We boarded a train and went to Tipton, which was twenty miles
distant. Here, on the 19th, we drew uniforms.
On the morning of the 21st we received marching orders, struck tents,
packed our knapsacks and marched in the direction of Springfield,
which is south of this place. At the end of a fifteen-mile march we
halted and went into camp. On the morning of the 2d we continued our
march. At 4 o’clock we came to a halt and went into camp in a little
black-oak grove. Our feet were blistered from marching over the
rough mountain roads, and many of the boys fell out of the ranks and
straggled in late at night.
On the morning of the 24th we took up our line of march. After a hard
day of travel we came to the little town of Warsaw. We crossed the
Osage river and went into camp.
While here General Fremont received the news from one of his spies
that General Price’s army was at Springfield. We were called into
line early the next morning. We moved out seven miles and the order
was then countermanded. Therefore we went into camp in a field which
was covered with burrs. For this reason we named this place Camp Burr.
Our boys were about played out on account of heavy marching, and
so each of our companies bought an ox team to haul our baggage.
Our quartermaster sent our train back to Tipton after supplies of
ammunition and rations. This was supposed to be our base of supplies.
On the evening of November 1st, 1861, we received orders to leave
our tents, and in light marching order move out and march in the
direction of Springfield. At 8 p. m. we moved out eight miles through
the dark night and came to our main army to consolidate our regiment
with our division, brigades, etc., which were commanded by Generals
Pope, Hunter, and Jeff C. Davis.
The next morning we marched through a little town by the name of
Black Oak Point, and after a hard day’s march we went into camp in a
meadow. We were all very tired and foot-sore.
On the morning of the 3d we marched through the little town of
Buffalo, crossed Greasy Creek, and went into camp.
We were all worn out with the day’s journey. Most of us had eaten a
cold lunch and had lain down for a little rest. A few of the boys
were cooking beef and trying to prepare some food for the morrow when
the bugle sounded the assembly to fall in line and march. We slung
knapsacks, fell in line, and marched off in double quick time. Some
of the boys were swearing because they had to throw their beef, which
had just started to boil, out of the kettles.
We felt sure that we would have a chance to take old General Price in
that night. Everyone was worn out and angry, and their fighting blood
was at its highest pitch. We marched all night, and early in the
morning we waded Pometytor creek. We then halted for a short rest. We
had nothing for breakfast except a few pieces of hard tack to munch
on.
This was the 4th day of November. After a short rest we fell in
line, marched off as fast as our swollen feet would allow us to.
At 4 o’clock we reached Springfield. After a forced march of fifty
miles, without sleep and with very little to eat, we were in splendid
fighting order--mad and worn out.
But our chance for a battle had slipped.
As old Price’s army had skipped, all mounted on gray horses, General
Fremont with his one hundred bodyguards, started in pursuit. They
ran into Price’s rear guard. I heard some shots fired, and it was
reported that a few shots were exchanged with the rear guard of
General Price’s retreating army.
Here we forced a junction with General Lane’s army, which swelled
the number of our forces to about 35,000. General Lane had several
Indians under his command--some 1,200 Cherokees. It was reported that
he sent them after the rebel forces which were retreating towards
Cassville, which is in Barry county. I never heard of those Indians
afterwards. They must have been disbanded.
We went into camp that night about a mile from town. On the morning
of the 5th of November, Colonel Hovey took command of a brigade.
On the night of the 6th, cheering was heard throughout our army, as
some grapevine or false dispatches had reached our officers of a
great victory gained in the east. The thunder of drums and voices
were heard for miles.
General Fremont received instructions not to follow Price farther
into the mountains, or he would be caught in a trap. On the morning
of the 9th we received orders to march back to Tipton.
On the 13th our regiment and the Forty-second Illinois marched on a
race to Camp Burr. We beat them by five hours. On the morning of the
14th we made double quick time back to Osage Bridge, in order that
we might get there before General Sturges’ brigade arrived there. We
crossed the river and went into camp. We stayed two days waiting for
our supply train.
We went to Tipton on the 20th of November. This completed the
Springfield march.
While on this expedition General Fremont issued a proclamation to
free all the slaves who made their way into our lines. Soon they were
flocking in by the score. For assuming this authority General Fremont
was superceded by General Pope. His name was never mentioned again in
the history of our late civil war, as he was placed on the retired
list of our good old generals who had served their time faithfully in
our past wars.