lowed by the vengeful horsemen shooting and sabering them as they
ran. The infantry ran through the town to the shelter of the woods, and
the Confederate cavalry fell back down the road, pursued by the Guard
until it was getting nightfall, when Zagonyi recalled them and returned
to the Court House, raised the Union flag from it, released the Union
prisoners confined in the jail, gathered up his dead and wounded, and
after dark decided to fall back until he met the advance of the army.

He had lost 15 men killed and 26 wounded, and reported that he had found
23 Confederates dead after the charge was over. This brilliant action,
which was then compared with the Charge of the Light Brigade at
Balaklava, redeemed the soldiers of the Guards in the eyes of their
comrades, and it became an honor to belong to that organization.

The next morning Maj. White reached Springfield with a few Home Guards,
where he found the Confederates still dazed by the occurrences of the
day before, and he was careful not to undeceive them as to his strength.
He solemnly received the flag of truce, said that he would have to refer
the matter to Gen. Sigel, threw out his men as pickets, permitted the
people to bury their dead, and then prudently fell back to meet the
advance of the army.

Fremont took up his quarters in Springfield, and began ostentatious
preparations for an immediate decisive battle, though Price was then
more than 50 miles away from him. This Fremont should have known, for
in some mysterious manner he was within ready communication with him,
so much so as to be able to conclude the following remarkable convention
which was duly published in a joint proclamation:

230

To All Peaceably-Disposed Citizens of the State of Missouri,
Greeting:

Whereas a solemn agreement has been entered into by and
between Maj.-Gens. Fremont and Price, respectively,
commanding; antagonistic forces in the State of Missouri, to
the effect that in the future arrests or forcible
interference by armed or unarmed parties of citizens within
the limits of said State for the mere entertainment or
expression of political opinions shall hereafter cease; that
families now broken up for such causes may be reunited, and
that the war now progressing shall be exclusively confined
to armies in the field:

Therefore, be it known to all whom it may concern:

1. No arrests whatever on acco