BATTLE OF CARTHAGE.
July 4, 1861.
Colonel Siegel arrived at Springfield on the 23d of June, and there learned that the rebel troops, under Jackson, were making their way southwardly through Cedar county. He immediately proceeded with his command, numbering over a thousand men, and a small field battery, towards Mount Vernon, for the purpose of intercepting him. On arriving at that point, he learned that General Price, in command of one thousand two hundred of the State troops, was encamped at Neosho, the county seat of Newton county, situated in the south-west corner of the State. His object there was to prevent Jackson going south, or Price going north. He appears to have decided to move southwardly and capture Price if possible, and afterwards attend to the Governor.
As he neared Neosho, on the 30th, the reports began to come in of the strength of Price, until his force was swelled to thirty-five hundred men, including Arkansas volunteers. The inhabitants expressed their welcome for Colonel Siegel, and detailed the most pitiable accounts of the oppression of the rebel soldiers.
On the 1st of July, the entire force entered the town without opposition, and encamped there, the enemy having retreated.
On the 2d, Colonel Siegel, learning that the forces of Price, Rains and Jackson had united at Dry Fork Creek, eight miles from Carthage, and having communicated with and received orders from Brig.-Gen. Sweeney, proceeded at once to attack them. He took up his line of march on the 3d, and on the morning of the 4th came upon the enemy, who were in great force.
The Federal command was about one thousand two hundred strong, including part of Colonel Salomon’s regiment. They met the enemy in camp on an open prairie, three miles beyond Dry Fork, and after approaching within eight hundred yards, took position. The artillery was placed in the front; two six-pounders on the left, two six and two twelve-pounders in the centre, and two six-pounders on the right.
The fight commenced about half-past nine, the balls and shells of the enemy flying over the Union troops, and exploding in the open prairie.
At eleven o’clock the rebel twelve-pounders were silenced, and much disorder visible. About two o’clock the enemy’s cavalry having attempted to outflank the Federal troops, they fell back upon their baggage trains to prevent their capture, Colonel Siegel changing his front. Proceeding in their retreat without serious casualty, they reached Dry Fork Creek, where eight hundred rebel cavalry had concentrated to cut them off; but a cross-fire of canister and shrapnell soon broke their ranks, and they fell into wild confusion. Thence the Federal troops proceeded toward Carthage. Just before entering the town, Siegel posted three companies at Buck Creek, while the residue, in two columns, made a circuit around the town, the artillery pouring in a well-directed fire on the pursuing enemy. Night was approaching as the retreating army passed through Carthage, while the rebel horsemen withdrew to the woods on the Mount Vernon road.
Colonel Sigel, notwithstanding the great fatigue of the day—his men having been in action nearly twelve hours, and suffering severely from the heat and from lack of water—ordered his men to press on in retreat from Carthage. A forced march was made to Sarcoxie, in the south-east corner of Jasper county, (Carthage being the county seat,) a distance of twelve or fourteen miles. There they went into camp at three o’clock Saturday morning. In the afternoon of the next day, the retreat was continued to Mount Vernon, in Lawrence county, sixteen or eighteen miles east of Sarcoxie, where Siegel took a stand, and where his headquarters were located.
The Union loss was thirteen killed and thirty-one wounded; while, according to the most reliable accounts, the loss of the enemy could not have been less than three hundred in killed and wounded, and forty-five prisoners.