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

[503] move my battery to the right--Captain Granger was to place me in position. Three companies of the First Infantry and one of Mounted Rifles--recruits — were driven back by an overwhelming force of the enemy, (five regiments, I think,) who, in the ardor of our advance, had collected in masses.

Capt. Granger now countermanded my order to move, and by a change of front to the left I enfiladed their line and drove them back with great slaughter, Capt. Granger directing one of my guns.

Their broken troops rallied behind a house on the right of their line. I struck this house twice with a twelve pound shot, when they showed an hospital flag. I ceased firing and their troops retired.

Large bodies now collected in a ravine in front of the centre; by using small charges I succeeded in shelling the thicket, but could not judge of the effect of my fire. It seemed to check the enemy, as he changed his position to one more to my right and beyond my fire.

A new battery now opened upon us from the crest of the hill opposite, and having a plunging fire it did great execution, all the shot of which passed over me, falling among the wounded, who had been carried in rear of my battery in large numbers. We succeeded in partially silencing this fire, and at the same time drove back a large column of cavalry which had turned our position and were preparing to charge our rear.

During the entire engagement I was so embarrassed by my ignorance of General Siegel's position, that on several occasions I did not fire upon their troops until they had formed within a few hundred yards of our line, fearing they might be our own men advancing to form a junction with us. During the last effort of the enemy to break through our right wing and capture our batteries, I limbered up two to send to Captain Totten's assistance. Before I could have a road opened through the wounded, I was ordered to fall back to a hill in the rear, and protect a retreat. I remained until all our troops had passed in good order, and was marching to the rear when my twelve pound gun broke down; I asked Major Osterhaus to protect me with his battalion; he remained with me until I repaired damages, and then marched in my rear until I joined the command on the prairie.

I now received orders to take command of a rear guard, but as I had already joined Captain Steele's battalion of regulars, and we had formed a rear guard under his command, I reported this fact, and marched to Springfield under Captain Steele. We were not followed by the enemy, who had, I think, been driven from the field before we left it.

Many of the company — myself included — were struck and slightly injured by spent musket and canister shot, but only two were wounded and one missing. My men behaved well, and cannot be convinced that we were not victorious.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Captain: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my battalion, at the battle near Springfield, Mo., on the 10th instant. The battalion was composed of companies B and E, Second Infantry, commanded by First Sergeants Griffin and G. H. McLaughlin, a company of general service recruits, commanded by First Lieutenant W. L. Lothrop, Fourth Artillery, and a company of mounted rifle recruits, commanded by Lance Sergeant Morine. During the early part of the action the battalion was in position to support Dubois' battery, but had no opportunity of engaging the enemy except to assist in dispersing a large body of cavalry that frequently threatened our rear.

Soon after the fall of Gen. Lyon, Capt. C. C. Gilbert, First Infantry, joined my battalion with a part of his company, and we made arrangements to repel a threatened assault on the battery in front, which was repelled without our becoming engaged with the enemy. Major Sturgis then ordered me to form line of battle and advance upon the enemy's front, whence the heaviest firing had proceeded during the day. We very soon came within range of the enemy's rifles, when a fierce contest ensued, the enemy gradually retiring upon his reserve, where he made a stand from which our small force was unable to drive him. After a heavy firing on both sides in this position, without any apparent advantage on either side, the contest ceased for a short time, as if by mutual consent. We were opposed to vastly superior guns numbers, and many of our men were killed and wounded, so that I did not deem it discreet to charge upon the enemy without support, although Captain Gilbert suggested it.

During this suspension of hostilities I received orders from Major Sturgis to send a company of skirmishers on the brow of the hill to our left and front. Lieutenant Lothrop went in command of this company, but was met with such a galling fire from the enemy that he was compelled to retire; all of which service he performed with coolness and intrepidity. Lieutenant Lothrop's retreat was followed up by a vigorous attack from the enemy upon us as well as upon Totten's battery, on our left and rear. The enemy had a field-piece established under the crest of the hill to our left and front, which threw grape with spitefulness — and occasionally a shell — with more moral effect than damage to us.

This piece was now reinforced by one or two pieces of the same character, all of which threw an incessant shower of missiles at us; but my men were ordered to stoop, and very few took effect on us. It was now evident that the enemy