Tolland County press., 1883-03-01

Of late the charge that the body of Gen. Lyon was treated with indignity by the confederates at Oak Fill has been re- newed in communications to the newspa- pers, to the great indignation of the men who, wearing the gray, had the fortune to meet that gallant officer in battle One of these, now prominent and respected citizen of St. Louis, sends communica- tion to g paper of that city calling on Mai C.. 0. Rainwater, as an eye. witnesses when the body was found, and as one oi the party which escorted it to Springfield, to refute the islander. A reported called on Maj. Ra1nwater and induced him to go over again the exciting events of that ex- citing time." "As to the treatment of Gen. Lyon's body" said he, sthere can be only one true story, and will give my recollection of it with pleasure. The bat tie of Oak Hill-as the confedsrates called it of Wilson's creek, as it was named by the federals, and as believe it was gen. orally known in the histories on the 10th of August, 1861. Until few dave before that had been lieutenant in the Warsaw Grays, Capt. O'Kane's com- pany, which figured in the bloody fight at Cole camp. I had just been made cap- IcAA HI SCAs w O1SubLndA b OTlRhu6. w n0u the attack had fairly opened I led the Warsaw Grays to re-enforce Capt. Cock erell, who was trying to lead his company up the bank of the creek to attack the federals on the other side. He was Tn front waving horse pistol and yelling for the men. to follow. Time and again he led them up, but, as they reached the top of the low bank, they were exposed to g fearful fire of musketry from the fed erals who had taken up position on the other side, and time and again they fell back. They followed him finally, how ever, in spite of the fire, getting up the bank some way, don't know how. The creek at that point is very crooked, and in some of it's meanderings is not more than 200 yards from Bloody Hill, where the fiercest fight of the day occurred. It was about the middle of the afternoon. I was searching on the hill among the dead and wounded looking for my own friends. Near the crest, where the federals made their last stand, saw dapple gray horse dead, which federal soldier said was Gen. Lyons, and 30 or 40 feet away the generals body was found. He had been killed in the last charge, and many recog- nized the dapple gray horse as that ridden by the officer who had been everywhere up and down the line rallying the men,
 He was shot through the body, believe, twice, though I did not examine the wounds. His dress reeollect we'll. He wore suit of citizens clothing, complete, except the coat, which was gray with dust and age. The only insignia of rank was g small gold cord around his hat His hair was iron gray, and he wore iron gray chin whiskers and mustache. No indig- nifty whatever was offered to tho body, for the confederates treated it with the re- spect due to 8 man who had fought hard and died bravely. F His clothing was not touched, but saw some of the men cut ting hairs from the mane and tail of his horse and putting them in their hats. A guard was placed around the body, and il was removed to tent near Gen. Rains's
 headquarters on Wilson's creek. Gen.
 Price issued an order, and detail of msu
 was placed over it. The next day it was
 removed to Springfield, few miles away,
 under escort, and as during the first years
 of the war discipline was lax, every man
 doing as he pleased to great extent, fell in with the flag of truce party which
 went with it. My recollections is that we party with it took charge of the ambu field the body was placed in store on the public square, and that is the last know
 of it personally, though was told thar
 Mrs. John s. Phelps sent for it, and tha | it was buried in Gov. Phelps' yard.
 do not recollect who was in command .
 our escort, but I believe it was Mai. Gen Elgin of Gen. Prics.s staff T was ii
 many battles after that, but | never say one so desperate and bloody as Oak Hil was while it lasted.
 Many who never complain are neverthelss seriously ill Use Rrown's, Iron Bitters ant