WILSON’S CREEK, AND THE DEATH OF LYON.

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rand, with the dragoons. The latter, finding himself with his companyalone, forcibly detained a guide, and made up teams for one gun and onecaisson of the abandoned artillery. He was finally compelled to unhorseand leave the caisson, in order to put the animals to the gun. Thus by 10o’clock Sigel was out of the fight, and the enemy could turn his whole forceupon Lyon.

Meantime a body of troops was observed moving down the hill on the easthank of Wilson’s Creek toward Lyon’s left, and an attack by other troopsfrom that direction was anticipated. Schofield deployed eight companies ofthe 1st Iowa and led them in person to repel this. They did so most gallantlyafter a sanguinary contest, effectually assisted by the fire from DuBois’s bat-tery, which alone drove hack the column on the opposite side of the streambefore it began a crossing.

Lyon, accompanied by an aide| and his six or eight orderlies, followed closelythe right of the Iowa regiment. After proceeding a short distance, his atten-tion was called by the aide to a line of men drawn up on the prolongation ofthe left of our main line and nearly perpendicular to the 1st Iowa as it movedto the eastward. A party of horsemen came out in front of this line of theenemy and proceeded to reconnoiter. General Price and Major EmmettMac Donald (who had sworn that he would not cut his hair till the Confed-eracy was acknowledged) were easily recognized. General Lyon started as if toconfront them, ordering his party to “ draw pistols and follow” him, when theaide protested against his exposing himself to the fire of the line, which waspartly concealed by the mass of dense underbrush, and asked if he shouldnot bring up some other troops. To this Lyon assented, and directed theaide to order up the 2d Kansas . The general advanced a short distance,joining two companies of the 1st Iowa , left to protect an exposed position.

Colonel Mitchell of the 2d Kansas , near DuBois’s battery, sent his lieutenant-colonel, Blair, to Lyon to ask to be put in action, and the two messengerspassed each other without meeting. Lyon repeated his order for the regimentto come forward. The regiment moved promptly by the flank, and as itapproached Lyon he directed the two companies of Iowa troops to go forwardwith it, himself leading the column, swinging his hat. A murderous fire wasopened from the thick brush, the 2d Kansas deployed rapidly to the frontand with the two companies of the 1st Iowa swept over the hill, dislodgingthe enemy and driving them back into the next ravine; but while he was atthe head of the column, and pretty nearly in the first fire, a ball penetratedLyon’s left breast, inflicting a mortal wound. He slowly dismounted, and ashe fell into the arms of his faithful orderly, Lehmann, he exclaimed, “ Leh-mann, I am killed,” and almost immediately expired. Colonel Mitchell wasalso severely wounded about the same time and removed to the rear.

Lieutenant Gustavus Schreyer and two of his men of the 2d Kansas borethe body of Lyon through the ranks, Lehmann bearing the hat and loudlybemoaning the death of his chief. In the line of file-closers the returning aidewas met, who, apprehensive of the effect upon the troops, stopped the clamor

4 The writer.— Editors.