orders to give?" Turning to the courier, McCulloch said: "Go to Gen. Raines; tell him to ascertain all the facts, and report to me at headquarters." No longer able to restrain himself, Gen. Price struck his hand heavily upon the table, and in a voice of thunder said to his staff: "Gentlemen, to your horses!" Instantly all arose and hurried away. They had no time to lose, for hardly had they reached the open air before a shot from Sigel's batteries on the south, darted into the camp. It was a surprise on all sides of the camp. While McCulloch stemmed the storm on the right and rear, Lyon was pushing Price with great vigour in the centre and left. It was only by the most reckless devotion of his own person, his commanding cheers to his hardy woodsmen, and his repeated presence within fifty yards of the deadly muskets of the enemy, that Gen. Price was enabled to save the day on this part of the field. It ended in one of the most signal victories of the war, Gen. Lyon falling dead on the field, and the Federal loss in killed and wounded being fully one-half greater than that of the allies-Price and McCulloch. Shortly after the battle of Wilson's Creek, McCulloch decided to retire his force to Arkansas, refusing to unite in other enterprises of Gen. Price, who was now left alone to conduct the campaign in Missouri. From friendly refugees constantly arriving in camp, it was ascertained beyond a doubt that Fremont was strongly fortifying all important cities on the Missouri River, to serve as a safe base of operations, whence supplies could be easily transported into the interiour by wagon-trains or boats. Lexington, held by Colonel Mulligan and a heavy force, was known to be strongly fortified, and being on high ground, it commanded all approaches from the interiour, while the river was kept open for the transit of any number of troops from St. Louis. Price determined to march forward and attack it, but was informed that large bands of outlaws from Kansas, under General Jim Lane and others, were devastating the whole country on his left flank, and threatened to get in his rear. Suddenly diverging from his proper route, Price sent Raines and Parsons up in that direction, with a small force of determined men; and so secretly was the expedition conducted, that they unexpectedly came upon Lane at a creek called Drywood, and after a confused fight of some hours, drove the enemy from the field, pushed forward to their headquarters at Fort Scott, and captured it. Joining the column under Price again, the army of five thousand effectives and five guns pushed forward towards Lexington, and arrived in the vicinity on the 13th September. It was the object to take Lexington, with its garrison of about 4,000 men, before it could be reinforced by Fremont. Gen. Price might have taken it by a charge, but he was content with a slower progress; and was quite satisfied to make one of the most brilliant captures of the Trans-Mississippi campaign, with a loss of only 74 men killed and wounded-fighting for two days and a half. Gen. Price bore a testimony to the heroic endurance of his army which deserves to be recorded. He said: "The victory has demonstrated the fitness of our citizen soldiery for the tedious operations of a siege as well as for a dashing charge. They lay for fifty-two hours in the open air without tents or covering, regardless of the sun and rain, and in the presence of a watchful and desperate foe, manfully repelling every assault and patiently awaiting my orders to storm the fortifications. No General ever commanded a braver or better army. It is composed of the best blood and the bravest men of Missouri.” So far the bold and brilliant movements of the campaign in Missouri drew attention from more important theatres of the war, and constituted a theme of wonder and admiration that arrested the public mind, and was the occasion of criticism in all parts of the world. Price's men had marched and fought with an endurance and courage that rendered them worthy of the name of heroes. The thanks of the Confederate Congress were tendered to "Gen. Price and the Missouri Army under his command, for the gallant conduct they had displayed throughout their service, and especially for the skill, fortitude, and courage, by which they gained the brilliant achievement at Lexington." There had been no such phenomenon in the war: it was a new apparition of military science to see a man flying with a few hundred retainers across his State, an empire in itself, almost from one corner of it to another, before a victorious and thoroughly appointed army; raising in a few weeks a force of 5,000 men; arming, equipping, and feeding them, without resources, but from captured stores of the enemy; winning a great battle by his own genius and headlong courage; establishing his popularity in the hearts of his command; marching back to his starting-point, and capturing an army and its entire outfit by an unconditional surrender. It had been Gen. Price's design not to repose on the victory of Lexington; but obtaining supplies and recruits, to sweep down upon St. Louis, uniting with Maj. Gen. Polk and his Confederate forces. But the progress of this brilliant conception was unexpectedly checked:-first, by the order to Gen. Polk from the War Department for the Tennessee campaign; secondly by Price's failure to receive a large supply of ammunition from Brig.