started out with brilliant promise, and died in New York
in 1902, supported during his later years by a pension of $100 a month
granted him by Congress.

After resting his men a few hours at Sarcoxie, Sigel marched on to
Springfield, where Gen. Sweeny was, and to which point Gen. Lyon hurried
with all the force he could gather, to forestall the junction of Gen.
Ben McCulloch's Arkansas column with the force that Price and Jackson
would bring to him.

144

There was strong need of his presence there and of his utmost efforts.
He had rolled back the Secession tide only to have it gather volume
enough to completely submerge him. Not only had Gov. Jackson and
Sterling Price concentrated many more men than he had, but a still
stronger column composed of Arkansans and Texans under the noted Gen.
Ben. McCulloch was near at hand and pushing forward with all speed.

Benjamin McCulloch, a tall, bony, sinewy man of iron will and dauntless
courage, was easily a leader and master of the bold, aggressive spirits
who had wrested Texas away from Mexico and erected her into a great
State. He had achieved much reputation in the command of the Texan
Rangers during the Mexican War and in the Indian fights which succeeded
that struggle. As a soldier and a fighter he had the highest fame of
any living Texan, except Sam Houston, and when he espoused the cause of
Secession he drew after him many thousands of the adventurous,
daring young men of the State. The Confederate army had immediately
commissioned him a Brigadier-General, and he had set about organizing,
with his accustomed energy and enterprise, a strong column for
aggressive service west of the Mississippi. Warlike young leaders,
ambitious for distinction, hastened to join him with whatever men they
could raise, for such was their confidence that they felt his banner
would point to the most direct road to fame and glory. Many of these,
then Captains and Colonels, afterward rose to be Generals in the
Confederate army. He had proposed to the Confederate Government to aid
the situation in Virginia by active operations in Missouri, and to this
plan the Governors of Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas gave their hearty
consent and co-operation. McCulloch had another motive for aggressive
action, as it would determine the position of the Indians.

[Illustration: 145-Genereal Henry W. Halleck]

145

The wisest among the Chiefs of the Cherokees, Chickasaws, Creeks and
Seminoles desir