The Osage River enters Missouri from Kansas about 60 miles south of the
Missouri River, and flowing a little south of east empties into that
river a few miles below Jefferson City. It thus forms a natural line of
defense across the State, which Gen. Price's soldierly eye had noted,
and he advised the Governor to order his troops to take up their
position behind it, gain time for organization, and prepare for battle
for possession of the State.
Gen. Lyon had also noticed the strategic advantages of the Osage River,
and did not propose to allow his enemies to have the benefit of them.
He did not intend to permit them to concentrate there, and be joined in
time by heavy forces already coming up from Arkansas, Indian Territory,
and Texas. While he was collecting farm wagons around Boonville
to move his own columns forward, laboring to gather a sufficient stock
of ammunition and supplies, and planning to make secure his holding of
the important points already gained, he began moving other columns under
Gen. Sweeny and Maj. Sturgis directly upon Springfield, the central
point of the southwestern part of the State, which would take the Osage
line in the rear, and compel Jackson and Price to retreat with their
forces across the Missouri line into Arkansas.
130
This would clear the State of the whole congerie of Secession leaders,
remove the young men from their influence, stop the persecutions of
the Union men in that section, and cement Missouri solidly in the Union
line. He also wrote Gen. B. M. Prentiss, in command of the troops
at Cairo, asking co-operation by clearing out the rebels from the
southeastern portion of the State. Lyon's far-reaching plans did not
stop with Missouri. He also contemplated pushing his advance directly
upon Little Rock, through the Union-loving region in northwestern
Arkansas, and clinching that State as firmly as Missouri.
The next day after the decisive little victory at Boonville occurred an
event which greatly raised the drooping spirits of the Secessionists,
and was much exaggerated by them in order to offset their defeat at
Boonville by Lyon.
Benton is one of the interior Counties of the State, lying on both sides
of the Osage River. In 1860 its people had cast 74 votes for Lincoln,
306 for Bell and Everett, 100 for Breckinridge, and 574 for Stephen A.
Douglas. All the County officials and leading men were Secessionists,
and doing their utmost to aid the rebellion; still, the Union people,
under the leadership of A. H. W. Cook and Alex. Mackey, were undaunted
and earnestly desirous of doing effective service for the United States.
Cook and Mackey had been warned to leave the State, and Cook had done
so, but returned to take part in the capture of Camp Jackson, and
afterward went back to his home to organize the Germans and Americans
there for their own defense.
131
A meeting was held at which the Stars and Stripes were raised, and nine
companies of Home Guards organized, sworn into service, and given arms.
These companies went into camp in a couple of barns some three miles
south of Cole Camp, where their presence and support to the
Union sentiment was the source of the greatest irritation to the
Secessionists, who attempted to disperse them by legal processes, and
failing in this, determined to attack them. In the meanwhile all but
about 400 of the men were allowed to return to their homes to put their
affairs in order for a prolonged absence.
About 1,000 Secessionists, under the command of Walter S. O'Kane,
marched on June 19 to attack them. Col. Cook was informed of the
intended attack and prepared for it by throwing out pickets and
summoning his absentees.
At 3 o'clock in the morning of June 20 the Secessionists reached the
pickets, whom they bayonetted to prevent their giving the alarm, and
rushed in upon the sleeping Unionists, pouring volley after volley
into the barns. The men in one of the barns had been warned, but were
prevented from firing by the Union Flag which the Secessionists carried.
Many of them who managed to get out of the barns were rallied behind the
corn cribs, and began an obstinate fight which lasted till daylight. The
absentees, whom Col. Cook had summoned, came up during the engagement,
but not being able to comprehend the situation, rendered no assistance.
Finally all the Union men got together and retreated in good order,
repulsing their pursuers.
