Before crossing this river Col. Sigel received information that the ford could not be passed well, and that a strong force of the enemy was moving from West Plains towards Waynesville, to cut off the retreat. He was also aware that it would take considerable time to cross the Robidoux and the two Pineys on the old road. To avoid these difficulties, and to give the army an opportunity to rest, Sigel directed the troops from Lebanon to the northern road, passing Right Point, in the southeastern part of Camden county, and Humboldt, Pulaski county, and terminating opposite the mouth of Little Piney, where in case the ford could not be passed, the train could be sent by Vienna and Linn to the mouth of the Gasconade, while the troops could ford the river at the mouth of the Little Piney to reinforce Rolla. To cross over the artillery he ordered a ferryboat from Big Piney Crossing to be hauled down on the Gasconade to the mouth of Little Piney, where it arrived immediately after the army had crossed the ford. Before reaching the ford, however, Sigel had given up the command of the army to Maj. Sturgis, who marched it into Rolla August 19th, where it went into temporary camp, the first encampment being named “Camp Cary Gratz,” in honor of the captain of the 1st Missouri, killed at Wilson’s Creek. In a few days the Missouri and Kansas troops and the 1st Iowa, whose term of service had long before expired, were sent to St. Louis to be mustered out.
THE CONFEDERATES ENTER SPRINGFIELD.
The battle of Wilson’s Creek ended at about noon of August 10; but not until about 11 o’clock of the next day, or nearly 24 hours after the close of the battle, did the first Confederate troops (save a few prisoners), set foot within the town of Springfield. Sturgis, with the remains of Lyon’s corps, was not pursued at all. Sigel’s “flying Dutchmen” were chased but a few miles, while no attempt at formidable pursuit or to follow up the victory was made by either McCulloch or Price. Whether this was because, as the Federals claimed, that the Southerners themselves were so badly damaged as to be unable to follow the Federals, but had to wait and allow them to go out of the country before moving camp, or whether Gen. McCulloch himself expected to be attacked, or had other good reasons for sitting quietly by, cannot here be stated.
Lyon’s body had been sent in. Certain citizens of Springfield had gone from town to the Southern camp, and back and forth had ridden many a man, but no movement was made until late Sunday morning. At about 11 o’clock some Missouri and Texas cavalry rode into town and halted. No pursuit worthy of the name was attempted after the vast crowd of citizens and soldiers and citizen-soldiery making its exodus from Greene county, in some respects like unto that crowd of fugitives led by the Jewish Lawgiver and guided by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Soon the town was pretty well filled with troops, and Price and McCulloch came in. The stores were visited and the proprietors interviewed, and there was great activity in mercantile circles for a time; thousands of dollars worth of goods changed hands in a few hours. Everything was paid for on the spot,—in Confederate or Missouri scrip.
The 11th was Sunday, but, as Gen. McCulloch remarked, “it was just as good as any other day in war time,” and so the troops were distributed around, encampments laid out, and preparations made to permanently occupy the land. On the next day, Monday, the 12th, Gen. McCulloch issued the following proclamation, which was distributed not only through this county but throughout the greater portion of the southern part of the State:—
PROCLAMATION OF GEN. M’CULLOCH.
Headquarters Western Army,
Camp near Springfield, Mo., August 12, 1861.To the People of Missouri:—Having been called by the Governor of your State to assist in driving the National forces out of the State and in restoring the people to their just rights, I have come among you simply with the view of making war upon our Northern foes, to drive them back and give the oppressed of your State an opportunity of again standing up as free men and uttering their true sentiments. You have been overrun and trampled upon by the mercenary hordes of the North; your beautiful State has been nearly subjugated, but those true sons of Missouri who have continued in arms, together with my forces, came back upon the enemy, and we have gained over them a great and signal victory. Their general-in-chief is slain, and many of their own general officers wounded. Their army is in full flight; and now, if the true men of Missouri will rise up, rally around our standard the State will be redeemed. I do not come among you to make war upon any of your people, whether Union or otherwise; the Union people will all be protected in their rights and property. It is earnestly recommended to them to return to their homes. Prisoners of the Union army, who have been arrested by the army, will be released and allowed to return to their friends. Missouri must be allowed to choose her own destiny, no oath binding your consciences. I have driven the enemy from among you; the time has now arrived for the people of the State to act. You can no longer procrastinate. Missouri must now take her position, be it North or South.
Ben McCulloch,
Brig. Gen. Commanding.
This proclamation was well received by the people of the county, especially the Union portion, who expected nothing else that they were to be treated with great severity. All looked forward to a season of security, if not absolute peace. It is painful to be compelled to state, however, that Gen. McCulloch’s proclamation was not long observed. Despite its declarations Union men were arrested and their property and that of their secession neighbors seized and appropriated whenever it pleased the subordinate Confederate officers to do so.
In connection with his proclamation, and on the same day McCulloch issued the following congratulatory order to the troops under his command over the result of the battle of Wilson’s Creek:—