Today in History:

711 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 711 Chapter LIII. PRICE'S MISSOURI EXPEDITION.

Answer. He was with the leading division (Shelby's), five or six miles from the field, his usual position when there was no reason to apprehend and attack in rear.

Question. State whether or not, at Boonville, Mo., there was any engagement with the enemy, and, if you say there was, state the relative position of the two armies and their relative strength and the result.

Answer. We arrived at Boonville on the 10th of October. In the afternoon of the 9th of October General Shelby dashed into Boonville, capturing a garrison of about 300 men, who were behind barricades with their arms. On the 10th General Price entered Boonville at the head of the army, Fagan's division encamping on the east and southeast of the town, observing the approaches upon Boonville from those directions; Marmaduke's division south of the town, about three-fourths of a mile distant from Boonville, its left resting on the Tipton road connecting with Cabell's brigade of Fagan's right. Heavy pickets thrown out in the direction of Tipton. Shelby's division was west of the town. On the next day, the 11th, the position of the troops not being materially changed, the enemy made a demonstration from the direction of Tipton, driving in our pickets on that road. From the extent of the enemy's line observed by me I estimate their force in our immediate front at 2,500 men; some of them were dismounted. After a personal reconnaissance I reported it to Major-General Price on the field as my opinion that this was the advance of a large force. They had opened with artillery in advancing. Their advance was engaged by Cabell's brigade and checked. The enemy fell back a mile or two and General Price sent various detachments to observe his strength and position. The enemy fell back in the course of the night, and on the following morning was again in the vicinity of the town, south and west of it. General Price ordered Brigadier-General Shelby to turn the enemy's left, while Major-Generals Marmaduke's and Fagan's divisions pressed him on the right and center. Before the enemy could be turned effectually he fell back after a severe engagement with a part of Brigadier-General Shelby's division. He was pursued for eighteen or twenty miles in the direction of Tipton by Major-General Fagan's and a part of other divisions.

Question. Did you hear any general at Boonville propose to General Price to go out and crush the enemy? If so, state who the general was and the plan proposed to General Price.

Answer. I heard no general press General Price to attack the enemy, but heard General Fagan in a very undecided manner express to General Price an opinion that the enemy should be attacked. He proposed no plan.

Question. What was the character of troops opposed to General Price in Missouri and Kansas-regulars, volunteers of long service, new organizations of volunteers, or militia?

Answer. I ascertained their character from prisoners taken from various commands. Some were veteran troops from Atlanta, some from near Nashville and Vicksburg; also a large number of militia from Missouri and Kansas.

Question. You have stated that at some times short delays in the march of the army were occasioned by the necessity of removing obstructions from the road. State what measures were adopted by General Price to make those delays as short as possible. Whether or not there was an organization of a pioneer corps; and, if there was, how it was controlled and managed.

Answer. There were parts of two companies of engineer troops, numbering in the aggregate seventy-five men, under my orders. A company of pioneers was attached to Fagan's division not under my orders. These were but poorly supplied with working implements. When we were crossing at Dardanelle I was directed by General Price to fully equip them as speedily as possible. I converted three of the pontoons into wagon bodies, forming an engineer train, and a fourth pontoon converted into a wagon body to the pioneers of Fagan's division. After crossing the Missouri line all these troops were speedily fully equipped. On the day that we crossed the Arkansas River General Price ordered that the engineer troops should march in advance of the army to remove obstructions, repair bridges, &c. Fagan's company of pioneers moved always with the division, but was ordered while in Missouri by General Price to move in the front of the army under my direction, which order was obeyed for one day only. Fagan's pioneers were the most efficient in that army. The engineer troops were ragged, and many of them unshod.


Page 711 Chapter LIII. PRICE'S MISSOURI EXPEDITION.