DEATH OF GEN. LYON.
Early in this engagement, while Gen. Lyon was walking and leading his horse along the line on the left of Totten’s battery, his horse, the iron gray, was killed and he was wounded in two places, in the head and in the leg. Captain Herron, of the 1st Iowa,[8] states that he saw the horse fall, and that the animal sank down as if vitally struck, neither plunging nor rearing. Lyon then walked on, waving his sword and hallooing. He was limping for he had been wounded in the leg. He carried his hat, a drab felt, in his hand and looked white and dazed. Suddenly blood appeared on the side of his head and began to run down his cheek. He stood a moment and then walked slowly to the rear. Capt. Herron states that he was within twenty feet of Lyon when this happened, near enough to observe that he was wearing his old uniform, that of captain in the regular army.
When he reached a position a little in the rear Lyon sat down and an officer bound a handkerchief about his wounded head. He remarked despondingly to Maj. Schofield, of Blair’s regiment, one of his staff: “It is as I expected; I am afraid the day is lost.” The Major replied: “O, no, General; let us try once more.” Major Sturgis then dismounted one of his own orderlies and offered the horse to Lyon, who at first declined the animal, saying: “I do not need a horse.” He then stood up and ordered Sturgis to rally a portion of the 1st Iowa which had broken. Sturgis, in executing this order, went to some distance from his general. The 1st Iowa was being ordered forward by a staff officer, when some of the men called out, “We have no leader,” “Give us a leader, then,” etc. Lyon immediately asked to be helped on the orderly’s horse. As he straightened himself in the saddle the blood was dripping off his heel from his wounded leg. Gen. Sweeney rode up and Lyon spoke quickly to him, “Sweeney, lead those troops forward (indicating the 1st Iowa) and we will make one more charge.”
Then, swinging his hat, Lyon called out to the 2d Kansas regiment, “Come on, my brave boys, (or ‘my bully boys,’ as some say), I will lead you; forward!” He had gone but a few yards when he was shot through the body. One of his orderlies, a private named Ed. Lehman, of Co. B, 1st U. S. cavalry, caught him in his arms and lowered him to the ground. With the breath still feeling at his lips, and his great heart throbbing and striking his own death-knell, the dying chieftain gasped, “Lehman, I’m going,” and so passed away his spirit through the battle-clouds to the realms where is everlasting peace. The place where Lyon fell was afterward called “Bloody Point.” A heap of stones marks the spot to this day. Lyon’s body was borne to the rear by Lieut. Schreyer, of Capt. Tholen’s company of the 2d Kansas, assisted by Lehman and another soldier.