Fremont Pathfinders

We’d been marching all over Southern Missouri looking for the rebels.  On the 11th we found ourselves near Springfield.  We camped that night on a hill overlooking Wilson’s Creek, a cool stream flowing generally south.  We’d heard that the enemy was nearby, but our pickets reported nothing that night.  Sometime during the night the enemies cavalry raided our camp capturing several pickets and irritating the General.  We were called out and leathered up marching out onto the road waiting for them to show up again, but they did not.  All that resulted was a short nights sleep.  We were awakened early the following morning.  With the enemy close at hand we were prepared to move out at once, but it didn’t happen.  We managed to eat a half cooked breakfast, then wated for some time.  The cavalry was called to attention and ordered to form up.  The Colonel had some words for us for when we would go out, but after formation we still waited.
 
At last, about mid morning we were called to attention and ordered to march.  Our mounted contingent was first and the dismounted men followed right behind.  We swung out onto the road and followed it downhill and toward a narrow bridge crossing the river.  It was a wooden bridge with a floor of narrow planks, laid unevenly, as if quickly, across it.  It was narrow, just wide enough for three men to walk abrest.  As we approached the bridge out mounted men were called aside leaving us dismounted to cross first.  As soon as we crossed we formed a skirmish line and pressed forward seeking the confederates,  the infantry followed and moved off to the left toward a line of trees that grew along the river.  The rebs moved forward from these trees and engaged our infantry.  We wheeled over to their lank and proceeded to fire at the enemy.  Another regiment of rebels aproached and we refused our flank to engage them.  Our mounted men rode up behind us and aided us in halting that advance.  We could not have held them off without their aid.  After some fierce fighting we began to give ground to the overwhelming number of enemy soldiers.  But it was an orderly retreat.  Suddenly, there was another attack in our rear, back on the other side of the bridge and much of the cavalry was drawn off to meet it.  With the horses gone our flank began to falter.  We held it as well as we could but were forced back.  The bridge was by now a bottleneck with foot soldiers and a few horses all attempting to cross the bridge at once.  We, along with a small regiment of infantry fored a rearguard  keeping the attacking rebels at bay for as long as possible.  When the remainder of the infantry and cavalry had crossed the commander of the other regiment ordered us across and we covered their retreat across the bridge.  We formed a line and fired upon the enemy in an attempt to keep them from crossing.  We moved off to the left and fired into the advancing flanks of the enemy as they moved forward across the bridge.  But there were too many and we were too few.  After taking a few additional casualties we retired.  Marching up the hill was a chore knowing that we had left the field to the enemy, but we knew we had had done all we could to prevent a disaster and route of the army.
 
There was additional fighting throughout the day, but we were not called up to help.  I understand that our troops were once again driven back and some of them routed.  Would that the 2ed Kansas mounted infantry was there, we could have prevented such a thing happening again.
 
That night passed as the previous night.  Several raids on various positions mounted to almost nothing, but we were ordered to keep alert and remain leathered up in case anything would happen.  Late in the night a spy was captured.  I never heard what happened to him, but I assume he was shot, especially since he was caught in a blue uniform.  Shortly after we heard about the spy there was a sudden comotion on the far side of camp.  a troop of enemy cavalry had broken through the perimeter again and rode at breakneck speed through camp toward the General’s headquarters.  We were ready for them and as they approached we gave them what they deserved.  I can’t say how many returned to their lines.
 
The provost approached us and was happy that we had diverted the raid and praised the men from Nebraska, at that our captain spoke up saying, “We are Nebraska!”  He told us to remain alert.  Sometime later we were ordered out to cover the road.  A small group of the enemy had occupied the edge of the hill and several companies of our men were posted to keep them at bay.  We moved forward on the left edge of the road under the cover of the trees and found a good position to fire at them.  One managed to get behind us and was yelling at us to surrender, but Captain Johnson ignored him.  Orders came to pull back to the road and after a short time the confederats abandoned their position.  We pulled the pickets back toward camp, tightening the perimeter.  The General’s ire was up and he wanted to send the entire army out to attack the rebel camp, which we could see across the valley, but other officers, wwhether cooler or otherwise, convinced him to call off the attack.  We were ordered to stand down. It was another short night.
 
