GENERAL POPE'S COMMAND. bridge, which the enemy occupied in 'force, as is believed, under Colonel Magoffin. 169 fell into our hands, as also a thousand stand of arms. The whole force captured, with their train, were marched "Colonel Davis brought forward his into the camp of the main body, reachforce, and directed that the bridge be ing there about midnight. Many arms carried by assault. The two companies were thrown away by the enemy, in the of the 4th regular cavalry being in ad- bushes and creek, when he surrendered, vance, under the command respectively and have not yet been found. The of Lieutenant Gordon and Lieutenant weather was bitterly cold, and the troops Amory, were designated for that service, marched as early as possible the next and were supported by the five compa- morning for Sedalia and Otterville. The nies of the 1st Iowa Cavalry. Lieuten- forces under Colonel Davis behaved with ant Gordon of the 4th cavalry, led the great gallantry, and the conduct of Colocharge in person, with the utmost gal- nel Davis himself was distinguished. I lantry and vigor, carried the bridge in desire to present to your special notice fine style, and immediately formed his Colonel J. C. Davis, Indiana Volunteers; company on the opposite side. He was Major Hubbard, 1st Missouri Cavalry; promptly followed by the other compa- and Lieutenant Gordon, 4th regular cavnies. The force of the enemy posted at alry. Both officers and men behaved the bridge retreated precipitately over a well throughout. Within five days the narrow open space, into the woods, where infantry composing this expedition have his whole force was posted. The two marched one hundred miles, the cavalry companies of the 4th cavalry formed in more than double that distance-have line at once, advanced upon the enemy, swept the whole country of the enemy and were received with a volley of small- west of Sedalia, as far as Rose Hill, to arms, muskets, rifles, and shot-guns. One a line within fifteen miles of the Osage man was killed and eight wounded by-have captured nearly fifteen hundred this discharge. With one exception all belonged to Company D, 4th cavalry, Lieutenant Gordon. Lieutenant Gordon himself received several balls through the cap. Our forces still continuing to press forward, and the enemy finding his retreat south and west cut off, and that he was in presence of a large force, and at best could only prolong the contest a short time, surrendered at discretion. His force, reported by colonel commanding. consisted of parts of two regiments of infantry and three companies of cavalry, numbering in all thirteen hundred men, among whom there were three colonels, (Robinson, Alexander, and Magoffin,) one lieutenant-colonel, (Robinson,) one major, (Harris,) and fifty-one commissioned company officers. About five hundred horses and mules, seventy-three wagons heavily loaded with powder, lead, tents, subsistence stores, and supplies of various kinds, prisoners, twelve hundred stand of arms, nearly one hundred wagons, and a large quantity of supplies. The march alone would do credit to old soldiers, as it gives me pleasure to state that it has been performed with cheerfulness and alacrity. The troops reoccupied their camps at Sedalia and Otterville just one week after they marched out of them."* General Halleck in a dispatch to General Pope, congratulated his command on the "brilliant success" of the expedition, and trusted that it would be the precursor of further victories. Among the prisoners taken were Colonel Magoffin, brother of the Governor of Kentucky, two rebel colonels, and various wealthy and influential property-holders of the State engaged in the rebellion. The movement was followed up in excursions of the Union troops to Lexington, John Pope, Brigadier-General Commanding, to Cap tain J. C. Kelton, A. A. G., Department of the Missouri. where a large foundry and various rebel craft on the river were destroyed, and their visits to other quarters, breaking up the insurgent organizations, and compelling the army of General Price to seek subsistence and safety in its old haunts on the borders of Arkansas. law in the city of St. Louis, and further declared that it would be enforced in and about all the railroads of the State, without interfering he added, with the jurisdiction of the court loyal to the Any pretended Union men having information of intended attempts to destroy such roads and lines, or of the guilty parties, who does not communicate such intention to the proper authorities, and give aid and assistance in arresting and punishing them, will be regarded as parSimultaneously with the news of the ticeps criminis, and treated accordingly. success of General Pope, word was Hereafter the towns and counties in brought to St. Louis of a desperate which such destruction of public properact of aggression by the insurgents in ty takes place, will be made to pay the the burning of various bridges on the expenses of all repairs, unless it be west Missouri railroad at Sturgeon, Cen- shown that the people of such towns or tralia, Mexico, Jefferson, and Warren- counties could not have prevented it, on town, with the destruction of numer- account of the superior force of the ous culverts, water stations, telegraph enemy." Within five days after the issue wires, and other materials, an extensive of this order, it was reported that ten spoliation all the more formidable from bridge burners had been shot, and fifty its plan of concerted action and the were in close confinement. By an orcomparative vicinity of the region where der of December 26th, General Halleck the crime was committed to the head- announced the enforcement of martial quarters of the army at St. Louis. The outrage was thought by General Halleck to demand the most energetic action. He accordingly, on the 22d of December, issued a stringent order well calculated, supported as it was by a suf-Government of the United States, and ficient military authority, to suppress further injuries of the kind. Insurgent rebels, it stated, scattered throughout General Hunter, in his Department the Northern counties of the