Today in History:

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

Page 16 OPERATIONS IN MO., ARK., KANS., AND IND. T. Chapter X.

also a plan of the battle.* I inclose a printed copy of a proclamation issued by me at this place on the 4th instant.+

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. W. SWEENY,

Commanding, Second Infantry, Commanding.

Honorable SIMON CAMERON,

Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.


Numbers 2. Report of Colonel Franz Sigel, Third Missouri Infantry (Union).


HEADQUARTERS COLONEL SIGEL'S COMMAND,
Springfield, Mo., July 11, 1861.

SIR: After having arrived at Sarcoxie, 22 miles from Neosho, at 5 o'clock p. m. on Friday, the 28th of June, I was informed that a force of 700 to 800 men were encamped at Pool's Prairie, about 6 miles south of Neosho, under the command of General Price. I also received a report that Jackson's troops, Parsons in command, camped 15 miles north of Lamar, on Thursday, the 27th, and on Friday, the 28th, and that they were there first informed of Government troops being in Springpassed Papinsville on Thursday evening, the 27th, and being a day's march behind Jackson and Rains, and to open my communication with General Lyon's troops, who were said to have had an engagement on the 28th of June at Ball's Mill, on the banks of the Little Osage River, about 15 miles north of Nevada City, and to whom I had sent several scouts, of which only one returned, but without bringing reliable intelligence.

Scarcely had our troops left Sacroxie on the morning of the 29th, when I received information that the camp at Pool's Prairie was broken up on the same morning, and that the troops had fled towards Elk Mills, 130 miles southwest of Neosho, in the direction of Camp Walker, near Maysville, which place is not far from the southwest corner of the State of Missouri.

It was now my duty to give all my attention to the northern forces of the enemy. Apprehending that they would try to find their way to Arkansas, I ordered a detachment of two companies and two pieces of artillery, under the command of Captain Cramer, to Cedar Creek and Grand Falls, to occupy the Military and Kansas line road, and to obtain all possible information relative to the northern troops of the enemy. I also ordered the battalion under Colonel Salomon, on his march from Mount Vernon to Sarcoxie, to unite with the troops under my command at Neosho by forced marches. As soon as this battalion had arrived, and our troops were sufficiently prepared, I directed them from neosho and Grand Falls to Diamond Grove (7 miles south of Carthage), where they arrived at noon and advanced towards the north.

One company of Captain Hackmann I ordered to move from Mount Vernon to Sarcoxie. Captain Conrad, of Company B, Rifle Battalion,

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*Omitted as unimportant.

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+Not found.


Page 16 OPERATIONS IN MO., ARK., KANS., AND IND. T. Chapter X.