who was to win much credit on subsequent fields; to rise to
the rank of Brigadier-General and the brief command of a corps, and then
to fall under the displeasure of his commanding officers. Capt. Gilbert
moved forward rapidly until he came to Wilson's Creek, where his
skirmishers were stopped by swamps and jungles of brushwood, when Capt.
Plummer caught up with him, and the whole battalion finally crossed
the creek and advanced into a cornfield, easily driving away the first
slight force that attempted to arrest them.

In the meanwhile quite a number of the enemy was discovered assembling
on the crest of the ridge, and Gen. Lyon forming the 1st Mo. into line
sent them forward on the right to engage these, while the 1st Kan. came
up on the left and opened a brisk fire, with Totten's battery in the
center, which also opened fire.

168

This was about 10 minutes past 5, when the battle may be said to
have fairly opened. The 1st Iowa and the 2d Kan., with Capt. Steele's
battalion of Regulars, were held in reserve. Rains's Missourians
responded pluckily to the fire, and Gen. Price began rushing up
assistance to them until he says that he had over 2,000 men on the
ridge. The 1st Kan. and the 1st Mo. pressed resolutely forward,
delivering their fire at short range, and after a sharp contest of 20
minutes the Missourians gave way and fled down the hill.

There was a brief lull, in which the Union men were encouraged by
hearing Sigel's artillery open two miles away, on the other flank of
the enemy, and Lyon found his line preparatory to pushing forward and
striking the trains. Already there were symptoms of panic there, and
some of the wagons were actually in flames.

Gen. Rains soon succeeded in rallying his men.

Gens. Slack, McBride, Parsons and Clark rushed to his assistance with
what men they could hastily assemble, and Gen. Price led them forward in
a line covering Gen. Lyon's entire front. Both sides showed an earnest
disposition to come to close quarters, and a fierce fight lasting for
perhaps half an hour followed. Sometimes portions of the Union troops
were thrown into temporary disorder, but they only fell back a few
yards, when they would rally and return to the field. The enemy strove
to reach the crest of the ridge and drive the Union troops back, but
were repulsed, while the Union troops, following them to the foot of the
ridge, were driven back to the crest.

169

The Confederates brought up a bat