The National tribune., 1886-12-23
WHERE LYON FELL.
While Leadirs Icrrs-d .rr-2I Ran. a; Wiss,

While Leaiins Icrp.-d .Hr2i han. a: Wlssrn's
Cr,va.
Ii seems that no account can be written of
any of the battles o. the late war without
strOking somebody's fur the wrong way, and
Capt. Cracklin's article on Wilson Creek was no
exception to the rule, il having caused among
the Iowa comrades several very marked cases
of what the Boston girl would call "Altitudi-
notus spinal curvature"
am of the opinion that Capt Cracklin was
a little too sweeping In his assertion that the
left of the line, occupied by the 1st Iowa, broke
in disorder" 1t is no doubt true that great
number of that regiment did so break and sought
safety in the rear, but that part of it which
stood by the guns fought as bravely and did as
good service as any troops on the field that
day, and are entitled to their share of the glory,
which, considering that the battle of Wilson's
Creek was fought on the Southern one to-tive
theory reversed, amounts to considerable glory
per capita.
By the sin of omission Capt. Cracklin did
great injustice TO gallant and efficient officer.
Any account of the part which the ID Kan.
took on that memorable 10th of August which
does not mention Maj. Cloud is like the play of
Hamlet with Hamlet left out. Capt Cracklin
is surely in error when he says that Capt.
Chenoweth conceived the idea of planting q
battery on the right, and Lieut.. Lines ran to
the battery and ordered a section to change po-
sitiOn at once" What right had Lieut.. Lines
or any other Lieutenant to order battery to
"change position at once" without the "ad-
vice or consent" of the commanding oilicer2
At about that stage of the war Regulars were
not obeying the ordeTsOf volunteers with such
alacrity Mai. Cloud was sitting upon his
horse behind Co. Ii, of the I'd Kan, and very
close TO the writer, and when he saw the rebels
advancing in overwhelming numbers he con-
ceiyed the idea of planting battery" right
Hn INN HIlfn call tha
line to Maj. Sturgis and requested him to send
a section of the battery TO our assistance. Maj.
Cloud came back without the guns and told US
that Sturgis had said that he had all that he
could do 10 hold his own, and could not spare
q gun.
In a few minutes Cloud returned to Sturgis
and urgently repeated his request. Whereupon
Sturgis replied, well, DO as you like" and
Cloud came back with the guns, and by his
order Go. ii, I'd Kan, opened ranks and let
them pass through. They took position imme-
diately in our front and opened on the enemy
at short range with canister, doing fearful exc
cu.ion. At the same time the infantry were
keeping up a rapid and incessant fire all along
the line, and the rebel charge was repulsed, and
it staid repulsed. To Maj Clouds watchful
eye and persistent endeavOr, and TO those brave
and welltrained artillerymen is due, In q
great measure the salvation of the little army
that was contending against such great odds.
1t has been repeatedly asserted, and the
statement has found Judgment in some Of the
histories of the war and gained considerable
credence that Gen. Lyon was killed while
leading the LIST Iowa in n charge against the
rebels at Wilson's Creek, and his conduct on
that occasion has been the subject of much
uncalled for and unjust criticism For a COM
handing General To lead single regiment in
an assault on the enemy's lines not only risk
ing his own life but thereby endangering the
safety of the entire army, would show a lack of
Generalship which Lyon cannot be justly ac-
cused of.
The Sd Kan. was held in reserve and was the
last regiment brought into action After we
had been ordered to the front, and while
ascending the hill, we were met by Gen. Lyon
himself One side of his face was covered with
blood from a wound near the temple, and it
was said that he had been also shot in the leg.
Upon meeting Col. Mitchell he turned and rode
forward with that officer, giving him his in
structions aud going with him to show him the
position in the line which he wanted the I'd
Kan. to occupy. The regiment was marching
in column, arms at riSht!shoulder shift, aud
unaware Of the close proximity of the enemy,
when all at once from the trees and bushes
came a murdeTous yolley, the head of the col
umn being but a few yards from the ambushed
rebels. Gen. Lyon and Col. Mitchell being on
horseback were conspicuous marks, and were
both shot down. 1t was there the brave Lyon
met his death, aud not at the head of the
charging columns of the LIST Iowa. After Gen.
Lyon came down the Hill to meet COL Mitchell
there was no more charging done that day, as
Sturgis said it was all that We could do to hold
our own. If Lyon had lived there would not
have been made that cowardly retreat from
Springfeld.-W 5. HUNT, Co. II, I'd Kan,
Salinas, Cal.