The sun had not quite risen when we were awakened again.  I remember thinking, “What now!”  when the bugle sounded.  We arose and made a hasty breakfast again.  There was another formation ordered and the Colonel offered additional instructions and orders.  Since we were attached to the Muddy River Brigade most of these instruction did not apply to us.
 
About midmorning rumors were circulating that the enemy was once again approaching.  We were ordered out and once more followed the mounted detachment.  We marched out onto the road and down the hill as before.  This time the horses led the way.  The army proceeded to the crest of a hill where where we waited for some time.  The artillery, positioned in front of us, began firing and the enemy artillery began counter battery firing.  The cavalry moved forward.  The bugle called us into line of battle.  We could hear the cav fighting down the hill.  After a while we marched out to the left following the route of the cavalry,  We were ordered to the left, then to the right, then back to the left of the infantry.  They formed a line of battle and marched forward  with us falling in behind.  Once again we were ordered to the right flank, but before the shooting started we were ordered into reserve, then ordered tinto reserve behind another group of dismounts.  Finally we were ordered to the extreme left flank.  The fighting was off to the center and right.  We were basically just watching.  Finally, we were ordered back toward Muddy River’s flank.  We managed to bull our way in between the infantry and the other dismounts, where we put down a whithering fire.  The infantry was being overwhelmed by the enemy and several companies broke and fled.  We managed to cover the retreat.  The infantry rallied and reformed.We formed onto their left flank continueing to fire.  There was a general advance ordered and we all moved forward, but the enemy were too many and the advance stalled.  They conterattacked and drove us back.  Once again we were called upon to cover the retreat.  Several times we were left alone between our infantry and the rebel infantry.  We took several casualties as we retreated.  We were forced away from the infantry into some trees behind us.  We were unable to get back to the infantry as they retreated up the hill.  After a couple assults the rebels did not renew the attack and returned to their lines.  We made our way back to camp as best we could.
 
Though we were not defeated, we were not victorious either.  We managed to hold off he enemy, though their numbers were greater than ours.  There was additional fighting throughout the day, and our mounted contingent was called out.  At this point in the battle neither side can yet claim victory.  As night fell there was some minor picket fire, but no serious incursions.  Both sides were exhauseted.  The fight will be renewed on the marrow.
 
Bad news on this third day.  Our mounted men were called away.  They rode off early following the orders given them from army headquarters in St Louis.  We, the dismounts were ordered to remain and fall in with the infantry.  We marched out of camp sometime before noon and occupied the crest of a hill.  We waited for some time but the marched forward deploying into battle lines some distance away.  Not wanting to wait for them to assult us, we pushed forward attacking their center.  The battle raged back and forth on the slope of the hill.  Many men fell and the attacks and counter attacks ebbed and flowed.  Slowly, through attrition, we were forced up the hill.  There were no shirkers or cowards this fight.  We lost three quarters of our men in that fight.  At the last our troops retreated, escaping toward Springfield, abandoning the hard fought field to the confederates.  The goal was to prevent the enemy from advancing on St Louis and we succeeded in that, though it cost us heavily.  They were unable to continue on, and retreated south into Arkansas.
 
Some highlights of the fight. it was an honor to lead the attack on the first day, though we had no idea what the General’s plan was.  We continued to fight as long as possible in each engagement.  Back in camp we had a couple of Angels who made certain our hurts and thirst were cared for upon our return from battle.  We wish to express our thanks and comendations to these ladies.  Captain Johnson did what he could, even though we were at times frustrated with all the orders and counter orders.  We are looking forward to further campaigning this fall until we settle into winter camp.
 
Submitted this day 1861
 
Sgt. Dorian Watt