132
The reports as to this affair are so conflicting that it is difficult
to determine the truth. It seems pretty certain that Col. Cook had
only about 400 men. He reports that he was attacked by 1,200, but the
Secessionists say that O'Kane's force was only 350. Cook reports his
loss as 23 killed, 20 wounded, and 30 taken prisoners, while Pollard,
the Secessionist historian, insists that we lost 206 killed, a large
number wounded, and over 100 taken prisoners, with the Secession loss
of 14 killed and 15 or 20 wounded. Probably the truth lies between
these two extremes, the only definite thing being that the Secessionists
captured 362 muskets.
There were five or six prominent Secessionists among the killed, one of
them being Mr. Leach, the editor of the Southwestern Democrat.
Col. Cook gathered up his men, received some additional recruits, some
arms and ammunition, and pushed on to Warsaw, on the Osage, one of the
points of concentration indicated by Gen. Price, capturing 1,500 pound
cans and 1,500 kegs of fine rifle powder, many tons of pig-lead, 70
stand of small-arms, a steamboat-load of tent cloth, a lot of State
Guard uniforms, four Confederate flags, and 1,200 false-faces which
had been used by the "border ruffians" in their political operations
in Kansas. A little further on they surrounded and captured 1,000
Secessionists, and paroled them on the spot.
The Secessionists, on the other hand, took much comfort out of the
surprise and defeat and the acquisition of 362 new muskets and 150 more
which they had beguiled from a German company in a neighboring County.
133
In the meanwhile the Conservatives, aided by Lieut-Gen. Scott, whose
distrust of "Capt." Lyon never abated, secured the addition of Missouri
to the Department commanded by McClellan, whom it was thought would hold
the "audacious" officer in check. Lyon, though he felt that McClellan,
then far distant in West Virginia, could not give matters in the State
the attention they needed, yet loyally accepted the assignment, wrote at
once to McClellan cordially welcoming him as his commander, and giving
full information as to the conditions, with suggestions as to what
should be done. Col. Blair and the Radicals were much displeased at
this move, and began efforts to have Missouri erected into a separate
Department and placed under the command of John C. Fremont, lately
appointed a Major-General, and from whose military talents there were
the greatest expectations.
As the first Presidential candidate of the Republican Party Fremont
had a strong hold upon the hearts of the Northern people. During the
campaign of 1856 there had been the customary partisan eulogies of the
candidates, which placed "the Great Pathfinder" and all he had done in
the most favorable light before the American people. Above all he was
thought to be thoroughly in sympathy with the policy which Blair and his
following desired to pursue.
In reality Fremont was a man of somewhat more than moderate ability, but
boundless aspirations. He was the son-in-law of Senator Benton, and
his wife, the queenly, ambitious, handsome Jessie Benton Fremont, was
naturally eager for her husband to be as prominent in the National
councils as had been her father. What Fremont was equal to is one of
the many unsolved problems of the war, but certainly he was not to the
command of the great Western Department, including the State of Illinois
and all the States and Territories west of the Mississippi River and
east of the Rocky Mountains, to which he was assigned by General Orders,
No. 40, issued July 3,1861.
134
Fremont's father was a Frenchman, who had married a Virginia woman, and
followed the occupation of a teacher of French at Norfolk, Va., but
died at an early age, leaving the members of his family to struggle for
themselves. Fremont became a teacher of mathematics on a sloop of war,
then Professor of Mathematics for the Navy, and later a surveyor and
engineer for railroad lines, and was commissioned by President Van Buren
a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Owing to the opposition
of Senator Benton, his daughter had to be secretly married to Lieut.
Fremont in 1841, but soon after the Senator gave his son-in-law the
benefit of his great influence.
Fremont was designated to conduct surveys across the continent into the
unknown region lying between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific, and
made several very important explorations. He was in California prior to
the outbreak of the Mexican War, and became involved in hostilities
with the Mexicans. When the war did break out he assumed command of the
country around under authority from Commodore Stockton, and proceeded
to declare the independence of California. A quarrel between him and
Stockton followed, and later another quarrel ensued with Gen. Kearny,
who had been sent into this country in command of an expedition.
