Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 2.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[501] and after receiving the discharge from the battery, the enemy retired in double-quick time, leaving a number of dead and wounded on the field. Ordered Companies A and F to hold their position until further orders, and then returned to Companies I, C, H, K, G, and B, who had been left facing the enemy's line; found our troops advancing under a galling fire from the enemy's infantry. After repulsing the enemy they fell back in good order. Ordered Maj. A. B. Porter to proceed to the rear and take command of the four companies, “A,” “F,” “D,” and “E,” there stationed. Held our position in front for five hours, alternately advancing and retiring as the approach and repulse of the enemy made it necessary to do so. In every charge the enemy made we repulsed them and drove them into the ravine below. About 12 o'clock M. the order was given to retire from the field, which was done in good order. As we retired over the hill we passed a section of Totten's battery, occupying a commanding point to the right, supported on the right by companies A, F, D and E of the Iowa troops, under command of Major Porter, and on the left by one company of regular infantry under command of Captain Lothrop. This company sustained our retreat with great coolness and determination, under a most terrific discharge from the enemy's infantry. After the wounded were gathered up, our column formed in order of march, and the enemy repulsed, the battery and infantry retiring in good order. Thus closed one of the most hotly contested engagements known to the country, commencing twenty minutes after 5 o'clock A. M., and concluding twenty minutes after 12 o'clock M., in which the enemy brought to the field 14,000 well-armed and well-disciplined troops and 10,000 irregular troops, and our own force amounted to about 5,000 troops in the early part of the engagement, and considerably less than four thousand troops for the concluding four hours of it.

It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge valuable aid and assistance from Major A. B. Porter, Adjutant Geo. W. Waldron, who was wounded in the leg, and Sergeant-Major Charles Compton; and to express my unbounded admiration of the heroic conduct displayed by both officers and men. No troops, regular or volunteer, ever sustained their country's flag with more determined valor and fortitude; they have crowned themselves with imperishable honor, and must occupy a conspicuous place in the history of their country.

A list of the killed, missing, and wounded will be found attached to this report, together with such notices of individual prowess as were observed on the field.

Before concluding this report, I must bear testimony to the gallant and meritorious conduct of Captain A. L. Mason, of Company C, who fell in a charge, at the head of his company.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: In obedience to instructions, I have the honor to make the following report relative to the part taken by my company in the battle on Wilson's Creek, Aug. 10, 1861:

Light Company F, 2d regiment of Artillery, marched in company with the other troops comprising Gen. Lyon's command from Springfield on the evening of Friday, Aug. 9, for the position occupied by the enemy. Early on the following morning, Aug. 10, the camp of the Southern army was discovered about one mile and a half south of the head of Gen. Lyon's column, and soon after the infantry of our advance was fired upon by the pickets of the enemy. From that time our march, as directed by Gen. Lyon in person, lay through a small valley which debouched into that through which Wilson's Creek runs at the point immediately occupied by the front of the enemy, and just where the main road to Springfield enters the valley, keeping along the foot of the hills, and soon afterward our skirmishers found those of the enemy and the battery opened. Here the left section of my battery, under Lieut. Sokalski, was first brought to bear upon the enemy in the woods, in front, and shortly afterward the other four pieces were thrown forward into battery to the right on higher ground. A few rounds from the artillery assisted the infantry of our advance in driving the enemy back from their first position, and they fell back toward the crests of the hills, nearer and immediately over their own camp. I now conducted my battery up the hill to the left and front, and soon found a position where I brought it into battery directly over the northern position of the enemy's camp. The camp of Gen. Rains, as I afterward learned, lay directly beneath my front and to the left very close to my position, and a battery of the enemy to my front and right within easy range of my guns. The camp of Gen. Rains was entirely deserted, and., therefore, my first efforts were directed against the battery of the enemy to the right and front. The left half battery was then brought into positions but the right half battery, in reality occupying the most favorable ground, was principally directed against the enemy's battery, although the whole six pieces, as opportunity occurred, played upon the enemy's guns. As the position of the enemy's guns was masked, the gunners of my pieces were obliged to give direction to their pieces, by the flash and smoke of the opposing artillery. In the mean time, the battle was raging in the thick woods and underbrush to the front and right of the position occupied by my battery, and the 1st regiment of Missouri Volunteers was being hard pressed. I now received an order from Gen. Lyon to remove a section of my battery forward to the support of the 1st Missouri, which I did in person, coming into battery just in front of the right company of this regiment. Within 200 yards of the position occupied by the section of my battery