The National tribune., 1885-04-09
Death Of Gen. Lyon.

To THE EDITOR Among the Condensed Let
ters of your issue of Feb. 16 find an assertion
by Comrade c. s. Atkins, Co. L, I'd Kan, which
/ dispute, that Gen. Lyon was killed at Will
sons Creek while personally leading the I'd
Kan. in charge, and that Col. Rob't Mitchell
OF that regiment, was wounded almost at the
same moment and fell by his side. That Gen.
Lyon met his death as he states is altogether
incorrect. Gen. Lyon led no regiment in a
charge Oh that bloody field. F. b. Wilkie, cor
respondent of the Dubuque (Iowa) Herald, in
his famous account of that battle likewise states
that Gen. Lyon was killed leading the lst Iowa.
His statement is also wrong. But Gen. Lyon
did at the commencement of the engagement
imprudently accompany the Kansas and Mis-
souri, troops to the very front OF his line of bat
tie, and while there had his horse killed from
under him, and was himself severely wounded
in his leg.
The Ist Iowa, to which l had the honor to
belong, was held in reserve until about half an
hour had elapsed since the commencent of the
engagement and the troops in front had been
assigned favorable Positions when it advanced
to the front and took prominent position
about the center of the line, supporting TOtten S
battery (of the Regular Army On the right.
While the regiment was advancing to that po-
sition in front to engage the enemy it met
going to the rear Gen. Lyon, bare headed and
limpiDg by reason of his wound in his leg. He
urged tne Ien eHcouTaglDSIy py LIS Itsoluto
and magnetic manner to go forward and whip
the enemy. He said: =" Go ut them, men don't
be cowards!" / was within few feet Of him
at the time he uttered the words, and had a
strong inclination to reply to his appeal that
we were then On the way to do that very thing,
if possible We did several times successfully
drive them from their positions during the en-
gagement but as the enemy outnumbered us
more than four to one, they each time man
aged by the aid of fresh troops, to recover their
lost ground. The battle ended in a fair draw,
and undecided as to which had been worsted.
firmly believe that had our brave and gallant
leader not been killed he would have whipped
the enemy decisively and checked him in his
progress in that region, but through our sad
misfortune to lose him. and the reason that the
time of service of some of the regiments had
about expired, and other causes the officers
highest in authority deemed it best to retreat to
Rolla, and there reorganize a stronger force for
future operations throughout that region
wherever the enemy might again be disposed
to resist the authority Of the National Govern.
ment by the issue of arms.
AS to the brave and gallant Col Mitchell re-
ceiving wound and falling by the side of Gen.
Lyon, that might have happened, but not as
Comrade Atkins states Gen. Lyon was q little
distance in the rear of his lines when he re-
ceiyed his fatal shot about IL o'clock a. M, but
not so far but what he was in as much danger
of the encmy's missiles as if he stood in the
front of his lines. / do not give this as a com.
plete history of that famous engagement, but
| to correct COmrade Atkins's mistake of an i'm.
portant matter.-RoBERT WILLIAMS, Corporal
| Co. j, 1st Iowa, Vancouver, Wash. Ter.