umns was not even thought of. The attack was made, as
intended, by both columns at nearly the same instant, and both
drove the enemy from his advanced position, Sigel even occupying
the enemy's camp. Here he was soon after assailed by a superior
force, and driven from the field with the loss of his artillery
and 292 men killed, wounded, and missing. He did not appear upon
the scene again that day, and the result of his attack was unknown
to any one in the other column until after the close of the battle.
The main body, under Lyon's immediate command, made no general
advance from the position first gained, but maintained that position
against several fierce assaults. The enemy manifestly did not make
good use of his superior numbers. He attacked us in front several
times, but with a force not greatly superior to our own, and was
invariably repulsed. Our men fought extremely well for raw troops,
maintaining their ground, without any cover whatever, against
repeated assaults for six hours, and losing in killed and wounded
fully _one third of their number_. General Lyon received two
wounds, one in the leg and one in the head, about the middle of
the engagement; he then became more despondent than before, apparently
from the effects of his wounds, for there appeared nothing in the
state of the battle to dishearten a man of such unbounded courage
as he undoubtedly possessed. A portion of our troops had given
away in some disorder. Lyon said: "Major, I am afraid the day is
lost." I looked at him in surprise, saw the blood trickling down
his face, and divining the reason for his despondency, replied:
"No, General; let us try it again." He seemed re-encouraged, and
we then separated, rallied, and led forward the only troops then
not in action--two regiments. Lyon was killed at the head of one
of these regiments while exposing himself with utter recklessness
to the enemy's fire.

DEATH OF LYON

When Lyon and I separated, he to lead the attack in which he fell,
I reformed the other regiment and led it into action, giving the
command "Charge!" as soon as we came within plain view of the enemy,
hoping to try conclusions with the bayonet, with which we were much
better supplied than they. That regiment advanced in splendid
style until it received the enemy's fire, then the command "Charge!"
was forgotten, and the regiment halted and commenced firing. Thus