233 Series I Volume III- Serial 3 - Wilson's Creek
Page 233 | Chapter X. SKIRMISHERS NEAR CLINTONVILLE, MO., ETC. |
by Lieutenant Harris, was places on a prolongation of the line of the regiments on the left, on the right of the road, 300 yards in the rear of Lowe's position. The three 6-pounders were placed on or closely adjacent to the road. After driving in their pickets with some skirmishers detached for that purpose, at about 2 o'clock they advanced in force, and showed on the brow of the hill, which hid the town from our view. Soon their cannot were placed in position, and sent shot and shell in large quantities among us. Our 12 and little as replied merrily, and at once quite a stampede took place among their cavalry, which has showed incautiously in masses over the hill-top. Our 12-pounder, by its well-directed discharges of grape, prevented their cavalry from charging down the road through our center, which they evidently intended to do, as they several times formed in heavy massed on the road. During the while their infantry advanced down the hill, through the corn field immediately in front of Lowe's command, which lay concealed behind the fence that inclose it. The advance guard of the enemy, consisting of the company, halted within 60 yards of the fence, when, after particularly cautioning his men to shoot low and take deliberate aim, the word fire was given by the colonel, when at least 70 of the enemy bit the dust. But a moment elapse before three gull regiments were advanced within shooting distance of our little band of heroes (only about 300 men in all), and kept up an incessant volley of musketry three-quarters of an hour upon them, our men not yielding one inch; the enemy several times giving ground for an instant, but at once returning to their work. They twice gave back. On the authority of Colonel Waugh, the enemy were twice driven back; first one regiment came down the field and send an advance of one company ahead, which was nearly annihilated; the balance of the regiment advanced, but gave back in confusion, and fled to the farther side of the field. Soon two regiments were seen marching down the field, but soon met the same fate as the first, and only when three regimental flags were seen in the field could they hold their place against our little regiment of 300 fighting men. At first they overshot us (caused as much by the nature of the ground as by defective aim), the enemy being on the descending side of the hill and our men at the foot of the same; besides, Lowe's entire command wee either on their knees or lying down, frequently loading while stretched out on their backs, but only because so ordered to do. Our men assert that the enemy frequently discharged their pieces at a ready, but fired three times to our once. they soon took better aim, and their fire became more destructive; but as the breeze wafted the smoke away at once, and our men continued to take deliberate aim, which their officers kept continually reminding them of, we killed ten to one. About this time the chivalric Lowe was shot through the head and fell quietly to the ground without giving a sign. though many of the emmy by this time were out of ammunition, they showed no signs of giving ground, and only when Lieutenant-Colonel Hedgpeth gave the order to fall back under cover of the woods (some 300 yards in the rear, where the 12-pounder was in position) did they move from where they were placed. The principal loss was sustained while crossing the open space - in all, 16 killed. these men, with but few exceptions, rallied immediately in the rear of our lines, and in a short time afterwards were again fully under command. In the mean time shot, shell, and bullets were rained upon the 12-pounder so fast, that the limber was broken and the horses so repeatedly wounded that they could not be held to their places, but ran away with both in and the caisson. Besides, every one about the gun was wounded but Lieutenant Harris
Page 233 | Chapter X. SKIRMISHERS NEAR CLINTONVILLE, MO., ETC. |