CONTENTS
[CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS TO THE BATTLE] 5 [FIRST FEDERAL TROOPS] 6 [“SIGEL IS COMING!”] 6 [GEN. SWEENEY COMES TO SPRINGFIELD] 7 [SIGEL DEPARTS FOR CARTHAGE] 7 [GEN. LYON ENTERS THE COUNTY] 8 [SWEENEY’S EXPEDITION TO FORSYTH] 9 [CONFEDERATE MILITARY OPERATIONS] 9 [THE FIGHT AT DUG SPRINGS] 11 [GEN. LYON FALLS BACK] 12 [THE SOUTHERN FORCES UNDER PRICE AND M’CULLOCH ENTER GREENE COUNTY—A GREAT BATTLE IMMINENT] 15 [CHAPTER II. THE BATTLE OF WILSON’S CREEK—THE UNION OR FEDERAL ACCOUNT] 17 [GEN. LYON IN SPRINGFIELD] 17 [PRELIMINARIES OF THE FINAL STRUGGLE] 19 [A FALSE ALARM] 22 [A MESSENGER FROM FREMONT—NO HOPE!] 23 [CONFEDERATE MILITARY MOVEMENTS PRECEDING THE BATTLE] 24 [GEN. LYON MARCHES OUT TO BATTLE] 26 [THE MARCH BEGUN—ROUTE OF GEN. LYON] 28 [COL. SIGEL’S ADVANCE] 29 [LYON OPENS THE BATTLE] 31 [DEATH OF GEN. LYON] 35 [STILL THE BATTLE GOES ON] 37 [THE LAST GRAND CHARGE OF PRICE’S MEN] 37 [RETREAT] 39 [SIGEL’S PART IN THE FIGHT] 40 [DR. S. H. MELCHER’S ACCOUNT] 46 [CHAPTER III. THE BATTLE OF WILSON’S CREEK.—Concluded] 51 [THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE STORY] 51 [THE PART TAKEN BY M’CULLOCH’S ARMY] 51 [THE FEDERAL ATTACK] 52 [THE FIGHT AGAINST LYON] 54 [M’CULLOCH COMES TO THE RESCUE] 55 [THE BEGINNING OF THE END] 58 [VICTORY!] 58 [M’CULLOCH’S DESTRUCTION OF SIGEL] 59 [AFTER THE FAMOUS VICTORY] 61 [COMPARATIVE STRENGTH AND LOSSES OF THE TWO ARMIES] 62 [FEDERAL STRENGTH] 62 [CONFEDERATE STRENGTH] 63 [THE FEDERAL LOSS] 64 [CONFEDERATE LOSS—PRICE’S ARMY] 64 [DISPOSITION OF THE DEAD] 66 [THE HOME GUARDS AT SPRINGFIELD] 67 [THE RETREAT FROM SPRINGFIELD] 68 [CARE OF THE UNION WOUNDED] 69 [THE ARMY SETS OUT] 69 [THE CONFEDERATES ENTER SPRINGFIELD] 70 [PROCLAMATION OF GEN. M’CULLOCH] 71 [GEN. M’CULLOCH’S ORDER] 72 [GEN. PRICE’S PROCLAMATION] 73 [JOY AND CONGRATULATIONS] 74 [CHAPTER IV. PROMINENT REGIMENTS AND OTHER SUBORDINATE COMMANDS ENGAGED IN THE BATTLE] 76 [CONFEDERATE COMMANDS] 76 [FEDERAL COMMANDS] 84 [DISPOSITION OF THE BODY OF GEN. LYON] 96
BATTLE OF WILSON’S CREEK.
CHAPTER I.
PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS TO THE BATTLE.
The Situation in Southwest Missouri After the Firing on Ft. Sumpter—The First Federal Troops in the Country—“Sigel is Coming!”—Gen. Sweeney Comes to Springfield—Sigel Departs for Carthage—Gen. Lyon Enters the Country—Sweeney’s Expedition to Forsyth—Confederate Military Operations—The Fight at Dug Springs—Gen. Lyon Falls back—Gens. Price and McCulloch Follow up—A Great Battle Imminent—Controversy Between Price and McCulloch.
In giving an account of the battle of Wilson’s Creek, or Oak Hills, which though not the largest, has passed into history, as one of the hardest and best fought battles of the American Civil War, it is necessary to describe certain military movements and operations which took place previously, in order that a better understanding of all of the circumstances may be had. This must be done here briefly and in a somewhat desultory way.
Upon the outbreak of the civil war in 1861, the people of Southwest Missouri were divided in sentiment, although a majority of them were Unionists. At the previous Presidential election, Lincoln, the Republican candidate, had received 42 votes in Greene county alone, and this district had sent unconditional Union candidates to the State Convention the previous February by a vote of four to one. Union Home Guards were organized in Springfield in May to the number of 1200, composed of citizens of Greene, Christian, and adjoining counties and commanded by Col. John S. Phelps (afterward Governor). The secessionists in this quarter of the State were in the minority, but they were bold and disposed to be aggressive.