We have published several Federal accounts of the late battle near
Springfield, Misscurland have now before us a statement from the other side.
It is contained in the
St. Joseph (Missouri) Extra, and was written by
J. T. Hughes, who, the Gazette says, is a "lawyer of
Plattsburgh, Missouri, and a gentleman of irreproachable character. "
Mr. H. commanded a Confederate State regiment of 650 men in the battle, and lost 142 in killed, wounded and missing.
Subjoined is the report of
Mr. Hughes:
On the morning of the 10th
General Lyon attacked our encampment, at break of day, with 14,000 men and 18 places of artillery, having received reinforcements within the last few days.
The attack was made simultaneously at our different points,
General Lyon on the
West General Siegel on the
South,
General Sturgis on the
North, and some other column — General , I think — on the East and Southeast.
On encampment was taken somewhat by surprise, but, in hot haste, soon formed for the battle.
The forces engaged were about equal in 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 on both sides immense.
It quick the hosts marshalled for the conflict, and bared their breasts to the storm of battle.
The
Louisiana troops, the
Arkansas, the
Texans and
Missourian rivaled 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
Potten'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
General Slack's division which had borne the of the fight to that time for five or six hours unsupported.--
General Price and
General Slack were both actively and gallantly urging forward this column when
General Slack was severely wounded and taken from the field.
General Price was slightly wounded also, but not disabled.
He continued to lead his wing on to victory most gallantly.
Gen. Weightman now 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 war 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, were
Lyon commanded in person, and made his last most desperate struggle.
Gen. Persons now advanced with his battery of four pieces, and poured a terrific fire into the enemy's while
Woodrun's Arkansas battery down his left.
At this point of time
General McCullough came up, and directed
Slack's division to charge
Totten's battery in front the
Arkansas troops on the right flank.--This was the most terrific storm of gray sand musketry poured out upon the racks of any American troops.
On both sides the men were mowed down like the rice harvest before the sickle.
My own regiment was then decimated, and
Churchill's and
McIntose's Arkansas regiments suffered most severely.--Here
Gen. Lyon was killed.
To ten's battery driven from the heights, and his whole force scattered in flight.
This ended the bloody strife of that most bloody day.
It is certain we have gained a great and decided victory over the
Federal troops.
We captured 13 of the enemy's best cannon and all the accompanying carriages and ammunition.
Also some 400 prisoners, stand of colors and a large quantity of good arms.
Mr. Hughes, in a postscript, adds.
We have lost a great number of our officers I will name some of them;
Gen. Slack, severely wounded;
Gen. Weightman, killed;
Lt. Col. Aussin, of
Col. R. A. Rives' regiment, killed;
Colonel B. J. Brown, of
Ray killed;
Capt. Blackwood, of
Carroll, killed;
Captain Enyard, of
Rives' regiment, killed;
Lieut. S. S. Hughes, of my regiment killed, and my own brother;
Capt. of
Clinton, wounded severely;
Capt. Thomas McCarty or
Clay county, severely wounded, and a great many more.
About forty other of my regiment, including the
Clay county battalion have been buried on the battle field.
Amos Stout, of
Clay, killed;
R. D. Kelley and
John Brooking, of
Clinton, killed and
Jas. Porter and
Samuel Brooking, wounded, and a great many more whom I cannot how mention.
General Lyon's dead body was given up to his chief surgeon.
We have more prisoners than we know what to do with.
We cannot feed them.
They have been treated well and all their sick and wounded kindly cared for — their surgeons were invited to come in after their defeat, and attended to the wounded everywhere begging for help and for water.
I have never before witnessed such a rending scene--State, Federal and Confederate in one red ruin blent on the field — enemies in life, in death friends, relieving each other's agonies and sufferings.
The St. Louis Republican gives a list of the names of the killed, wounded and missing of the First Missouri Regiment, from which it appears 77 were killed 93 seriously wounded, 125 not seriously, and 17 prisoners and missing; total 318 out of 721 comprising the regiment when it went into battle.
The same paper says:
‘
Dr. Cornyn, who has arrived in this city, was on the field of battle.
He states that the
Federal troops did not have a drop of water to drink after leaving
Springfield, save what was in their . He also states that the majority of wounds received by our men were inflicted by buck shot and musket balls.
Many of the
Confederates were armed with old Mississippi rifles--which are loaded with buck shot and a ball.
Their artillery was not well served or effective — their shots being too high; and many of their batteries no advantage to them, owing to the fact that they had been placed in position to command the
Fayetteville road, down which it was expected the
Federal troops would move.
’
D. Cornyn is of opinion that the killed on both sides were left unburied, owing to the great number and to the terrible stench which filled the air the day after the battle.
Families living in the vicinity were compelled to leave on this account.
Great numbers of horses, many of which were shot in twain, and dead and mangled men, covered the field in every direction and the sun's rays acting upon these, must have soon rendered the atmosphere unendurable.
Among the
Confederates killed is
Colonel Weightman, formerly delegate in Congress from
New Mexico,
Gen. Parsons was wounded very severely, and it is believed mortally,
General John B. Clark, of
Howard county, (lately a member of Congress,) was wounded slightly.
He had two sons in the action.
The elder of the two,
Colonel Clark, took the command when his father left the field.
