The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-08-09

Iuined the ammunition. The pickets Of
Prlce's army were withdrawn, and his
troops were sleeping on their arms. when
Lyon and Siegel approached in divided COL
| umns and opened the battle at daylight.
1t required some time 10 convince Gen.
eral Mccullough that the Union Army was
in his front. Courier after courier was sent
to General Price from General Raines. ad-
! vfsing him of the presence of the enemy in
strong force. and still Mccullough doubted
General Price at last grew impatient and
announced to General Mccullough his In
tention TO take command Of the Missouri N
and go to the relief OF General Raines.
'At this juncture the artillery of the
Union Army opened fire upon the Confed-
crates. and Price and Mccullough hastily
troops. Colonel Richard II. weightman an
ofhcer of great ability. and the idol Of the
Missouri troops. was a mile and a half down
the creek.
Major Rainwater SuccessfuI.
.General Price sent an order to him by
Major &C. Rainwater to form his brigade
with aiterness ard dispatch characteristic
OF our friend. who. as General Shelby said.
had always the misfortune TO be wounded
headquarters. The Irish guard at the door
of the Colonels tent at first refused him
admission Rainwater finally succeeded in
der. Weightman at once formed his bri-
gade. ard with the quick ear Of the trained
soldier. like Desaix at Marengo. moved
rapidly In the direction Of the. battle. He
commanded his troops during the eight
hours Of that bloody strife. and fell giori-
ously upon the field Of battle In the moment
OF victory.
"when Lyon was leading his last desper-
ate charge up the slopes of Bloody Hill.
Weightman was in command Of that part
tercharge The gallant Lyon fell from his
horse, mortally wounded. and about the
same time Wsightman fell. also wounded
unto death. With his life-blood slowly ebb-
ing away. Weightman noted that the firing
had ceased and caught the distant sound
Of cheering. and feebly asked, Who won?'
smile upon his face he passed away. 1t IL
the consensus of opinion among those who
know him best that II the life of this ac-
would have taken rank with Marshal Ney,
Stonewall jackson and other great soldiers
Greatest Battle in Missouri.
"It Is not my purpose to attempt an elab-
crate description or the various scenes and
incidents connected with the battle of Oak
Hills II was the greatest battle Of the
Civil War fought upon Missouri soil. and
conspicuously Illustrated the manhood and
vaior Of Americans. both North and South.
others on that ea nebly anG and be4oeaIy noss ~
illustrated the fighting qualities OF the great
North. Price. Mccullough. Slack. Parsons.
Tho%p.on Bes Biedsoe Rise. srown Gaiser
Austin, Halleck. Organ. Cockre,l. John Il.
Clark ST.. Weightman. Allen. Doctor X. r..
atives Of the men OF the south.
.'william Y. Slack had been a soldier in
the war with Mexico. and carried the nag
field in that foreign land He was a prom
inent lawyer at the beginning OF the war.
and lived at Chillicothe in the county ad-
was every inch a soldier, and although des-
perately wounded at Oak Hills. shortly re-
joined his command. and was In active
service until mortally wounded at Pea
General John B. Clark. Sr. was in COM
mand Of one Of the divisions, badly wound
ed. and came out Of the battle, was said
by one Of Missouri'e eloquent Senators. Mr..
part before
senator Cockren a. Captain.
Francis Marion Cockrell commanded a
company. and in this initial engagement OF
the war entered upon that splendid military
career which terminated only with the sur
render OF the South, and which has given |
his name to history as the heroic command |
er Of Cockrelrs Immortal Brigade.
Major G. e Rainwater was in the thick |
est of the fight as Lieutenant OF the War |
saw Guards. ard saw his first service. which |
was concluded only by the surrender of |
the great military chieftain o. the South at !
Appomattox. Wounded over and over again,
three times seriously, he yet lives. sn hon. |
ored and enterprising citizen Of our great |
State. |
Hiram NJ Bleesoe Of Cas-. County. the
famous commander OF the battery which :
bore his ! anne. dil peculiarly effective serv- /,
ice that day old Sacramento belonged to |
his battery and was a trophy OF the Mex |
ican War This gun was made from bells in ]
Mexico. and fte peculiar roar operated to 1
cheer on the army In the fight.
Colonel George W. Allen of Saline Coun- |
ty was an aid on Prices staff, and an /
officer OF courage and ability. He was in |
stantly killed while delivering an order /
Colonel James Majors Of Howard Coun- |
ty. In charge Of a squadron OF calvary. was |
superb that day. both in defense and as |
saun.
Elijah Gates's Bravery.
Colonel Elijah Gates, the sturdy old /
hero, was the AusCreau CT the army His !
and bulldog stenacity have not been |
in all time. He carries on his per- |
sen the evidence Of gallantry, received at /
Franklin. Tenn. when he fought with Cock I
iell. FraLk Pitts. Ben Eli Guthrie and 9TH \
er Mis- sourians. -
Captain Halleck Of Macon County and |
his two boys. Lon and Will, were all killed. /
knew them well The father was n vet
eran Of the Mexican War Mortaily hit with /
a musket ball. he fell on the crest Of Bloody /
Hin. IN one OF the desperate charges Of that 1
day. His boys. seeing him fall. rushed to /
his relief. only to be struck down with |
Colonel Ben Brown of Ray County and /
Lieutenant Colonel Austin Of Livingston /
County: both honored and distinguished cit /
tzens OF Alssourf. fell In the nght.
CAUlo1A IL q. shelby.
ssf2nDnFnl 10DeQ,h n Ah~an.~ Sn.>, iof