cut down like grass, those who survived seemed to be nerved to greater effortand a determination to win or die. At about this time (11:30 a. m.) the firstline of battle before us gave way. Our boys charged the second line with ayell, and were soon in possession of the field, the enemy slowly withdrawingtoward Springfield . This hour decided the contest and won for us the day.It was in our front here, as was afterward made known, that the brave com-mander of the Federal forces, General Lyon, was killed, gallantly leading hismen to what he and they supposed was victory, but which proved (it may bebecause they were deprived of his enthusiastic leadership) disastrous defeat.In the light of the present day, even, it is difficult to measure the vast resultshad Lyon lived and the battle gone against us.
General McCulloch, myself, and our staff-officers now grouped ourselvestogether upon the center of the hill. Woodruff’s battery was again placed inposition, and Totten, who was covering the retreat of Sturgis (who hadassumed command of the Federal forces after the death of General Lyon),received the benefit of his parting shots. We watched the retreating enemythrough our field-glasses, and were glad to see him go. Our ammunition wasexhausted, our men undisciplined, and we feared to risk pursuit. It was alsorumored that reenforcements were coming to the Federal army by forcedmarches, but it was found the next day that the disaster to the retreatingarmy was greater than we had supposed, and a few fresh cavalry troops coulddoubtless have followed and captured many more stragglers and army stores.Next day the enemy evacuated Springfield, and Price, with his Missouri troops, occupied it, and had his supplies and wounded moved to that point.
The Arkansans in this battle were as brave, as chivalrous, and as successfulas any of the troops engaged. They bore out, on many a hard-fought fieldlater on in the struggle, the high hopes built upon their conduct here.
The body of the army remained at Springfield until the beginning of General Price’s march uponLexington, on the 25th of August. A few daysafter the battle Pearce’s brigade of Arkansas mili-tia was disbanded on the expiration of their termof enlistment. General McCulloch moved west-ward with his own brigade, and then to Maysville,Arkansas , being influenced in his return by thegeneral tenor of his instructions from the Confed-erate Government to avoid, if possible, operatingin the State of Missouri , which had not seceded.General Price , upon being informed of his decision,issued an order re-assuming command, and theoperations in the State which followed, includingthe capture of Lexington, were conducted withMissouri troops alone. At this time the Federaltroops held the Missouri river by a cordon of mili-tary posts. The object of this line was to preventthe crossing of the river by the secessionists ofnorth Missouri , who, to the number of 5000 or6000, were armed and organized and desirous ofjoining the army of General Price in south-westMissouri . To break this blockade became the ob-ject of General Price. Of the four Federal posts,Jefferson City, Boonville, Lexington, and KansasCity , Lexington was the easiest and most impor-
tant one to take. General Price left Springfield onthe 25th of August, dispersed Lane’s forces atDrywood, September 2d, andreachedWarrensburgin pursuit of Colonel Peabody at daybreak, Sep-tember 10th; Peabody getting into Lexington first,Price , after a little skirmishing with Mulligan’soutpost, bivouacked within 21^ miles of Lexington.In the morning (12th) Mulligan sent out a smallforce which burnt a bridge in Price ’s path. Pricethen crossed to the Independence Road, andwaited for his infantry and artillery. These cameup in the afternoon, and Price then advanced to-ward Lexington, and drove Mulligan behind hisdefenses. There was a little skirmishing in acorn-field and in a cemetery through which Price advanced, and in the streets of Lexington, wherehe opened upon Mulligan with 7 pieces of artil-lery. Price ’s movement into Lexington in the af-ternoon of September 12th was only a reconnois-sance in force. Toward dark he retired to the FairGround, and waited for his trains to come up, andfor reenforcements that were hurrying to him fromall directions, including Harris’s and Green’s com-mands from north of the Missouri . The invest-ment of Mulligan’s position was made as shown onthe map, page 309.— Editors.