-Gen. McCulloch according to promise. He could not move upon St. Louis for the want of coöperation by Gen. Polk; he could not remain where he was, for the want of ammunition, threatened by Sturges on the north, and Fremont on the south. There were not three rounds of percussion-caps to the man. Hence he was forced to evacuate the place, and retreat towards Springfield, not even having time to organize fully ten or twelve thousand volunteers, who were then ready to enlist under his banner. On the 20th August, 1861, the Confederate Congress, at Richmond, passed an act, one section of which admitted the State of Missouri as a member of the Confederacy, upon an equal footing with the other States under the Constitution for the Provisional. Government, upon condition that the said Constitution should be adopted and ratified by the properly and legally constituted authorities of the State. Another section recognized the Government, of which Claiborne F. Jackson was the chief magistrate, in Missouri, to be the legally elected and regularly constituted Government of the people and State, and authorized the President of the Confederate States, at any time prior to her full admission, to form with her a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive. Gen. Price, with his army, entered the town of Neosho, in Newton county, early in November. On the second day of that month the Legislature had here assembled, by proclamation of Governor Jackson. The attendance was full; twenty-three members of the upper, and seventy-seven of the lower house being present, and with entire unanimity they passed an act of secession from the Federal Union, adopted the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States, and initiated such measures as would perfect the union between their State and her sisters of the South. From Neosho, Gen. Price marched to Cassville, in Barry County, and thence to McDonald County, in the extreme southwestern angle of the State. Here he rested and recruited his army, and then again moved northward. On the 30th November, from Neosho, he issued a stirring proclamation, calling volunteers to his camp. He called for fifty thousand men, according to the first summons of the Governor, and promised with this force to liberate Missouri surely and speedily. The language of the appeal was ardent, and characteristic of the man. "In the month of June last," he wrote, "I was called to the command of a handful of Missourians, who nobly gave up home and comforts to espouse in that gloomy hour the cause of your bleeding country, struggling with the most heartless and cruel despotism known among civilized men. When peace and protection could no longer be enjoyed but at the price of honour and liberty, your chief magistrate called for fifty thousand men to drive the ruthless invaders from a soil made fruitful by your labours, and consecrated by your homes. And to that call less than five thousand responded out of a male population exceeding two hundred thousand. One in forty only stepped forward to defend with their persons and their lives the cause of constitutional liberty and human rights. Some allowances are to be made on the face of the want of military organization, a supposed want of arms, the necessary retreat of the army southward, the blockade of the river, and the presence of an armed and organized foe. But nearly six months have now elapsed * I must have fifty thousand men. Now is the crisis of your fate; now is the golden opportunity to save the State; now is the time for your political salvation. The time of the enlistment of our brave bands is beginning to expire. Do not hold their patience beyond endurance. Do not longer sicken their hearts by hopes deferred. Boys and small property-holders have in the main fought the battles for the protection of your property, and when they ask, where are the men for whom we are fighting, how can I explain, my fellow-citizens? I call upon you, by every consideration of interest, by every desire of safety, by every tie that binds you to home and country, delay no longer. Let the dead bury the dead. Leave your property to take care of itself. Come to the Army of the Missouri-not for a week, or a month, but to free your country. 'Strike, till each armed foe expires! * * Strike, for the green graves of your sires, Be yours the office to choose between the glory of a free country and a just government, or the bondage of your children. I, at least, will never see the chains fastened upon my country. I will ask for six and a half feet of Missouri soil on which to repose, for I will not live to see my people enslaved. Are you coming? Fifty thousand men of Missouri shall move to victory with the tread of a giant. Come on, my brave fifty thousand heroes-gallant, unconquerable Southern men! We await your coming." |