ers rank, and have seen more
service than you, and we are also upon the soil of our own
State; but, Gen. McCulloch, if you will consent to help us
to whip Lyon and to repossess Missouri, I will put myself
and all my forces under your command, and we will obey you
as faithfully as the humblest of your own men. We can whip
Lyon, and we will whip him and drive the enemy out of
Missouri, and all the honor and all the glory shall be
yours, All that we want is to regain our homes and to
establish the independence of Missouri and the South. If you
refuse to accept this offer, I will move with the
Missourians alone against Lyon; for it is better that they
and I should all perish than Missouri be abandoned without a
struggle. You must either fight beside us or look on at a
safe distance and see us fight all alone the army which you
dare not attack even with our aid. I must have your answer
before dark, for I intend to attack Lyon tomorrow."

152

Gen. McCulloch replied that he was expecting dispatches from the East,
but would make known his determination before sundown. At that time,
accompanied by Gen. Mcintosh, in whose abilities Gen. McCulloch had
the highest confidence, and was largely influenced by him, he went
to Price's headquarters and informed him that he had just received
dispatches that Gen. Pillow was advancing into the southeastern part of
the State from New Madrid with 12,000 men, and that he would accept the
command of the united forces and attack Lyon. Price at once published an
order that he had turned over the command of the Missouri troops to Gen.
McCulloch, but reserved the right to resume command at any time he might
see fit.

Their friends in Springfield kept Price and McCulloch well-informed as
to Lyon's diminishing force and perplexities.

Brilliant as McCulloch may have been in command of 100 or so men, he was
clearly unequal to the leadership of such a host. He was as much feebler
in temper to Lyon as he was inferior in force and grasp to Sterling
Price.

153

An audacious stroke by Lyon on Friday, Aug. 2, quite unsettled his
nerves. Getting information that his enemies were moving on him by three
different roads, Lyon formed the soldierly determination to move out
swiftly and attack one of the columns and crush it before the other
could come to its assistance.

Putting Capt. D. S. Stanley--of whom we shall h