At this time the enemy’s infantry on the right, where Thompson commanded in person, being in retreat, the Indiana Cavalry charged and pursued them. Thompson, however, had rallied a portion of his troops, about half a mile in the rear of his first position, and brought one gun into battery on the road, supported by infantry on either side. The cavalry charged and took the gun, being exposed at the same time to a deadly fire from the enemy’s infantry; but as the column that had been ordered forward to their support did not reach the point in time, the enemy were enabled to carry the piece from the field. It was here that Major Gavitt and Captain Highman fell.
The rout now became general, and the enemy were pursued by the Union troops several miles, until the approach of night induced Colonel Plummer to recall them to town. Captain Stewart, however, with his squadron of cavalry followed them until late in the night, and brought in several prisoners.
Jeff. Thompson had left Frederickton on the previous evening, marching ten miles on the Greenville road, and then turning to meet Colonel Plummer at a point where he had intended to make the attack in the morning. On learning that the national troops had taken a different road, he led his force back to the point near Frederickton where the encounter took place. The rebel force was about two thousand five hundred. Colonel Lowe, his colleague, was killed, and one hundred and twenty-five dead were left on the field; the number of their wounded is not definitely known. Four of their guns and eighty prisoners were taken. The loss of the Federal army was seven killed, and sixty wounded.
CHARGE OF FREMONT’S BODY-GUARD AT SPRINGFIELD, MO.
October 25, 1861.
Subsequent to the death of General Lyon, Springfield had been made a rebel stronghold, and General Price, when the advancing army of General Fremont compelled him to retreat from the central part of the State, had established his headquarters there. During the month of October, however, being warned by approaching columns of the Federal troops, he had commenced the withdrawal of his forces and the immense train and supplies he had accumulated in case he should be compelled to retreat to Arkansas.
On the 20th of October, General Sigel, who commanded the Federal advance, was near Bolivar, and General Sturgis’ command was one day behind. General Lane was at Osceola; Hunter’s and McKinstry’s divisions, as well as General Ashboth, were at or near Warsaw; General Pope was near Louisville; while General Fremont and his staff were at Pomme de Terre river, en route for Quincy.
Having obtained information from his scouts that only about three hundred of the enemy were at Springfield, General Fremont dispatched Major Zagonyi, with 150 of his Body-guard, and also an equal force of Prairie Scouts under Major F. J. White, who was then attached to Sigel’s command, to combine their forces before reaching Springfield, and attack the rebel camp by surprise.
The distance from the camp on the Pomme de Terre river to Springfield was fifty-one miles. The Body-guard started on Thursday, the 24th, at 8½ P. M., and reached the neighborhood of Springfield, at 3 P. M. on the 25th, having overtaken the command of Major White, dispatched from the camp of General Sigel to take part in this enterprise. Major White, who was suffering from severe illness, was obliged to stop for an hour or two to rest, and when he again started to join his command, expecting to find them in the direct road from Bolivar to Springfield, he was captured by the rebel scouts, who had been informed of the approach of the Federal cavalry. Zagonyi had deemed it necessary to change his plan of attack, and to approach the rear of the rebel camp, of which fact Major White had not been informed. The change was occasioned by unexpectedly meeting a small body of the enemy, who thus became aware of the designed attack.