ek, where the battle was renewed and
maintained for two hours, during which time the enemy suffered some loss
from the artillery fire.

140

Again the enemy made a flank movement with their cavalry, reaching this
time back toward the baggage-train, to which Sigel retreated. The Union
men broke up the cavalry formation, and Sigel followed this with a
charge which scattered his enemies and enabled him to continue his
retreat unmolested across the prairie in full sight of his foes. Sigel
could also see the rallied cavalry making a wide circuit over the
prairie to gain the hights of Spring River and cut off his retreat Gen.
Rains, who led this movement, succeeded in reaching the road at Spring
River, but in coming up Sigel at once attacked with his artillery, and
after a brisk little engagement of half an hour drove the enemy out of
the woods, and marched on to Carthage, which he reached about 5 o'clock,
and there prepared to give a short rest to his men, who were worn out by
18 miles of marching under a hot sun and almost continual fighting
and manuvering. The Secessionists renewed their attack, but were again
driven off by the infantry and artillery, and the march was resumed.

Again Gens. Slack, Parsons, and Clark pushed their men forward on the
Union flank, while Rains renewed his attack, and again they were all
repulsed, largely by the skillful handling of the artillery. As darkness
came on the Secessionists disappeared, but Sigel moved on to Sarcoxie,
12 miles distant, and went into camp.

141

Gov. Jackson's forces camped in and around Carthage, and the next day
marched to Neosho, where they met Gen. Ben McCulloch coming up from
Arkansas with a force of Arkansans and Texans and also 1,700 of the
State Guards, which Gen. Price had brought forward. In the fighting the
Union side had lost 13 killed and 21 wounded. The Confederates report
74 killed and wounded in the four divisions under the command of Gov.
Jackson.

[Illustration: 141-Sigel Crossing the Osage]

The battle of Carthage produced a great sensation over the country,
the Confederates rejoicing that they had cut through the Union line
and forced it to retreat, while Sigel received unstinted praise for his
skillful retreat and the masterly handling of his artillery. While one
battery would hold the enemy in check, another would be placed at the
most advantageous position in the rear, where it would withdraw behind
it to repeat the manuver. Several