gun to tell.

291

The northern part of Missouri was made unbearably hot for bridge-burners
and other depredators by the swift execution of a number of "peaceful
citizens" caught red-handed, and the probability that others would be
caught and served in the same way. Gen. John Pope, commanding in Central
Missouri, began at last to show the stuff that was in him, and by a
skillful movement got into the rear of Bains and Steen, compelling them
to hurriedly abandon the line of the Missouri River, and striking them
so sharply in their flight as to capture 300 prisoners, 70 wagons,
with loads of supplies for Price's army, and much other valuable booty.
Another of Pope's columns, under Col. Jeff C. Davis, surprised a camp
at Mil-ford, Dec. 18, and forced its unconditional surrender, capturing
three Colonels (one of whom was a brother of Gov. Magoffin, of
Kentucky), 17 Captains, and over 1,000 prisoners, 1,000 stands of arms,
1,000 horses and mules, and a great amount of supplies, tents, baggage,
and ammunition. In a couple of weeks Gen. Pope, with a loss of about 100
men, captured 2,500 prisoners.

Jan. 2 Gen. Fred Steele, commanding at Sedalia, and a level-minded man,
who kept himself well informed, telegraphed to Gen. Halleck:

Price's whole force not over 16,000. In all 63 pieces of artillery, none
rifled. Horses very poor. Price says he is going to Jefferson City
as soon as they are organized. At present he has no discipline; no
sentinels or picket to prevent passing in and out. Rains drinking all
the time. Price also drinking too much.

Clearly Price had in him none of the startling aggressiveness which
distinguished Lyon and Stonewall Jackson. He made no effort to suddenly
collect his forces and inflict an overwhelming blow upon one after
another of the columns converging upon him and defeat them in detail.
Instead, he lost heart, and, abandoning the strong lines of the Osage
and the Pomme de Terre, fell back to Springfield, where comfortable
quarters were built for his men, and he gathered in an abundance of
supplies from the Union farmers of the surrounding country, expecting
that he would be left undisturbed until Spring.

292

Thus the year 1861 ended with some 61 battles and considerable
skirmishes having been fought on the soil of Missouri, with a loss
to the Union side of between 500 and 600 killed, treble that number
wounded, and about 3,600 prisoners.

The Confederate loss was probably in excess in