The Washington critic., 1885-06-25
with man and dies for what each deems

relation to Lee that Ney held to Napoleon,
and were it not for the accidental stations
of the chiefs | am convinced that the lieu
tenants would have outshone the lustre
of their superiors. II sthus unfortunate
for great man to be born under the
shadow of one in great Office, for while
the subordinate exercises wonderful
genius his greatest deeds are obscured by
the commanding General and the glory
that should shine out like q midday sun,
beams dimly like the evening star through
the mists the great luminary has diiiused.
After the fall of Camp Jackson in Mis-
souri,. General Lyon took immediate COM
mand of all the troops in st. Louis, re-
placing General Harney whose agcand in
action ill-suited him for the control of the
desperate daily events occurring through
the State.
Governor Jackson and General Price
had begun hostilities in the centre of Mis-
souri,, and, as no time could be lost, Lyon
issued his proclamation against the trca-
sonable movements of the Confederates
and marched at once on Jefferson City,
the capital of the State. He also sent
force to Southeast Missouri, where
handful of men under Colonel Thomas G.
Fletcher turned aside the soldiers of Price
at Potosi and prevented the capture of st.
Louis.
On the approach of Lyon to jefferson
City, the combined Coniederates under
Sterling Price retreated to Boonville, on
the Missouri River, where battle was
fought on the 18th of June, 1861, resulting
in complete triumph for the Union
troops. Lyon followed up his success,
pushing the Confederates toward Spring
field, in Southwest Missouri, defeating
them again at Dug Springs. The enemy
finally assembled at Wilson'S Creek, about
nine miles from Springfield where Gen
eral Ben McCulloch made u junction with
Price, massing a force of $4,000 men rs
nuairogt ODD ttnInr I've Tho 10
rates had cavalry force alone of 5000,
while Lyon had only 500. Yet with this
| great difference in numbers, the worn-out
condition of his volunteers and the heart
less and jealous conduct of superiors in
| failing to re-enforce him, General Lyon
called council of war and determined
| not to retreat and give up all the blood
| bought territory that had been recently
| gained, but to make night march, attack
the enemy at daybreak, and risk all that
fight and fate might present. The deter
mination of Lyon to attack force nearly
| five times his number was worthy the
bravery of Alexander or Napoleon, and
| were it not for his untimely death in lead
| ing the First Iowa to n desperate charge,
| it is conceded on all sides that the Con-
federates would have been defeated and
driven from the State. The fight at Will
sons Creek continued for nine hours with
alternate success. Lyon divided his little
army into two divisions retaining about
| 1000 himself, while Siegel with the re-
mainder, and battery of guns, made
detour from the main line of attack in
order to strike the enemy on the flank and
| rear, and then rejoin Lyon at given
| point. But before Siegel was aware of his
| location and danger, the enemy drew him
| into ambush where he lost five of his six
| guns, and number of his men were taken
| prisoners, and thus the German general
was broken up and crippled during the
remainder of the battle.
| Lyon, however, kept up the fight on the
| Confederate lines with the most desperate
resolve receiving two wounds, while his
horse was killed under him. Yet he
mounted another and led his last charge,
in the midst of which he was pierced
through the breast with a rifle ball.
Major Sturgis of the regulars Qate gem
eral commanding at the Soldiers Home in
Washington), by common consent, took
charge of the troops after the death of
Lyon and continued the fight until noon,
driving the enemy from their camps and
off the field. Knowing the superior num-
Der of the Confedcrates, Sturgs withdrew
to his base of supplies at Springfield and
turned over his command to General Sic
gel, who made mastery retreat to Rolla
with all his stores and quarter of a mil
lion of dollars of Government money.
The death of Lyon threw cloud of sor-
row over the Union cause, and while his
corpse was en- route to his native Con-
necticut the people of great cities paid
homage to his memory and the Congress
of the United States passed resolutions of
respect and regret while eloquent eulo-
gums were delivered in honor ofthe fallen
hero. When the will of Lyon was opened
by his executors it was found that he left
his money, more than $4,000, to be de-
voted to the preservation Of the Union.
thus giving all, both life and fortune, for
the salvation of his flag and country.
Jackson and Lyon were deeply mourned
by their friends, and in all human prob
ability had these natural soldiers lived
until the last shot at AppomattoX, they
would have been in supreme command of
their respective armies Jackson was
mathematical, solemn and strict believer
in predestination. Lyon might have been
the right arm of Oliver Cromwell, and
Jackson, he combined state craft with his
warlike talent, and was thoroughly con-
yersant with the political philosophy of
the Republic. These warriors had many
elements in common. The Puritan of
Connecticut had the solemnity of the Vir-
| ginian. Lyon was direct and positive in
his work. So was Jackson The Yankee
was spare and angular, with piercing,
blueish-gray eyes. The Southern soldier
looked the same. Lyon was studious.
Jackson was cOntemplatiye. Lyon never
doubted. Jackson was sef-reliant. Lyon
military school. They fought for the old
flag in Mexico, but when the rebellion
began they separated on the ideal of duty,
yet fought as earnestly as when bleeding
for the same banner. The early genius
and death of Lyon gave genuine promise
of his greatness, while the death Of Jack
son. nearly two years after, found him the
right arm of the Confederacy and in the
zenith of his glory. Lyon, with regi-
ment, would fight a division. Jackson,
with division, would fight corps, and
each could command an army.
While Lee and Longstreet, Grant and
sherman were taught wisdom from the
rugged road of experience, Lyon and
Jackson OWNED at once the motives of
men, planned the attack, struck the blow,
and, as q natural sequence triumphed
where defeat perched on the banners OF
those who doubt
The brain of the natural soldier is his
battlefield. As the pawns, bishops, and
knights are moved ON the chess-board he
organizes brigades, divisions, and armies
to checkmate his foe at some central point,
and WHIST victory, while his adversary
hesitates on the field of slaughter
The name and fame of Jackson and
Lyon shall embla2on the military pages
of this great Republic rs long as honesty
and valor are respected, and side by side
through the coming ages these impertur-
bable ideal soldiers shall march in the
van of the military heroes who have gone
down to universal silence in the crash OF
battle.
Peace to Stonewall jackson,
| God bless brave Lyon too,
| Signs and tears we I'll mingle
| For the gray and for the blue