Today in History:

281 Series I Volume III- Serial 3 - Wilson's Creek

Page 281 Chapter X. ENGAGEMENT AT BELMONT, MO., ETC.

and Twenty-second had been thrown into temporary disorder. Here Lieutenant-Colonel Wentz, of the Seventh, a gallant and faithful officer, and Captain Marckley, of the Thirtieth, with several privates, were killed, and Colonel Dougherty, of the Twenty-second, and Major McClurken, of the Thirtieth, who was near me, seriously wounded. Here my body servant killed one of the enemy by a pistol-shot.

Driving the enemy back on either side, we moved on, occasionally exchanging shots with straggling parties, in the course of which my horse received another ball, being one of two fired at me from the corner of the field. Captain Schwartz was at my right when these shots were fired. At this stage of the contest, according to the admission of rebel officers, the enemy's forces had been swelled by frequent re-enforcements from the other side to be over thirteen regiments of infantry and something less than two squadrons of cavalry, excluding his artillery-four pieces of which were in our possession-two of which, after being spiked, together with part of one our own caissons, were left on the way for want of animals to bring them off. The other two, with their horses and harness, were brought off.

On reaching the landing, and not finding the detachments of the Seventh and Twenty-second, which you had left behind in the morning to guard the boats, I ordered Delano's cavalry, which was embarking, to the rear of the fields, to watch the enemy. Within an hour all our forces which had arrived were embarked, Captain Schwartz, Captain Hatch, assistant quartermaster, and myself being the last to get on board. Suddenly the enemy in strong force, whose approach had been discovered by Lieutenant Colonel John H. White, of the Thirty-first, who had been conspicuous through the day for his dauntless courage and conduct, came within range of our musketry, when a terrible fire was opened upon him by the gunboats, as well as by Taylor's battery and the infantry from the decks of the transports.

The engagement thus renewed was kept up with great spirit and with deadly effect upon the enemy until the transports had passed beyond his reach. Exposed to the terrible fire of the gunboats and Taylor's battery, a great number of the enemy were killed and wounded in this the closing scene of a battle of six hours' duration.

The Twenty-seventh and Dollins cavalry being yet behind, I ordered my transport to continue in the rear of the fleet, excepting the gunboats, and after proceeding a short distance landed, and directed the gunboats to return and await their appearance. At this moment Lieutenant H. A. Rust, adjutant of the Twenty-seventh, a brave and enterprising officer, hastened up and announced the approach of the Twenty-seventh and Dollins' cavalry. Accompanied by Captains Schwartz and Hatch I rode down the river bank, and met Colonel Buford with a part of his command. Informing him that my transport was waiting to receive him, I went farther down the river and met Captain Dollins, whom I also instructed to embark, and still farther down met the remainder of the Twenty-seventh, which had halted on the bank where the gunboat Tyler was lying to, the Lexington lying still farther down. The rest of the boats having gone forward, Captain Walke, of the Tyler, at my request, promptly took the remainder of the Twenty-seventh on board, Captain Stembel, of the Lexington, covering the embarkation.

Having thus embarked all my command, I returned with Captains Schwartz and Hatch to my transport and re-embarked, reaching Cairo about midnight, after a day of almost unceasing marching and conflict.

I cannot bestow too high commendation upon all whom I had the honor to command on that day. Supplied with inferior and defective


Page 281 Chapter X. ENGAGEMENT AT BELMONT, MO., ETC.