouri.
Lyon arose
Rather than agree that my Gov
erpment shall concede TO your Gov
eminent one iota of authority as TO
one man to be recruited, one inch of
soil of this State to be divided in al
legiance or neutralized between my
Government and your Government t, |
will see you, sir, (pointing to PRICE,
and you, sir, (pOinting to Jackson),
and myself, and all of as, under the
sod Then, taking out his watch,
stiffiy. he said, You shall have
safe conduct out of my lines for one
hour. Meantime you can get your
dinner. II is now O'clock
eve took our dinner 10 haste and
left st. Louis by an express train
and if we had not burned the bridges
behind us, by George! he would
have caught us, sir, before we could
have reached Jefferson City, for he
marched at once. He followed us
with q determination unparalleled in
that war and he went under the soc
in fullfilment of his vow
Mr.. Snead said that he possessed 4
chest full of papers and reports, and
could write the only accurate state
ment. amid many prevailing errors
and Interpretations. of the battle
of Wilson Greek. He was Prices
Adjutant there, as McIntose, of &c
Orgia, was Ben McCulloch's Adjutant
Mcintosh was better soldier ther
McCullocb, who was indecisive anC
faint of confidence. Price was fine
old officer who had never lost bat
tie, and felt like all Missourians, tha'
the place to fight Lyon was in Mis-
souri,. and not TO fall back on Arkan
sas. McCulloch commanded thu
Confederate army proper of only 3,
900 men. Price commanded the Mis-
souri, State Guards, which the others
considered militia, of 5000 men. The
Confederate Government, including
Jeff Davis, seemed Indifferent about
Missouri, and did not regard her al
having properly seeded. Price was
Major General MoCulloch only q
Brigadier. The latter hesitated about
marching upon Springfield, and was
Inclined to return to Arkansas. One
day Price rode up on his horse; he
had loud voice and positive address
and always spoke to McCalloch as
though be considered the latter an
inferior,
"Do you mean to march into Mis-
souri, and attack Lyon, Gen. Nc.
Culloch ?"
Il have not received permission
from MIR. Davis to do so, SIR" an.
swered McCulloch. "My instructions
leave me in doubt whether | will be
justified in doing So"
Now, sir" said Price, still in a
loud, imperious tone. 81 have com
manded in more battles than you
ever saw, Gen. McCulloch. [ have
three times as many troops as you. I
am of higher rank than you are, and
L am twenty years your senior in
age. l waive ell these things, Gen.
ersl McCulloch, and if you will
march into Missouri l will obey
your orders, and give you the whole
command and all the glory to be won
there.
McCuIloch said he was then ex-