Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-07-25
FOUGHT TO q FINISH.
In Exceedingly LudicrOu5 Episode CT the
Battle OF Dag Springs.

An Exceedingly Ludicrous Episode Of the
Battle OF Dag Springs.
The advance of Prices and McCul-
loch's army. commanded by General
Rains and consisting Of Craven's Regi-
meut Of Missouri Cavalry and an indie
pendent company Of Arkansas troops
commanded by General Ref. camped
At McCulloch's store. in Christian
County, August /. 1861. The main
army was on Crane creek, some ten
miles in the rear.
The morning of the I'd day Of August
Rains scouts reported a Union force
advancing from the direction of Spring
field. Mo. Rains supposed it was a
scouting party sent out by General
Lyon 20 watch the movements OF the
Southern forces. He therefore deter
mined to move out his command and
attack at once. On reaching a place
called Dug Springs he found the Union
troops drawn up IN the timber on the
opposite side of small prairie or
opening which separated the two
forces
Pains was advised by Colonel Nc
.ntosh of General McCulioch's staff. an
old army officer and graduate of West
Point, not to attack. as he believed
Lyons whole army was in our front
But Rains mad a grea: contempt
for West-Pointers and paid no at
tent:0n 10 the wholesome advice
r:7en him by Colonel Mcintosh.
he ordered one-haif of his force TO
dismount, and sent it 10 make the at
tack on the right; the other half to
charge up the main road as soon as the
right wing was engaged Ii was but a
short time until the right wing was
heavily engaged, and but a little while
until the whole Of Rains forces were
IN disorder.y retreat, a. Lyon whole
army was there. The left wing OF
Rains troops had no trouble in getting
away but the dismOunted men had to
do some fast running, and even then
some Of them suffered from saber
strokes. 4 man by the name Of Rogers,
Of Craven command, from Mcdonald
County, became tired out in running
and sought safety ny hiding in some
thick underbrush. he had not been in
hiding long before one Of Refs Arkan-
sas troopers sought the same place Of
refuge. Rogers thought the man was
a Union Home Guard. and that he was
looking for him; therefore he brought
his gun to his shoulder. The other
man did the same but fortunately both
guns missed fire. Both men then ad-
vanced with dubbed guns, which in the
collision We're broken and fell from
their hands. Rogers then proposed
that they fight it out with their fists,
which Ref man agreed 20.
They fought until both OF them were
completely exhausted, ard while lying
side by side on the ground painting
from the Severe struggle Rogers re-
marked that he could whip any Union
man in Lyons army. .
What" says Refs man. ''do you
take me for Union man? Why, l be-
long to Captain Refs company"
The thunder you dc" says Rogers.
81 belong TO Craven command; ain I
We made nice fools of Ourselves?"
OF course then they made friends,
and, waiting until night. made their |
way to the main army on Crane Creek. |
The writer of this was at Rains |
headquarters when they came in. Both |
men were terribly bruised; their eyes
were nearly closed; their faces were
swollen and of purple color.
We were all sorry for the poor fel-
lows. but on hearing their account of
the fight the thing seemed so ludicrous
we laughed until the tears rolled down
our cheeks. But the chief actors in
the comedy did not appreciate our
mirth; on the contrary. as they ex-
pressed it. ii was far too serious a mat
ter for a joe. st. Louis Republic.