135
He was court-martialed by Gen. Kearny's orders and found guilty of
mutiny, disobedience, and conduct prejudicial to good order and military
discipline. He was sentenced to be dismissed, but the majority of the
court recommended him to the clemency of President Polk, who refused
to approve the verdict of mutiny, but did approve the rest, though
he remitted the penalty. Fremont, refusing to accept the President's
pardon, then resigned from the Army, settled in California, and bought
the famous Mariposa estate, containing rich gold mines. He became a
leader of the Free-Soil Party in California, and was elected to the
Senate for a brief term of three weeks. He was nominated by the first
Republican Convention in Philadelphia, June 17, 1856, and in his letter
of acceptance expressed himself strongly against the extension of
Slavery, and in favor of free labor. The hot campaign of 1856 resulted
in a surprising showing of strength by the new party. Fremont received
114 electoral votes from 11 States to 174 from 19 States for Buchanan
and eight votes from Maryland for Fillmore. The popular vote was 874,000
for Fillmore, 1,341,000 for Fremont, and 1,838,000 for Buchanan.
Lyon welcomed the appointment of Fremont to command, because he felt
the need of having a superior officer at hand who would appreciate the
urgency of the situation, and stand between him and the authorities at
Washington, who apparently did not understand the emergency, were not
honoring his requisitions for money, arms, and supplies, and who were
drawing to the eastward the troops that Lyon felt ought to be sent to
him. It was also satisfactory to him that the State of Illinois was
in the Department, since the important point of Cairo should be
administered with reference to controlling the situation in southeastern
Missouri.
136
The first distrust of Fremont came from his deliberation in repairing to
his command. The people of Missouri felt very keenly that no time should
be lost in the General arriving on the spot and getting the situation in
hand, but in spite of all importunities, Fremont lingered for weeks
in New York, and it required a rather sharp admonition from the War
Department to start him for St. Louis, where he arrived as late as July
25.
Lyon's prompt advance upon Jefferson City now bore fruit in another
direction. The Union people of Missouri decided that as Gov. Jackson,
Lieut-Gov. Reynolds and other State officials had abandoned the State
Capital to engage in active rebellion against the United States, the
State Convention, which had been called to carry the State out of the
Union, but which had so signally disappointed the expectations of its
originators, should reconvene, declare the State offices vacant, and
instate a loyal Government A strong party desired that a Military
Governor should be appointed, and urged Col. Frank P. Blair for that
place, but he refused to countenance the project. The Convention, by a
vote of 56 to 25, declared the offices of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor
and Secretary of State vacant, and elected Hamilton R. Gamble Governor,
Willard P. Hall Lieutenants Governor, Mordecai Oliver Secretary of
State, and George A. Bingham Treasurer. An oath of loyalty was adopted
to be required of all citizens before being allowed to vote, and to be
taken by all incumbents of office and all who should be qualified for
office thereafter.
137
Gov. Jackson established his Capital at Lamar, in Barton County, about
30 miles south of the Osage, and the men who had been appointed to
command the Militia Districts began to come in with their contingents.
None seemed to know about the flanking columns which had been sent out
toward Springfield, to take the line of the Osage in the rear, and they
were astounded when forces under Sweeny and Sigel, which had dispersed
the gathering Militia before them at Holla, Lebanon, and other
intervening points, reached Springfield, and began sending out from
there expeditions to Neosho, Ozark, Sarcoxie and other towns in the
southwestern corner. Col. Franz Sigel, who had shown much activity and
enterprise, learned at Sarcoxie that several divisions of State Guards
under Gens. Rains, Parsons, Slack and Clark were to the north of him,
and the Governor and Gen. Price were endeavoring to bring them together
in order to turn upon and crush Gen. Lyon in his advance from Boonville.
Sigel's men, who were anxious to accomplish something decisive before
the expiration of their three months' term, brought about a decision
in their commander's mind to march upon the force encamped upon Pool's
Prairie, whip and scatter it, and then attack the other forces in turn.
