Year: 1861

Report of James 7otten, Captaia Second Ar-

 taZe,y, Commanding Light Company Y, Ss-

 cond 1rttJleyy.

 In obedience to instruction, have the honor to make the following report relative to the part taken by my company in the battle of Wilson's Creek. August 10th, 1861.

 Light Company F, Second regiment of Ar tillery marched in company with the other troops comprising General Lyons command. from Springfield on the evening of Friday. August 9th for the position occupied by the en- emy Early on the following morning( Aug. 10. 186l,) tAe camp of the southern army was discovered about one mile and half south of the head of Gen. Lyons column, and soon after the infantry of our advance was fired upon by the pickets of the enemy. From this time our march, as directed by General Lyon in person, lay through small wheatfeld, across a hill and down in small valley which debouches into that through which Wilson's Creek runs at the point immediately occupied by the front of the enemy. and just where the main road to Spring field enters the valley. Keeping somewhat to the west. our advance crossed this road along the foot of the hill, aud soon afterwards our skirmishers found those of the enemy, and the battle opened.

 Here the left section of my battery, uader

 

 upon the enemy in the woods in front and short ly afterwards the other four pieces were thrown forward into battery to the right on higher ground. A few rounds from the artillery assist ed the infantry of our advance in driving the enemy back from their first position, and they fell back towards the crests of the hills nearer and immediately over their own camp. 1 now conducted my battery up the hill to the left and front, and soon found a position where brought it into battery directly over henorthern portion of the enemy's camp. The campo Gen. Rains las afterwards learned,) lay directly beneath my front and to the left very close to my posi- ton. and a battery of the enemy to my front and right within easy range ofmy guns. The camp of Gen. Rains was entirely deserted, and there fore my first efforts were directed against the battery ofthe enemy to the right and front. The left half battery was then broughtinto position, but the right half battery in reality occupying the most favorable ground, was principally directed gainst the enemy's battery, although the whole six pieces, as opportunity occurred, played upon the enemys guns. As the posi- tion of the enemy's guns were masked, the gun ners of my pieces were obliged to give direction to their pieces by the flash and smoke of the oDnoaing artillery In the meantime the bat tie was raging in the thick woods and under brush to the front and right of the position oc- cupied by my battery, and the lst regiment of Missouri volunteers was being hard pressed. l now received an order from Gen. Lyon to move q section of my battery forward to the support of the lst Missouri, which l did in person, com. ng into battery just in front of the right compa- ny of this regiment. within two hundred yards of the position occupied by this section ofmy battery. regiment of the enemy were in line with a secession flag and federal flag displayed together. This trick of the enemy caused me for q moment some uncertainty fearing that by some accident portion of our own troops might have got thus far in advance; but their fire soon satisfied me upon this head. i'm medatey opened upon them with canister from both pieces, in which service l am happy to be able to say l was ably and gallantly assisted by Captain Gordon Granger, acting assistant Adiutant General and lst Lieutenant D. Mur- phy, lst Missouri volunteers.

 The next step in the progress of the battle was where the enemy tried to force his way up the road, passing along by thelr battery towards Springfield This was an effort to turn the left of our position on the hill where my battery first came into position, and for time the enemy seemed determined to execute his object. Four pieces of my battery were still in position here and Capt Du Bois' battery of four pieces on the left, nearer the road. As the enemy showed himself, our infantry and artillery opened upon his ranks and drove him back and he appeared no more during the day.

 About this time, and just after the enemy had been effectually driven back as last men, tioned, met Gen. Lyon for the last time. He was wounded, he told me, in the leg, and ob- served blood trickling from his leg. l offered him some brandy, of which had a small supply in my canteen, but he declined, and rode slowly to the right and front Immediately after he passed forward, Gen. Lyon sent me an order to support the Kansas regiments on the extreme right who were being closely pressed by the enemy. I ordered Lieut.. Sokalski to move for ward with section immediately, which he did, and most gaantly too, relieving and saving the Kansas regiments from being overthrown and driven back.

 After this the enemy tried to overwhelm us by an attack of some eight hundred cavalry, which unobserved had formed below the crests F of the hills to our right and rear. Fortunately some of our infantry companies and few pieces of artillery from my battery were in position to meet the demonstration and drove off this cav airy, and 1t was so effete and in eAectual ln its force and character to deserve only the appella- ton of child's play. Their cavalry IS utterly worthless on the battle field.

 The next and last point where the artillery of my battery was engaged was oD the right ot the left wing ofthe Iowa regiment and somewhat ln their front. The battle was then and had been for sometime, very doubtful as to its results Gen. Lyon was killed, and our forces had been all day engaged and several regiments were broken and had retired. The enemy, also sad ly dispirited, were merely making demonstra- ton to cover their retreat from the immediate field of battle. At this time the left wing of the Iowa regiment were brought up to support our brave men still in action, while two pieces otmy battery were in advance on their right. The last effort iva short and decisive, the enemy leaving the field and retiring down through the valley, covered by thick underbush to the right of the centre of the field of battle toward their camy on Wilson's Creek. After this we were unmolested and our forces were drawn off the field in good order under Maj or ssturgs, who had assumed command directly after General Lyons death.

 Prom the Van BUren Press.