Springfield to guard the trains and public property. Col. Sigel's column
moved out at 6:30 o'clock in the evening by the left and arrived at
daybreak of the 10th within two miles of the extreme right and rear of
the enemy's camp, where they proceeded to cut off and bring into camp
some 40 stragglers who were out foraging. This was done to prevent their
carrying intelligence into camp.

Gen. Lyon with the First, Second and Third Brigades, set out about the
same hour, and by 1 o'clock in the morning came within sight of the
enemy's camp-fires, where they halted until morning. Capt. Plummer was
ordered to deploy his battalion to act as skirmishers on the left, while
Maj. Osterhaus did the same on the right with his battalion of the 2d
Mo.

160

CHAPTER X. BATTLE OF WILSON'S CREEK

If the idea of an attack by Gen. Lyon was remote from Gen. McCulloch's
thoughts, it was entirely absent from those of Gen. Sterling Price.
Gen. Price's mind was concentrated upon the plan to which he had wrung
McCulloch's reluctant consent of advancing that morning upon Lyon in
four columns, and thereby crushing him, probably capturing his army
entire or driving him into a ruinous retreat The first messengers
bringing the news of Lyon's close proximity were received with
contemptuous disbelief by McCulloch, but on their heels came an Aid from
Gen. Rains with the announcement that the fields in front of Rains
were "covered with Yankees, infantry and artillery." This roused all to
soldierly activity. Neither Price nor McCulloch lacked anything of
the full measure of martial courage, and both at once sped to their
respective commands to lead them into action.

After breaking up the council of war, the previous afternoon, Gen.
Lyon said very little beyond giving from time to time, as circumstances
called, sharp, precise, practical orders. Naturally talkative and
disputatious, he was, when action was demanded, brief, sententious, and
sparing of any words but what the occasion demanded. He had carefully
thought out his plan of march and battle to the last detail--determined
exactly what he and every subordinate, every regiment and battery
should do, and his directions to them were clear, concise, prompt and
unmistakable.

[Illustration: 165-Battlefield of Wilson's Creek]

161

He rode with Maj. Schofield, his Chief of Staff, to the place where they
halted about midnight in sight of the rebel campfires and slept with
him in the brie