138
After making the necessary detachments to guard his flanks and rear,
Col. Sigel had under his command nine companies of the 8d Mo., 550 men
under Lieut.-Col. Hassendeubel; seven companies of the 5th Mo., under
Col. Charles E. Salomon, 400 men, and two batteries of light artillery,
four guns each, under Maj. Backof.
After a hard day's march of 22 miles in very hot weather, Col. Sigel
came, on the evening of July 4, about one mile southeast of Carthage,
on the south side of Spring River. He made preparations to attack the
enemy, reported to be from 10 to 15 miles in his front.
That night Gov. Jackson received news of Sigel's advance, and gathered
his forces to resist him. He had already concentrated many more men than
Sigel had expected, and had with him seven pieces of artillery. Most
of his men carried the arms which they had brought from home, and
were arranged, according to the provisions in the Military Bill, into
divisions, of which there were no less than four present. The Second
Division, commanded by Brig.-Gen. James S. Rains, who afterward attained
much reputation in the Confederate army, had present 1,208 infantry and
artillery and 608 cavalry. The Third Division, commanded by Gen. John B.
Clark, also to attain eminence in the Confederate army, had 365
present. The Fourth Division, commanded by Gen. Wm. Y. Slack, later
a Brigadier-General in the Confederate army, had 500 cavalry and 700
infantry. The Sixth Division, commanded by Gen. Monroe M. Parsons, who
served with distinction throughout the war, had altogether about 1,000
men and four pieces of artillery. The official returns show that Gov.
Jackson had thus 4,375 men with seven guns to oppose something over
1,000 men with eight guns under Col. Sigel. The Union force was strong in
artillery, while the Confederates were powerful in cavalry, of which
the Unionists had none. Both sides were poorly supplied with ammunition,
especially for the cannon, and loaded these with railroad spikes, bits
of trace chains, etc.
139
Early on the morning of July 5 Sigel marched out of camp, crossing the
Spring River about one mile north of Carthage, and soon came upon an
open prairie. He advanced slowly and cautiously along the Lamar Road,
with his wagons under a small escort following a mile or so in the rear.
Nine miles north of Carthage and three miles north of Coon Creek he came
in sight of the Governor's troops drawn up in line of battle on a slight
rise of the prairie, and about one mile and a half away. The enemy's
skirmish line, which was under the command of Capt. J. O. Shelby, of
whom we shall hear much more later, opened fire on Sigel's advance, but
was soon driven across the creek and through the narrow strip of timber
less than one-half mile wide, followed by Sigel's men in line of battle.
They came out on the smooth prairie, covered with a fine growth of
grass, and offering unequalled facilities for manuvering, except that
from the ridge Sigel's line could be accurately observed and its numbers
known.
Sigel formed his line of battle within a half mile of the enemy's
position, distributed his artillery along it, then ordered an advance,
and opened the battle with a fire from his guns, which was promptly
responded to by the enemy's pieces. The distance was so close that
the Union guns could fire canister and shell very effectively; but the
enemy, perceiving that Sigel had no cavalry, sent out their numerous
mounted force on a flank movement, which soon compelled the retirement
of the line across the creek, where the battle was renewed and
maintained for two hours, during which time the enemy suffered some loss
from the artillery fire.
140
Again the enemy made a flank movement with their cavalry, reaching this
time back toward the baggage-train, to which Sigel retreated. The Union
men broke up the cavalry formation, and Sigel followed this with a
charge which scattered his enemies and enabled him to continue his
retreat unmolested across the prairie in full sight of his foes. Sigel
could also see the rallied cavalry making a wide circuit over the
prairie to gain the hights of Spring River and cut off his retreat Gen.
Rains, who led this movement, succeeded in reaching the road at Spring
River, but in coming up Sigel at once attacked with his artillery, and
after a brisk little engagement of half an hour drove the enemy out of
the woods, and marched on to Carthage, which he reached about 5 o'clock,
and there prepared to give a short rest to his men, who were worn out by
18 miles of marching under a hot sun and almost continual fighting
and manuvering. The Secessionists renewed their attack, but were again
driven off by the infantry and artillery, and the march was resumed.
