Major-General Fremont arrived at St. Louis on Sunday the 25th, and assumed military command.
The month of July was prolific in proclamations from the commanders of the rebel forces as well as of the Federal troops. On the 30th of July, rebel regiments from Tennessee, Mississippi and Kentucky, occupied New Madrid, on the Mississippi river, in the southern extremity of the State, and fortified it, and General Gideon J. Pillow issued a manifesto, in which he called upon the men of Missouri to enter his ranks. On the 1st of August, Jefferson Thompson, not to be outdone in the declamatory department, also issued a fiery proclamation.
Depredations had become so numerous and troublesome on the line of the Hannibal and St. Joseph’s railroad, that General Pope appointed General S. A. Hurlbut to guard it, and divided it into sections, notifying the people that all who had property and interests at stake, would be expected to take an active part in their own protection and security. Citizens were appointed district superintendents.
The Address of the State Convention was published on the 31st of the month, and presented the question before the people in a masterly and able manner. The rebel Lieutenant-Governor, Thomas C. Reynolds, found refuge under the protection of General Pillow, at New Madrid, and on the same day, in the absence of Governor Jackson, issued a treasonable proclamation to the people of the State.
While these events were transpiring in other parts of the State, General Lyon had concentrated his forces at Springfield. Although he had perfect confidence in the bravery and discipline of his troops, he yet felt his inability to cope successfully with the superior numbers that he was warned were marching against him, and appealed to General Fremont to reinforce him. This General Fremont declined to do, alleging as a reason that his best regiments had been withdrawn to Washington and Cairo—to important points in the vicinity of St. Louis and the district under General Pope, that required to be guarded; and General Lyon and his little handful of brave men were left to meet, as best they might, the fast accumulating forces of the enemy who were bent on their destruction.
BATTLE OF DUG SPRINGS.
August 2, 1861.
General Lyon being thus compelled to act, and relying upon the steadiness and efficiency of his army and superior artillery, decided to meet the advancing foe with his small force, rather than retreat and leave a large district of country exposed to secession ravages. In order to meet the enemy on an open field he led his army as far south as Crane Creek, 10 miles below Springfield. The march commenced at 5 o’clock, on the afternoon of August 1st. The weather was intensely hot—the baggage wagons were scattered over a distance of three miles—the march slow, and one of great fatigue; and it was not until 10 o’clock that the camping ground was reached and the march ended, only to be resumed on the following morning, under a burning sun and with but a very scanty supply of water. Slight skirmishes occurred during the day, but the shells of Captain Totten’s battery caused a hasty retreat on the part of the rebels. On the arrival at Dug Springs the advance continued on, while the skirmishers maintained a brisk fire with the retreating pickets of the enemy; Captain Steele’s regular infantry taking the lead to the left, supported by a company of cavalry, the rest of the column being some distance in the rear. A body of rebel infantry were now seen approaching from the woods with the design of cutting off the Union forces. Captain Stanley drew up his cavalry, and opened upon them with Sharp’s carbines. It was a desperate undertaking to keep the rebels in check—scarce one hundred Union cavalry against more than five times that number of the enemy. The rebel infantry kept up the firing for some minutes, when an enthusiastic lieutenant, giving the order to “charge,” some twenty-five of the gallant regulars rushed forward upon the enemy’s lines, and, dashing aside the threatening bayonets of the sturdy rebels, hewed down the ranks with fearful slaughter. Captain Stanley, who was amazed at the temerity of the little band, was obliged to sustain the order, but before he could reach his company they had broken the ranks of the enemy, who outnumbered them as twenty to one. Some of the rebels who were wounded asked, in utter astonishment, “whether these were men or devils—they fight so?”
The ground was left in possession of the Unionists, strewed with arms, and the men were seizing the horses and mules that had been left, when a large force of the enemy’s cavalry were seen approaching—some three hundred or more. At the instant when they had formed, in an angle, Captain Totten, who had mounted a six and twelve-pounder upon the overlooking hill, sent a shell directly over them; in another minute, the second, a twelve-pound shell, landed at their feet, exploding, and scattering the whole body in disorder. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth were sent into their midst. The horsemen could not control their horses, and in a minute not an enemy was to be seen anywhere.
The Union loss was four killed and five wounded, one of whom subsequently died, while that of the enemy was very heavy, fully forty killed and an hundred wounded.