Year: 1861

SPRINGFIELD, Mo, Aug. l|, IcOl.

 I would be glad to see you all now, after the fierce contest have just witnessed. In the beginning of the battle, l was amidst the hot test of the fire, and thought at one time that could not escape death. Balls from two thousand guns, and one battery of cannon were flying thick ly around me-here and there man or a horse would fall, some wounded, others dead.

 We were surprised in this fght-dd not know the enemy was within eight miles of us until warn ed by the successive explosions of his guns. Our regiment (Churchills) suffered more than any other one of the whole brigade Col. Churchill and his men were in the hottest of the fight and had to contend against :" Kansas jahawkers" and Capt. .>Totten's battery, but they gaanty repelled them. Capt Woodruif7s battery did great execu- tion and was the main stay in the contest and did signal service in gaining the battle. have heard a great many speak of the execution of his battery and of the scientific manner in which his guns were handled. He held Tottens battery in check and finally run him off the field Capt. Woodruff lost three men. Omer Weaver had his arm and shoul- der shot off by cannon ball and did not long sur vive His loss is generally dcplored and we, who knew him best, most sincerely mourn the sudden termination of life so full of promise. do not know the other two who were killed. Dick Byrd was wounded. In our regiment, Adjutant (Dr) Harper was shot through the bowels from hip to hip, but lived three days. Harper had become a favorite with the regiment and they thronged around his dying bed to see him and part with him. I could no. go near him without feeling almost overcome by the spectacle of his suferings and his magnanimous disregard of them Poor fellow! he never murmured or complained once, but died like a soldier and hero. His brother, Major Harper, was taken prisoner, but made his escape. Totten had him for while in his line. Hunley Sevier was slightly wounded. Mir. Roberts from Little Rock was badly wounded, but think will get we'll

 The battle waged four or five hours-hard fight ing all the time. My work began soon after the first round or two of musketry. The wounded were then brought to me- and from that moment to the present time, have seen and heard nothing but gun-shot wounds and the groans of the dying and distressed. My hospital was near the centre of the battle ground, and 1 have been compelled to abandon it and remove my wounded from that in- fected atmosphere to Springfield.

 have been told by men who rode over the field to day that there are not less than two hundred bodies on the field now unburied. Gen. Lyon was killed late in the action, seven balls perforating his body. The enemy soon after sent in a flag of truce to get his body and bury their dead. They obtained the body of Lyon but did not stay to col lect the dead. However the next day and the day after, had thirty wagons hauling off dead bodies, which they buried and still they left two hundred on the field. Springfield is a vast hospital. We have all our wounded here not less than 800; also those of the federal troops numbering about ,00O

 in all between l ,500 or 1000 men, many of them receiving poor attention and the greater portion no attention at all There is not sufficient medical aid here-a hundred doctors could be employed constantly. have had to jot this letter down by chances. I expect I shall have to remain here three or four months--it will be that time before our wounded will be sufficiently recovered to move. VIM. A. CANTRELL.