A dispatch from
Louisville, June 22, says ‘"there is no news from
Missouri, the line being interrupted by a heavy storm."’ The latest newspaper account is from the
Missouri State Journal, extra, of June 20:
An eye-witness of the fight at
Booneville, on Monday last, at 8 A. M., about miles below that town, gives us the subjoined facts:
Major-General Price was ill on Sunday, and issued an order for the retirement of the
State troops toward
Arkansas.
He, himself, left for his home, at
Brunswick.
The forces under
General Lyon landed near
Rocheport, on the
South side of the
Missouri river, and marched thence toward
Booneville.
A few companies of State troops met them about six miles below
Booneville, and attacked
Lyon's forces Company B,
Blair's Regiment being the party receiving the fire.
About ten of said company were killed and wounded, as the result of that fire.
The company firing then retreated.
Several other State companies, at this point of time, kept firing from different directions on
Lyon's forces.
Gen. Lyon then planted his cannon, and fired about twenty rounds on the
State troops using grape and ball.
None of the
State troops were killed by this cannonading, so far as is known.
But those who were seeking the
State troops, to join in the fight, were made prisoners to the number of fifteen or twenty, and three are known to be killed.
These prisoners were taken, and the the men killed after a retreat was ordered by the officers commanding the
State troops.
The State troops retired in good order, not more than three hundred having engaged in the skirmish.
Some ten of the
Federal troops were killed, and as many as from twenty to thirty wounded, some mortally.
Col. Marmaduke commanded the
State troops, and
Gov. Jackson was in person on the ground.
No cannon were captured by the
Federal troops; all having been saved, except some piece which were thrown into the river, these having been placed in position on the river, four miles south of
Booneville.
Gen. Parsons, with some fifteen pieces of ordnance, was advancing to meet the
State troops at the time they were retreating.
All these were saved.
No word of disbanding the
State troops was ever heard of; nor of the flight of
Governor Jackson, who, on the contrary, coolly remained two hours after the retreat of the
State troops.
Gov. Jackson is now with his men; the order to retreat was given on Sunday, purely as a strategic movement; while some of the boys determined to have the fun of making the invaders smell burning gunpowder anyhow; and the attack was made with the distinct purpose of retreating immediately afterward.
It was currently reported at
Booneville that
General Lyon remarked, if the fire of the
State troops had been continued, he must have ordered a retreat.
The Federal forces stood their ground and returned the fire; but the
State troop were covered by a woodland, and fired from different directions on
Lyon's forces.
Lyon has now possession of
Booneville, and has is sued a proclamation.
The State troops are concentrating at a point fifteen or twenty miles West of
Booneville, and are organizing and preparing fully for the conflict.
Ben. McCulloch, it is stated, is now advancing between
Springfield and
Tipton, with 10,000 men and 20,000 extra stand of arms.--
Gov. Jackson intends to deal kindly and humanely, not only with any prisoners who may be taken in battle, but with all those citizens of
Missouri, whether native or adopted, who have been misled and deceived by the wicked teachings of the enemies of the
State and its institutions.
Those men who have been forced by want of bread to enter the
Federal service have nothing to fear, either in war or peace, from the civil government of the
State, or from the
State troops, who may be made prisoners of war.