State occu- of Kansas, was disposed to exhibit at pied by the Union troops, under the least equal vigor. A letter, which he guise of peaceful citizens, had resumed addressed on the 2d of December, from their occupation of burning bridges and his headquarters at Fort Leavenworth, destroying railroads and telegraph wires. to the Trustees of Platte City, in the adThese men, it declared are guilty of joining county of Missouri, in reference the highest crime known to the code of to the incursions across the border of war, and the punishment is death. Any a rebel leader of that district, will show one caught in the act will be immediately the spirit of his administration. It read shot; and any one accused of this crime" Gentlemen: Having received reliawill be arrested and placed in close confinement until his case can be examined by a military commission, and if found guilty, he also will suffer death. Where injuries are done to railroads or telegraph lines, the commanding officer of the nearest post will impress into service for repairing damages, the slaves of all secessionists in the vicinity, and, if necessary, the secessionists themselves and their property. which will aid the military authorities in enforcing order and punishing crimes. ble information of depredations and outrages of every kind, committed by a man named Si Gordon, a leader of rebel marauding bands, I give you notice that unless you seize and deliver the said Gordon to me at these headquarters, within ten days from this date, or drive him out of the county, I shall send a force to your city with orders to reduce it to New York Tribune, December 28th, 1861 COLONEL JENNISON'S PROCLAMATION. 171 ashes, and to burn the house of every fight; if you are traitors you will be secessionist in your county and to carry punished. The time for fighting has away every negro. Colonel Jennison's come. Colonel Jennison's come. Every man who feeds, harbors, regiment will be entrusted with the execution of this order." The attention of seventeen prominent rebels mentioned by name, were called to the requirements of the note. The early presence of General Prentiss, commanding in North Missouri, with his troops in the rebellious town, and the vigorous policy which he adopted towards those who favored the rebellion, relieved General Hunter's small command of the unpleasant necessity indicated in his letter. protects, or in any way gives aid and comfort to the enemies of the Union, will be held responsible for his treason with his life and property. While all the property of Union men and all their rights will be religiously respected, traitors will everywhere be treated as outlaws-enemies of God and man, too base to hold any description of property, and having no rights which loyal men are bound to respect. The last dollar and the last slave of rebels will be taken and turned over to the General Government. Playing war is played out, and whenever Union troops are fired upon the answer will boom from cannon, and desolation will follow treason. Loyal citizens will be fully remunerated for all property taken from them for the use of the army. All the land between Fort The "rough and ready" spirit of Colonel Jennison commanding the 1st Kansas cavalry, an officer who brought to the war a hatred of rebellion fortified by his participation in the anti-slavery struggle in the settlement of Kansas, is sufficiently indicated in his previous November proclamation to the people of Jackson, Lafayette, Cass, Johnson, and Pettis Leavenworth and the headquarters of counties, Missouri. "I have come among you with my command," was his language on that occasion, "under the authority of the General Government, for the purpose of protecting the supply trains, and all other property of the United States Government, and for the purpose of throwing a shield of protection and defence around all men who are loyal to that Government. No excesses will be committed by any soldier in my command. We march to enforce the laws and sustain the Government. Every loyal citizen is expected to give evidence of his loyalty by active efforts for the protection of the flag. For four months our armies have marched through your country; your professed friendship has been a fraud; your oaths of allegiance have been shams and perjuries. You feed the rebel army, you act as spies, while claiming to be true to the Union. We do not care about your past political opinions; no man will be persecuted because he differs from us. But neutrality is ended. If you are patriots you must the army of the West is under the juris- teers into action against the enemy's batteries. The Texans, however, though they held their position, were annoyed by the capture during the night of over two hundred of their mules. "The fight," says a New Mexico correspondent of the Missouri Republican, border ground where the same State fur-ful attempt was made to bring the volunnished combatants to both armies, the struggle almost of necessity acquired a personal bitterness and hostility under the stimulus of partisan warfare. There it was emphatically a war of individuals, and every resource of men always accustomed to rely upon their own exertions was brought into requisition. In future" commenced in the morning, between days battles like those fought in Virginia a portion of our troops, under the commay be repeated on other soil, but the mand of Colonel Roberts, and the eneborder struggles of the West of the pres- my across the Rio Grande, with varied ent day will remain unique in history. success, until toward one or two o'clock of that day. Colonel Canby then crossed the river in force, with a battery of six pieces, under Captain McRea of the cavalry, but detailed in command of the battery; also, a small battery of two howitzers. The enemy were supposed to have seven or eight pieces. The battle commenced by the artillery and skirmishers, and soon became general. Towards evening the most of the enemy's guns were silenced. They, however, made a desperate charge on the howitzer battery, but were repulsed with great loss. Captain McRea's battery was defended by