Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[621] but when he had not arrived toward sunset, I ordered the retreat. Shortly afterward I was informed that Col. Hall was two miles in my rear in the timber. It became now dark. Gen. Rains was reported to be arriving, and I fell back on my defence at this place. Why Colonel Hall did not come in time, and on the road he reported he would come, is a mystery to me, and can be explained, perhaps, only by him. There is no doubt but that we could have annihilated the enemy if he had appeared in time, and on the proper road.

Our loss in the afternoon was very small; that of the enemy must be heavy, since our artillery fired from an elevated ground into their thick masses.

It give me pleasure to say that our troops behaved nobly. Col. Weer, commanding Second brigade, is entitled to my thanks for his conduct before, during, and after the battle.

I have the honor to be, General, your obedient servant,

General: Being left in command of your brigade during your temporary absence at Springfield, Mo., I beg leave to submit the following report:

At about eight o'clock A. M. of the thirtieth ultimo, firing from artillery was heard in the distance, supposed to be at or near Newtonia, Mo. The firing was continued until about ten o'clock A. M., of said day, when it ceased.

I had seen Brig.-Gen. Schofield's letter of instructions to the different commanders in this division, directing them not, on any account, to risk a defeat. I had seen Gen. Salomon's estimate of the number of the enemy's troops at Newtonia, Mo., which was eight thousand; also Colonel Weer's estimate, which was about eleven thousand. I was also aware of the fact that the forces of Gen. Salomon, of Col. Weer, and your brigade did not number near eight thousand.

General Salomon never, by word or letter, intimated to me that he intended attacking the enemy at Newtonia. I was, therefore, lost in conjecture as to who were engaged in firing the artillery we heard in the morning. About ten o'clock A. M., of said thirtieth ultimo, I received the following order:

Colonel Hall, Commanding Fourth Brigade, Missouri State Militia:

Advance immediately toward Newtonia. Heavy firing in our advance.

A. Block, A. A.G.

Send answer by bearer when you will strike Newtonia road.

This was the only communication ever received by me from Gen. Salomon concerning the movement of troops under my command at that time. It left me in utter ignorance of Gen. Salomon's intentions. I did not know whether he intended to advance with his forces from Sarcoxie toward Newtonia. I was entirely without information of the intentions of Gen. Salomon. I desired him to send me a messenger. He neither sent me a messenger or a line, nor did he communicate with me in any way until I had reached the battlefield. I immediately, upon receipt of the above order from Gen. Salomon, ordered the different regiments, battalions, and companies of the. brigade to march. We marched toward Newtonia by the way of Jollification. I marched about eight miles. I had not heard any firing since we started. I had not received any communication from Gen. Salomon; I was ignorant of his movements or intentions. I had no means of knowing the result of the morning's engagement, but had good reason to believe that the enemy had maintained their position. By marching to Newtonia, by the way of Jollification, the whole force of the enemy would be directly between my command and the troops of Gen. Salomon, whether they were at Sarcoxie or advancing from Sarcoxie to Newtonia. I therefore, upon consultation with the principal officers of your brigade, determined to march west till I struck the road leading from Sarcoxie to Newtonia, or until I could learn something about Gen. Salomon's movements or intentions. We reached the road leading from Sarcoxie to Newtonia at about eight miles distant from Newtonia, about four o'clock P. M., of said thirtieth ultimo. Here we came upon some stragglers belonging to Salomon's command. From these men I learned that Gen. Salomon and Col. Weer, with their brigades, had marched toward Newtonia — that about four hundred men belonging to Salomon's command had made the attack in the morning on the enemy's forces, about eight thousand strong, at Newtonia, and Gen. Salomon and Col. Weer had marched down to their relief.

At the time we reached the road from Sarcoxie to Newtonia, firing by artillery was heard by me again at or near Newtonia, which told me that Gen. Salomon had, with his forces, reached Newtonia. It was about as far from our camp to where we struck the Sarcoxie road as from Sarcoxie to Newtonia. We marched from the last-mentioned place, where we came into the Sarcoxie road to Newtonia with all possible despatch; we reached the battle-field about sunset.

General Salomon, on the battle-field, requested me to cover his retreat with my brigade. Gen. Salomon's troops were retreating in great confusion. The enemy in full force were advancing to attack the rear of his column, which must have been captured or destroyed, but for the timely arrival of your brigade. I drew up your brigade in line of battle in front of the enemy, and between the enemy and the retreating forces of Brig.-Gen. Salomon. The enemy, seeing my disposition, drew up in line of battle and commenced firing their artillery at my line. I ordered Lieut. Marr, in command of Captain Murphy's company of First Missouri artillery, to open fire upon the enemy, which was obeyed in a prompt and efficient