THE FIRST YEAR OF THE WAR IN MISSOURI.

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and companies were paraded by the sergeant’s calling out, “ Oh, yes! Oh, yes!all you who belong to Captain Brown’s company fall in here.” Officers andmen messed together, and all approached McBride without a salute, loungedaround his quarters, listened to all that was said, and when they spoketo him called him “ Jedge.” Their only arms were the rifles with which theyhunted the squirrels and other small game that abounded in their woods, butthese they knew how to use. A powder-horn, a cap-pouch, “ a string ofpatchin’,” and a hunter’s knife completed their equipment. I doubt whetheramong them all there was a man that had ever seen a piece of artillery. But,for all this, they were brave and intelligent. Like all frontiersmen, they wereshrewd, quick-witted, wary, cunning, and ready for all emergencies, and likeall backwoodsmen, their courage was serene, steady, unconscious. While therewas no attempt at military discipline, and no pretense of it, the most perfectorder was maintained by McBride’s mere force of character, by his great goodsense, and by the kindness with which he exercised his patriarchal authority.

Leaving Cassville on the 31st of July, the combined Southern armies, nearly11,000 strong, advanced toward Springfield . On the way they encounteredLyon, who had come out to meet them. McCulloch, who could not compre-hend the Missourians or the able soldier who commanded them, refused toattack unless Price and Pearce would confer upon him the chief command.Price had been a brigadier-general in Mexico , when McCulloch was but a cap-tain of scouts, and had won more battles there than McCulloch had ever wit-nessed; he was now a major-general with more than 5000 men, and McCullochhad barely 3000; and in intellect, in experience, and in generalship he wasworth a dozen McCullochs; nevertheless, he cheerfully placed himself andhis army under the Texan’s command. The order to advance was then given.Lyon had been encamped six miles in front with between 5000 and 6000 men.McCulloch moved at midnight, hoping to fall upon him unexpectedly, and todefeat him. To his amazement he learned, on approaching the spot, thatLyon had left twenty hours before, and must now be almost in sight ofSpringfield . The Confederates kept on, and on the 6tli of August went intocamp on Wilson’s Creek, within ten miles of Springfield . They were stilllying there on the morning of the 10th of August, when they were surprisedand suddenly attacked on the north by Lyon, and on the south by Sigel. |

One of the stubbornest and bloodiest battles of the war now took place.Lyon’s main attack was met by Price with about 3200 Missourians, andChurchill’s regiment and Woodruff’s battery, both from Arkansas . His leftwas met and driven back by McIntosh with a part of McCulloch’s brigade(the Third Louisiana and McIntosh’s regiment). McCulloch then took somecompanies of the Third Louisiana and parts of other commands, and with themattacked and routed Sigel (who had been sent to attack the rear), capturingfive of his guns. This done, Pearce’s Arkansas brigade, which up to thistime had not fired a gun, was sent to reenforce Price . Lyon, seeing that

4. For maps and more specific descriptions of see the papers by Generals Pearce and Wherry,the three chief engagements of this “first year,” Colonel Mulligan, and General Sigel, to follow.—— Wilson’s Creek, Lexington, and Pea Eidge,— Editors.