Captain Plympton's company of United States infantry and a portion of Colonel Pino's regiment of New Mexican volunteers. The Texans now charged desperately and furiously with picked men about six hundred strong. They were armed with carbines, revolvers, and long seven-pound bowie-knives. After discharging their carbines at close distance, they drew their revolvers and rushed on the battery in a storm of grape and canister. The Mexicans of Pino's regiment were panic-stricken, and most ingloriously fled. Captain Plympton and his infantry stood their ground and fought nobly, till more than one-half were numbered with the dead. With his artillerymen cut down, his support either killed, wounded, or flying from the field, Captain McRea sat down calmly and quietly on one of his guns, and with revolver in hand, refusing to fly or desert his post, he fought to the last, and glori In a remoter region than Kansas, Colonel Canby's Department of New Mexico meanwhile was seriously threatened by the advancing enemy from the South, a horde of Texan invaders, led by Brigadier-General Sibley, recently Major 1st Dragoons in the United States service. At the end of December, this rebel officer issued a proclamation to the people of New Mexico denouncing the National Government, and demanding aid and allegiance to his army of invasion. In the month of February, the two forces met in serious conflict in the vicinity of Fort Craig, when after some manoeuvering on the right bank of the Rio Grande the enemy under command of General Sibley-with a view of obtaining the advantage on the opposite heights, or cutting off the communication with the fort from above,-crossed to the Eastern side whither they were pursued by Coloael Canby and brought to an engagement. The battle which has its name from Fort Craig, or as it is sometimes called from a neighboring village Valverde, took place on the 21st of February, 1862. It was fought from 9 o'clock in the morning until the close of the day. Colonel Canby's force in the engagement was about 1500 regulars and volunteers of the department, a portion of the latter commanded by the famous Kit Carson, the type of the hardy, adventurous, military pioneer. The force of the enemy is stated at from 1500 to 2,000. The battle in fact, commenced on the 20th, when an unsuccess AFFAIRS IN NEW MEXICO. ously died the death of a hero, the last man by his guns. The Texans suffered terribly in this charge. Many officers distinguished themselves on this day. Major Donaldson, who was the chief Aid of Colonel Canby, acted bravely, and was conspicuous on every part of the field. His horse was wounded in several places, but the Major was, fortunately for the service, not injured. The celebrated Kit Carson, in command of a regiment of volunteers, who were deployed as skirmishers, did good service during the action, and behaved well. We have, however, to name the loss of Lieutenants Michler and Stone, who, like Captain McRea, nobly and bravely maintained the honor of our flag to the last, and gloriously died the death of patriots. Many other officers were wounded." The Union loss in this engagement is stated at sixty-two killed, and one hundred and forty wounded; that of the enemy supposed to be larger, is not known. Captain McRea fell in the prime of early manhood. He was a native of North Carolina. A graduate of West Point of 1851, he entered active service as a Lieutenant of mounted rifles, and had recently been appointed Captain in the 3d regular cavalry. Captain Nathaniel Michler, of the engineers, was a native of Pennsylvania, and a graduate of West Point of 1848. 173 fort was in danger of falling. This force joined to the troops at the fort, presently advanced and met the enemy at Apache Pass, about twenty miles from Santa Fe. The conflict was severe, resulting in a Union loss of one hundred and fifty killed, wounded, and missing; while that of the foe is stated at twice the number; ninetythree rebels were taken prisoners, of whom thirteen were officers. This defeat of the rebels repaired the previous disaster, and leaving the Union forces in secure possession of the two military strongholds of the country, Fort Craig and Fort Union, baffled the attempt of the insurgents to add New Mexico to the Confederacy. With the vigorous and auspicious movements in General Halleck's Department which we have described, ended the year in Missouri-a year of much anxiety and novel experience for the State. But a comparatively small portion of its surface had escaped the visitations of war. In a table before us, fifty-three places-cities, towns, villages, and river banks, are enumerated as the scenes of various battles and skirmishes. From the northern line of the Hannibal and St. Joseph's railroad, to the border of Arkansas, by the Missouri, the Osage and the shore of the Mississippi, there was scarcely a county of importance which had not witnessed the contest with After the battle, the enemy leaving armed rebellion. In these various enFort Craig behind them, advanced north-gagements, commencing with Booneville, wardly and took possession of Albuquer- on the 17th of June, and ending with que and Santa Fe. They were unable, however, to attack the National troops in their stronghold of Fort Union, which was shortly after reinforced by a body of volunteers from the adjacent territory of Colorado. The march of this regiment, 960 strong, from Denver city to the relief of Fort Union, over a region presenting all the difficulties of a mountain wilderness, is one of the truly heroic incidents of the war. It is stated that they accomplished forty miles a day, during the last four days, when they heard the General Pope's successes in December, the aggregate loss, taking the killed, wounded, and prisoners on both sides, has been calculated at about 10,000. The number of killed and wounded in this estimate was far greater on the Confederate side; Carthage, Wilson's Creek, Fredericktown, and Belmont, furnishing the largest numbers. The surrender of Lexington gave the enemy a large excess of prisoners.* * Appleton's Annual Cyclopedia, 1861, article Missonri, P. 496 |