Again Gens. Slack, Parsons, and Clark pushed their men forward on the
Union flank, while Rains renewed his attack, and again they were all
repulsed, largely by the skillful handling of the artillery. As darkness
came on the Secessionists disappeared, but Sigel moved on to Sarcoxie,
12 miles distant, and went into camp.
141
Gov. Jackson's forces camped in and around Carthage, and the next day
marched to Neosho, where they met Gen. Ben McCulloch coming up from
Arkansas with a force of Arkansans and Texans and also 1,700 of the
State Guards, which Gen. Price had brought forward. In the fighting the
Union side had lost 13 killed and 21 wounded. The Confederates report
74 killed and wounded in the four divisions under the command of Gov.
Jackson.
[Illustration: 141-Sigel Crossing the Osage]
The battle of Carthage produced a great sensation over the country,
the Confederates rejoicing that they had cut through the Union line
and forced it to retreat, while Sigel received unstinted praise for his
skillful retreat and the masterly handling of his artillery. While one
battery would hold the enemy in check, another would be placed at the
most advantageous position in the rear, where it would withdraw behind
it to repeat the manuver. Several times during the day the batteries
were cunningly masked, and the enemy rushed up to the muzzle, to receive
the death-dealing discharge full in the faces of the compact mass.
142
This brings Gen. Sigel prominently before us. Of the many
highly-educated Germans who had migrated to this country in consequence
of their connection with the Revolution of 1848, Franz Sigel had, far
and away, the most brilliant reputation as a soldier. A slight, dark,
nervous man, with a rather saturnine countenance, he was born at
Zinsheim, Baden, Nov. 18, 1824, and was therefore in his 37th year. He
graduated from the Military School at Carlsruhe with high promise, which
he filled by becoming one of the Chief Adjutants in the Grand Duke's
army. He ardently shared the aspirations of the young Germans for German
Unity, and resigned his commission in 1847 to become one of the leaders
in the revolutionary forces. He was appointed to chief command of the
army sent from the Grand-Duchy to the assistance of the revolutionists
in Hesse-Darmstadt, but a disagreement arose, another was appointed to
the command, and Sigel assumed the position of Minister of War. Upon the
defeat of the expedition by the Prussian forces, he resumed the chief
command of the demoralized men, and conducted a brilliantly successful
retreat to a place of safety in the fortress of Rastadt. This
achievement at the age of 24 seemed to stamp the character of his
military career.
143
At the collapse of the revolution he escaped to Switzerland, which
expelled him, and he then came to New York, where he supported himself
as a teacher of mathematics, later engaging in the same occupation in
St. Louis, where he was living when the war broke out, and rendered
invaluable service in organizing and leading the Germans in support of
Blair and Lyon.
Unfortunately for his reputation, the war upon which he had now entered
was to be carried on by stern aggressiveness, to which he seemed
unsuited. He had a strong hold on the affections of the Germans, whose
support of the Union was exceedingly valuable, and in spite of repeated
failures to satisfy the expectations of his superior officers, he was
promoted and given high commands, in all of which his misfortune was
the same. After Rastadt he seemed bent only upon conducting brilliant
retreats, and that from Carthage greatly helped to confirm this
tendency. He was finally relegated to the shelf, which contained so many
men who had started out with brilliant promise, and died in New York
in 1902, supported during his later years by a pension of $100 a month
granted him by Congress.
After resting his men a few hours at Sarcoxie, Sigel marched on to
Springfield, where Gen. Sweeny was, and to which point Gen. Lyon hurried
with all the force he could gather, to forestall the junction of Gen.
Ben McCulloch's Arkansas column with the force that Price and Jackson
would bring to him.
144
There was strong need of his presence there and of his utmost efforts.
