The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-08-20
SRecolIectious Of the Rattle Of Springfield, Mo-

"RecollectIons Of the Rattle Of Springfield, Mo-
To THE EDITOR: Ihave just finished read
ing A. T. Bartlett's contribution to THE Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE of July 8, entitled Recollec-
tions of the Battle Of Springfield, No." and. as
participant in the affair, desire to correct
some errors into which he has fallen, probably
from a lapse of memory, as the action occurred
more than % years ago.
l was employed as clerk in the Campbell
House Hospital, under direction of Surg. Pad
dock, and it was under his orders that / as
sumed command of the "Quinine Brigade
contingent from that hospital, and marched
them to the armory, where, after taking what
arms and ammunition we required. the march
was continued into the fort on road leading out
past the old camp of the oath Ill. 1t is not my
purpose to relatein detail the events of that
day which came under my notice, but merely
to say that, after having been sent out past the
college prison in charge of a skirmish-line, and
Us we were retreating On the fort, the enemy
meanwhile advancing through the old Oath Ill
camp above mentioned, we met the 18th Iowa
in column Of companies, platoon front, Lieut.
Col. Crabb in command, going out to meet the
advancing foe. AS soon as they got into open
ground the regiment formed in line of battle
and soon the roar of musketry announced that
they had struck the enemy, and what is more,
they checked him, and in few moments some
battaiOns OF the LIST Ark. Cav. advanced at a
gallop and completed the discontinue of the
enemy, sending him to the about-face back
over to the edge of the woods. Distinctly do
remember the cry They're running!" from
our men, and as we went into the fort the am
balances commenced coming in with the
wounded and groaning soldiers Of the brave
Iowa regime
This is what I want to make clear, viz: That
the force defending Springfield was not "com-
posed mainly of the Missouri State cavalry"
hut do IF <hn t, CT A rs
Cav, two guns, think, of some Missouri Ar
tillery convalescents, and last, but not least,
the enrolled Missouri militia. 1t was my for
tune to witness the behavior Of portion of the
latter troops, and they stood up to the rack
like veterans. We repealed assault after assault
until, near sunset, q flag of truce came in and
halted near our fort in the road and demanded
of Col. Crabb an immediate surrender. l heard
the reply of Crabb which was, Tell Marina
duke if he wants this fort to come and take it
he has tried all day and has not succeeded
yet" or words of similar import.
/ remember we'll when Gen. Brown was
wounded, and / saw the bone that was removed
by re-sectiOn; in fact, helped medical stu
dent friend of mine to bury it. Ny recollec-
ton is that the most of the fighting occurred
in this part of the field at least it was between
the fort and the college prison. that we picked
up the most of the dead next day. AS you
say, the cOnvalescents from the various hos
pitfalls formed no mean component part of the
defending force on that day, and q number
were killed from the hospital where l was on
duty. remember hearing an officer say the
evening of the fight that our force, all told, did
not consist of over 1000 men. How this was
l cannot say, but we certainly were outnum-
bered two to one. Now, Doctor, don't write in
any captious spirit Of fault-fnding, but simply
to refresh your memory on these old matters.
H. T.. EVANS, q. NJ. s., goth Wis, and Capt,
LIST Tex. Cav, Nicolles, Wis.