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none other than those who could stand it like veterans did stand it. A dozen rounds or so from our artillery rather put a stop to their deadly work, and gave our column more time to form on foot, systematically.
The action commenced about one o'clock P. M., and raged almost incessantly for two hours. Twice during the time they attempted to storm our batteries, but were successfully repulsed each time.
At one time they came up within thirty feet of them, they being loaded with canister, but, by some mishap, caps were not at hand; and while caps were being procured, they succeeded in getting so close.
Each of the artillerymen drew his revolver, and went to work in earnest, when the man who went after caps returned with them, just in time to give them a charge, which made them retire in confusion, but not until one of our artillerymen was killed and two wounded.
Taking every thing into consideration, it was one of the hardest fought battles that we have had in North-Missouri.
Our men all fought like veterans, and compelled the enemy to leave the ground.
Our forces would have followed them up but for the sultry hot weather, the men being nearly famished for water.
After getting a drink of water and cooling off as well as they could, our men went to scouring the battle-field, and found by the trails of blood that the enemy had been removing their hors du combat men.
At six o'clock Monday evening there were nine of our men dead and forty wounded. From the best information we could get from the yeomanry of the neighborhood, who came into our lines in the evening after the battle, to get permission to scour the battle-ground and vicinity for dead and wounded rebels, there was from seventy-five to one hundred of them killed and wounded.
Company E, of the Third Iowa cavalry, commanded by Captain Duffield, suffered more than any other company in the column.
One of the company was killed dead on the ground, three mortally wounded, and eight severely.
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Van Nostrand. New York, New York. 1862.
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