Special to the Mo. Democrat of the 17th.
SPRINGFIELD, Feb. 17.
Our army, under command of Gen. Curtis, marched from Lebanon on the 10th inst., forward in three divisions, the right commanded by Col. J. C Davis, the left by Col. E. A. Carr, and the centre by Ben. Sigel. The different commands started at daybreak on the 10th.
Six miles from Springfield a skirmish took place between the advance and a body of the rebels. Nine of the enemy were killed, and one of our men slightly wounded.
At sunset on the same day, 300 of the enemy attacked our pickets, but were driven back with a loss of over 30.
This was supposed to be the opening of the ball, and 3,000 cavalry and infantry, with a battery of artillery, were sent forward. The battery was placed on an imminence commanding the supposed approach of the enemy.
Three shells were thrown, to which no reply was made, and our force retired, leaving a heavy picket.
During the night a continual firing was kept up by the pickets. At three in the morning the enemy advanced in the same order mentioned.
The divisions were formed in line of battle when about three miles from the town, and marched steadily forward. The third division headed by the Iowa 4th, entered the town first – at daybreak on the 13th – taking peaceable possession; the other divisions soon following.
Price had left the same morning at two o’clock, on the Cassville Road, leaving his sick (over six hundred,) and large quantities of forage and wagons behind him. He had 12,000 effective men, with fifty pieces of artillery, when he left. Yesterday evening a battalion of cavalry captured one hundred wagons of his train.
Last night firing by pickets was heard in the direction of the retreating foe. This morning at six o’clock our whole force followed the enemy. It is reported that Price was merely falling back to meet McIntosh, who was coming up with reinforcements, and on his joining him he would return and give us battle. The probability is, however, that he is in flight for the regions of the sunny South, where his poorly clad, miserably armed. M. S. G. can find safer grounds for pillage and robbery. A general rejoicing by the people of the Southwest took place on the news of the retreat of the secesh. The families residing in and around Springfield express unbounded satisfaction at the arrival of the federals. Many of them are literally ruined by the robberies of the rebels, who take what they want without price or thanks. No one believes that Price will return or stand to give us battle. This expedition will doubtless close the campaign in Missouri.
– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 20, 1862, p. 2
No comments:
Post a Comment