Toward evening Lyon's horse was killed under him. Immediately afterward, his officers begged that he would retire to a less exposed spot. Scarcely raising his eyes from the enemy, he said:
"It is well enough that I stand here. I am satisfied."
While the line was forming, he turned to Major Sturgis, who stood near him, and remarked:
"I fear that the day is lost. I think I will lead this charge."
Early in the day he had received a flesh-wound in the leg, from which the blood flowed profusely. Sturgis now noticed fresh blood on the General's hat, and asked where it came from.
"It is nothing, Major, nothing but a wound in the head," replied Lyon, mounting a fresh horse.
Without taking the hat that was held out to him by Major Sturgis, he shouted to the soldiers:
"Forward, men! I will lead you."
Two minutes later he lay dead on the field, pierced by a rifle-ball through the breast, just above the heart.
Our officers held a hurried consultation, and decided not only to retreat, but to abandon southwest Missouri. Strangely enough, the coincidence of the morning was here repeated. Almost simultaneously, the Rebels decided to fall back. They were in full retreat when they were arrested by the news of the departure of the Federal troops, and returned to take possession of the field which the last Union soldier had abandoned eight hours before.