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

[520] guns were taken on the field. I had three of them in my charge that night.

We have a fine battery, nearly equal to our old one, and hope to do continued good service against our enemies.

We took about four hundred prisoners, who have been released on parole. The Federal wounded are taken as good care of as our own, though that is not the best, medicine being scarce. Lyon's corpse is now within one hundred yards of my tent; it was disinterred this afternoon, and to-morrow starts for St. Louis.

Billy Corkery and Bob Finney are our Second and Third Lieutenants. Johnny Corkery is severely wounded, but will recover. I was wounded at Carthage by shell, but am now as well as ever.

I have the honor to be,

With great respect, yours truly,

On the morning of the tenth, Gen. Lyon attacked our encampment at break of day with fourteen thousand men and eighteen pieces of artillery, having received large reinforcements within the last few days. The attack was made simultaneously at four different points--Gen. Lyon on the west, Siegel on the south, Sturgis on the north, and Sweeney, I think, on the east. Our encampment was taken by surprise, but in hot haste soon formed for battle. The forces engaged were about equal on each side, the Federals having the advantage in position and heavy artillery. The red harvest of death now commenced. The cannonading was most terrible, and the slaughter on both sides immense. In quick succession the hosts marshalled for the conflict and bared their breasts to the storm of battle. The Louisiana troops, the Arkansas, the Texans, and Missourians, rivalled each other in this great and bloody day. For six long hours the palm of victory remained undecided. Seven times Lyon was repulsed from the western heights by the Missouri and Arkansas forces, and seven times regained his position. He had a strong force of regulars posted with Totten's battery around his person.

The Missouri troops at the north, the Louisiana troops at the southeast and south, and General Weightman's brigade of Missouri forces at the southwest, including his fine battery of artillery, having been victorious at each point, rallied to the heights on the west, to support Gen. Slack's division, which had borne the brunt of the fight up to that time, for five or six hours, unsupported. Generals Price and Slack were both actively and gallantly urging forward this column, when Gen. Slack was severely wounded and taken from the field. Gen. Price was slightly wounded also, but not disabled. He continued to lead his wing on to victory most gallantly. Gen. Weightman now filed his column in on the right of my regiment, in Gen. Slack's division, where he fell mortally wounded, near Totten's battery, covered all over with wounds. I received his sword to keep it from the enemy. Meanwhile, the enemy's batteries were captured by the State and Confederate forces, and routed in every direction, except on the heights west, where Lyon commanded in person, and made his last, most desperate struggle.

General Parsons now advanced with his four pieces, and poured a terrific fire into the enemy's right, while Woodruff's Arkansas battery mowed down his left. At this point of time General McCulloch came up, and directed Slack's division to charge Totten's battery in front, and the Arkansas troops on the right. This was the most terrific storm of grape and musketry ever poured out upon the ranks of any American troops. On both sides the men were mowed down like the ripe harvest before the sickle. My own regiment was then decimated, and Churchill's and McIntosh's Arkansas regiments suffered most severely. Here General Lyon was killed, Totten's battery driven from the heights, and his whole force scattered in flight. This ended the bloody strife of that most bloody day. Never has a greater victory crowned the efforts of liberty and equal rights. The best blood of the land has been poured out to water afresh the tree of liberty. This is only a synopsis of the fight — it is impossible to give you details; I cannot do justice to all the officers and men. It will require volumes to do it. It is sufficient to say that all the officers and men on our side behaved most bravely, and fought like veterans. It is certain we have gained a great victory over the Federal troops. The loss on our side, as near as I can ascertain, is two hundred killed and four hundred wounded; some say more. The whole field for miles is literally covered with the dead. That of the enemy is fifteen hundred killed, and from two thousand to two thousand five hundred wounded! I have lost one hundred and forty-two in killed, wounded, and missing, from my command of six hundred and fifty men.

We captured thirteen of the enemy's best cannon, and all of the accompanying carriages and ammunition. Also some four hundred prisoners, and several stand of colors, and a large quantity of good arms. My regiment fought in that part of the field where General Lyon was slain. This is a just reward for the thirty-five men and children butchered by him on the 10th of May in St. Louis. I will furnish you a list of the killed and wounded as soon as possible.

Respectfully,

General orders no. 4

I. The official reports of the commanding officers of the forces engaged in the battle near