BATTLE OF BOONEVILLE.
June 17, 1861.
The enemy were exceedingly well posted, having had every advantage in the selection of their position. They occupied the summit of the ground, which rises upward from the river in a long slope, and were prepared to give the loyal troops a warm reception. General Lyon opened a heavy cannonade against the rebels, who retreated and dispersed into the adjacent wood, where, hidden by bushes and trees, they opened a brisk fire on his troops.
Arriving at the brow of the ascent, Captain Totten renewed the engagement by throwing a few nine-pounder explosives into their ranks, while the infantry filed oblique right and left and commenced a terrible volley of musketry, which was, for a short time, well replied to. The enemy were posted in a lane running towards the river from the road along which the army of the United States were advancing, and in a brick house on the north-east corner of the junction of the two roads. A couple of bombs were thrown through the east wall of that house, scattering the rebels in all directions. The well-directed fire of the German infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Schaeffer, on the right, and General Lyon’s company of regulars and part of Colonel Blair’s regiment on the left of the road, soon compelled the enemy to seek a safer position. They clambered over the fence into a field of wheat, and again formed in line just on the brow of the hill. They then advanced some twenty steps to meet the Federal troops, and for a short time the artillery was worked with great rapidity and effect. Just at this time the enemy opened fire from a grove on the left of Lyon’s centre, and from a shed beyond and still further to the left.
General Lyon halted, faced his troops about, and bringing his artillery to bear, opened fire on the rebels, and after a short engagement, killed thirty-five and took thirty prisoners, while the remainder fled in all directions, leaving many of their guns on the field. This accomplished, the General moved forward and took possession of the town. Neither General Price nor Governor Jackson were on the field of battle, though the latter was a spectator, and took an early opportunity to withdraw.
On the 17th of June, Colonel Boernstein was appointed Military Governor at Jefferson City, including Cole and the adjoining counties, the Governor and officers of the State having fled. Colonel Boernstein, on being questioned as to how long he should remain, replied, “I don’t know, perhaps a year; so long as the Governor chooses to stay away. I am Governor now, you see, till he comes back!” His idea of freedom of speech and the press he expressed freely, like this: “All people zall speak vot dey tink, write vot dey pleazhe, and be free to do any tink dey pleazhe—only dey zall speak and write no treason!”
The loyal people of the State now entered with zeal into the work of defence. Union Home Guards were organized at Hannibal, Herman, Rolla, Potosi, and many other places, and troops stationed at various points, of which two thousand five hundred kept guard over the Hannibal and St. Joseph, and one thousand over the North Missouri railroad; three thousand took their position also at Rolla, on the south-west branch of the Pacific railroad.
At Booneville, on the 18th, General Lyon issued a proclamation, in which he exposed the misrepresentations of the conspirators. The views they had endeavored to inculcate, that the United States would overrun the State with “military despotism,” and “destroy State rights,” were pronounced false—the glaring inconsistencies of the secessionists exposed,—and all malcontents solicited to return to their allegiance to the old flag.
On the same day, eight hundred Union Home Guards, under Captain Cooke, at Camp Cole, were surprised and routed by a body of rebels from Warsaw. Twenty-five were killed, fifty-two wounded, and twenty-three taken prisoners. The rebel loss was forty-five killed and wounded. At this time, Colonel Siegel, General Sweeney, and Colonel Brown, with their commands, were in the south-western part of the State, keeping the insurgents at bay.
General Price and Jackson were employed in raising all the turbulent elements of the State, and rallying followers to their standard. They were also greatly inspirited in their labors by the rumor that Ben. McCulloch was approaching with eight or ten thousand men to aid them in the overthrow of the government. On the 3d of July, General Lyon left Booneville with two thousand men, for the south-west. General Sweeney, who was in command of the south-west expedition, at Springfield, published a proclamation to the people, inviting them to remain loyal, and warning all rebels to disperse, take the oath of allegiance, and escape the penalties of their lawless career.