He had rolled back the Secession tide only to have it gather volume
enough to completely submerge him. Not only had Gov. Jackson and
Sterling Price concentrated many more men than he had, but a still
stronger column composed of Arkansans and Texans under the noted Gen.
Ben. McCulloch was near at hand and pushing forward with all speed.
Benjamin McCulloch, a tall, bony, sinewy man of iron will and dauntless
courage, was easily a leader and master of the bold, aggressive spirits
who had wrested Texas away from Mexico and erected her into a great
State. He had achieved much reputation in the command of the Texan
Rangers during the Mexican War and in the Indian fights which succeeded
that struggle. As a soldier and a fighter he had the highest fame of
any living Texan, except Sam Houston, and when he espoused the cause of
Secession he drew after him many thousands of the adventurous,
daring young men of the State. The Confederate army had immediately
commissioned him a Brigadier-General, and he had set about organizing,
with his accustomed energy and enterprise, a strong column for
aggressive service west of the Mississippi. Warlike young leaders,
ambitious for distinction, hastened to join him with whatever men they
could raise, for such was their confidence that they felt his banner
would point to the most direct road to fame and glory. Many of these,
then Captains and Colonels, afterward rose to be Generals in the
Confederate army. He had proposed to the Confederate Government to aid
the situation in Virginia by active operations in Missouri, and to this
plan the Governors of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas gave their hearty
consent and co-operation. McCulloch had another motive for aggressive
action, as it would determine the position of the Indians.
[Illustration: 145-Genereal Henry W. Halleck]
145
The wisest among the Chiefs of the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Creeks and
Seminoles desired to remain neutral in the struggle, since they did not
wish to bring down upon them the wrath of the Kansas people, who
were within easy striking distance. By prompt action these wavering
aborigines could be brought into the Confederate ranks and be made to
render important assistance.
He had already crossed the Missouri line with 3,000 mounted men, and on
the night of the 4th of July came to Buffalo Creek, 12 miles southwest
of Neosho, where he was joined by Gen. Price with 1,700 mounted men, and
he sent urgent messages back to the rest of his men to hurry forward
to him. These were so well obeyed that he shortly had, independent of
Price's men, fully 5,000 men from Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana, who
were better equipt and organized than the Missourians.
Gov. Jackson and Gen. Price also sent urgent messages for concentration,
which were as promptly responded to. The result was that there were
shortly assembled Confederates under Gen. McCulloch and "State Guards"
under Gov. Jackson and Gen. Price, a total estimated by Maj. Sturgis and
others at 23,-000 men. For lack of proper arms and organization, many
of these were not very effective. McCulloch says that the great horde of
mounted men "were much in the way," and hindered rather than helped
But they were certainly very effective in harrying the Union people; in
impressing recruits; in embarrassing Lyon's gathering of supplies; in
driving in the small parties he sent out, and confining his operations
to the neighborhood of Springfield.
146
In the meanwhile the great disaster of Bull Run had occurred to depress
the Union people and fill the Secessionists with unbounded enthusiasm
and confidence. The thoughts of the Government and of the loyal
people of the country became concentrated upon securing the safety of
Washington. Troops were being rushed from every part of the country to
the National Capital. Lyon's forces were constantly dwindling, from
the expiration of the three months for which the regiments had been
enlisted. The men felt the need of their presence at home, to attend
to their hastily-left affairs, and could see no prospect of a decisive
battle as a reason for remaining. Gen. Lyon importuned Gen. Fremont and
the War Department for some regiments, for adequate supplies for those
he had, and money with which to pay them. The War Department, however,
could apparently think of nothing else than making Washington safe,
while Gen. Fremont, deeming St. Louis and Cairo all-important, gathered
in what troops he could save from the eastward rush, for holding those
places. Gen. Scott even proposed to deprive Gen. Lyon of his little
squad of Regulars, and sent orders for seven companies to be forwarded
East.
Laboring with all these embarrassments, Gen. Lyon confronted the storm
rising before him with a firm countenance.
147