Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-10-05
What Brought on the Battle Of
Pilot Knob.

From the Fredericktown Democrat-News.
It was in the autumn of 1854 that
General Sterling Price made his
second raid through Missouri,
which seemed for time to threaten
the great city OF st. Louis. He
was we'll equipped for the UNDER
taking, having under his COM
mand 80, 900 men, infantry, cavalry
and artillery. The leader had
proved himself a man of exper-
fence, courage and brilliant dash.
All things seemed auspicious for
the South. Why, then, with the for
ces in hand, did General Price not
attempt the capture of st. Louis?
The city was not strongly de-
Tended at the time. Its capture
would have secured vast military
stores for the almost exhausted
Confederacy. And the moral
effect of the fall of the city that
had saved the State to the Union,
would certainly have had telling
effect upon both North and South.
Why did not general Price carry
out the daring plan upon which he
seems to have started?
A simple historical anecdote, as
related by the Hon. B. B. Cahoon
to F. A. Sampson of the State
Historical Society and to myself,
may shed little additional light
on the question.
Prices army lay encamped south
of our towl, the Generals head
Iquarters were on the crest of the
hill now c.owneo by the residence
of Hon. B. B. Cahoon. Itwas here
that the late Alexander Nifong
"Little Alec" as his friends were
wont to call him, then mere boy
of about 12 years, came about 9:3(
A. M, September 9th, asking per-
mission to look through the camp
for some stray mules belonging tc
his father. The General said
"Had you not better 60 over te
Pilot Knob and look for them ir
the Yankee camp?" "No, Cen
eral," said the boy, "they are no
there; have this morning JUS
come back from there" "What
lis your name, my boy?" Alex.
ander Nifong." "Well, Alexander
are you for the North or South?'
questioned the General. "Why,'
said Alec, Everybody knows tina
all the Nifongs are rebels" eyes, ,
said General Price, 81 have already
heard as much. But tell me, my
boy, you say you were through
the Yankee camp. How many mel
did you see there?" 81 saw then
ALL" answered the boy, "and
don't think that they have as many
as they had at the battle of Fred
ericktown," !. e. less than 5000
care you sure that that is alp
81 am, General" "But do the.
know that we are in the country?'
eyes, but they think that you ar
going straight to st. Louis, ant
are waiting to see you march to
ward it, and if you do, they ar
going to skedadle there as fast a
they can" Presently the Genera
turned to some officers standing
by: "What if we go over to cap
ture the whole garrison? The.
might cause trouble, if we leav
them in our rear; we lose but on
. day, and are not much out of ou
way either" So General Pric
gave the order to march west, in
stead of north, and the battle 9
Pilot Knob was the consequence.
But instead of one day the Con
federates lost their main chance
The battle of Pilot Knob Taste
three days. General Thomas Ew
ing held his position with sue
stubborn courage and determine
, ton, that the forces of Genera
Price were 80 weakened that the
could no longer think of attackin
st. Louis, which in the meantim
had strengthened it's defences an
: received hurried reinforcements.
1t is a remarkable circumstanc
n of the battle of Pilot Knob, that i
g the numerous charges the Con
8 federates lost more men in kille
! and wounded than the Federal
!. had there to defend the fort.
r Thus an insignificant circum
!, stance seems to have brough
r about an important action of fal
! reaching consequence. Price
\ brilliant raid through Missouri re
/ manned without any substantis
d result for the Confederacy.
Il J. E. R.