Year: 1861

The Charge OF the Body Guard.


The correspondent Of the Missouri
Democrat of the 1st inst, contains the
following account of the brilliant charge
of Major Zagonyi with 1872 men, against
rebel force of 300.


CAMP LYON, SPRINGFIELD, Mo-,


Monday, Oct. %.


On Thursday evening last, while en-.
camped at Camp Haskell, 81 miles from
Warsaw and 81 from Springfield, Major
Zagonyi, of the Body Guard, received
orders to take detail from each of the
three companies of his own command,
and uniting it with Major Whites bat
talon of Prairie Scouts, proceed to
Springfield by forced march, and take
possession of the place. 1t was under
stood that the city was held by about
800 rebel troops, and no opposition
whatever was anticipated to the progress
of Maj or Zagonyi' S command.


The Major stopping in camp only
long enough to cook one ration, and rest
his men and horses from the fatigues of
the Is miles march that day, was with
his command duly on the road by IL
o'clock P. NJ. At daylight on Friday,
he halted at point five miles this side
Of Bolivar, where he made another brief
halt, allowing the men an opportunity
of eating their ration and the horses of
getting little feed Proceeding again,
he met with no signs Of the enemy until
within about eight miles OF the city,
when squad OF some dozen or fifteen
men were discovered taking wheat from
barn on the prairie near by. A
platoon of the Body Guard was sent
after them, and six of them captured, the
others succeeding in making their retreat
through the neig boring woods.


1t was then ascertained that the men
were foraging party from the large
rebel force at Springfield. Proceeding
farther on, the Major gained additional
information from Union citizens in re
gard to the enemy's numbers. From
these accounts, it seemed that the place
was held by force ut least FIVE or six
times as large as was supposed prior to
leaving the headquarters OF Gen. Fre-
mont. Notwithstanding all this, the
undaunted Majo resolved to press On
and examine for himself; but the farther
he progressed towards the town, the
more emphatic were the statements. as
to the large force with which the town
Was held.


In the meantime, some Of the foraging
party. who had managed to make good
their escape, had arprised the rebels Of
the approach of the Federal cavalry,
and long before he arrived before the
town, they had made their dispositions
for receiving it. The first seen of the
enemy was short distance from town,
when the advance Of the body guard
discovered L full regiment drawn up Oh
selected ground, near the road, prepa red
to receive them. The ground not being
favorable for offensive operations with
cavalry, after consultation with his
guide, the Majo resolved to give this
force the so by, cross over the prairie to
the westward, and approach the city BY
the Mt. Vernon road.


This maneuvre WAS successfully ae-
complished, but upon arriving within
about mile of the city by this route,
the citizens gave the Major information
that the enemy, 1,o00 or 1000 strong,
were here, too, drawn up and prepared
to meet them, but quarter or half
mile ahead. This was about three or
four O'Clock. Men, women and children
came hocking down 30 the roadside, and
with tears in their eyes welcomed the
Federal force; and while assuring them
Of their hearty welcome, cautioned them
of the large force ready to receive them,
and bcsought the Major and his officers
to hesitate ere they rushed in upon them
| with their little force Of about 800 men.
| The Major had not made a forced march
Of over fifty miles to take possession Of
Il town to return without at least making
an attempt to carry out his Instructions.
lie had, besides, the most unlimited con
fdenre in the drill and effectiveness of
his own immediate command, the Body
Guards, and was, perhaps, himself ami
mated by soldierlike desire to do a
gallant deed. Placing his own com
mand in the front, and himself in ad
vance Of all, he led the way toward tho
point where the enemy was drawn up
prepared to meet him.


The ground selected by the rebels for
their reception of the Majors command
was in the immediate vicinity Of their
camp, on the Mount Vernon road, !"
about half nile west of the city. 1t
is the same road over which our troops
marched to meet the enemy prior to the
battle of Wilson's Greek, and by some
what singular coincidence the head of
the same Wilson Creek here, however,
mere brook-runs through the lot in
which the present engagement took
place.


As the Major was to approach from
the west. the rebels had scattered sklr-
mishers throughout the deuSe woods or
chapparal on either side, who from the
first greeted his approach with scath-
ing fire which emutied several saddles.
The woods and rough bushy ground TO
the south of the road, WAS also full OF
their skirmshers, hidden in the tops
aud behind bushes and trees. The
main body of the force, however, was
drawn up i'll the form Of hollow
square, in large open field to the north
OF the road, the infantry bordering
along high Virginia rail fence, nearly
to the brook, aud also at the head OF the
field bordering on the woods: and the
cavalry on the other side OF the field also
supported by the forest.


| Upon reaching the vicinity Of this
place, Major z. orerei an advance at u
trot, until when fairly in the winds the
pace was increased to gs.lop. When
the fire first opened, trom some cause
yet to be explained, the two companies
of the First Missouri cavalry, and the