side, who greeted his approach with a scathing fire which emptied several saddles. The woods and rough bushy ground to the south of the road, was also full of their skirmishers, hidden in the branches and behind bushes and trees. The main body of the force, however, was drawn up in the form of a hollow square, in a large open field to the north of the road, the infantry bordering along a high Virginia rail fence, nearly to the brook, and also at the head of the field bordering on the woods, and the cavalry on the other side of the field also supported by the forest.

Upon reaching the vicinity of this place, Major Zagonyi ordered an advance at a trot, and when fairly in the woods, the pace was increased to a gallop. When the fire opened, the two companies of the First Missouri Cavalry, and the Irish Dragoons, composing Major White's battalion, countermarched to the left. Major Zagonyi's command alone proceeded down the road through the fire of the enemy. Upon reaching the open field, an attempt was made to tear down the fence and charge upon the enemy. It was soon discovered, however, that this would be impossible without a heavy loss, and they immediately made a rush down the road, over a brook, where, in a measure shielded from the enemy's fire, they levelled the rails and effected an entrance. Here,

in the midst of the briars and stubble bordering the brook, he succeeded in forming his men, and with the Major at their head, they gallantly charged up the hill of the open field, right into the midst of their foes. As they charged, the command spread out fan-like, some to the right, some to the left, and others straight up to the woods in front.

The cavalry to the right were scattered almost instantaneously; the infantry made a somewhat firmer stand, but it was only for a moment. The charge was so furious, so well directed, and so compact, that the rebel ranks were quickly scattered. Under the well-directed fire of the enemy's sharpshooters, the little band of one hundred and sixty-two rank and file, contending against one thousand eight hundred, necessarily suffered severely.

Pursuing a portion of the rebels into town, the Major here assembled his command, or such portions of it as were at hand, raised the stars and stripes upon the court-house, detailed a guard to attend to his wounded, and then fearful that the enemy might become cognizant of his small force, and rally, determined to retrace his steps toward Bolivar, where he could meet reinforcements, the more especially as they had ridden over eighty miles and been over twenty-four hours without food.

In the mean time Major White's command had made a detour through the cornfield, and after making a successful charge and defeating the rebel forces stationed there, he reached the town a little while after Zagonyi had left, and took possession of it.

The loss of the enemy, as nearly as could be ascertained, was one hundred and six killed, wounded not known; that of the Federals but fifteen killed, twenty-seven wounded and ten missing.

THE DEPARTMENT OF MISSOURI.

The death of General Lyon and the defeat of the Federal army at Wilson's Creek, on the 10th of August, and the disastrous consequences— followed on the 20th of September by the loss of Lexington and its noble band of defenders, filled the whole land with discontent. The commanding officer of the Department at this time was Major-General Fremont. The public, asking for success, and confident that it could be achieved, were impatient of the delays and heavy expenditure of money that seemed at least to fetter the Missouri Department. From General Fremont the public had expected the most vigorous and brilliant campaign. The difficulties and obstacles with which a commander must contend in organizing a military force sufficient to encounter a large army of dashing and lawless insurgents, are not always properly under

stood and considered by the public; and their expectations, no doubt, led far in advance of the possibilities of the situation. Occupying a field which had just been made the scene of open hostilities, and where the Governor and the Legislature, as a body, were hostile to the General Government, the entire work was to be done after General Fremont had entered upon it. The difficulty of supplying reinforcements where needed, with no reserves upon which he could draw, left no alternative to Lyon and Mulligan but that of retreat or collision with an overpowering enemy. In these reverses they suffered a cruel defeat, but won imperishable fame.

The loss of General Lyon, and the reverses to the national army, afforded cause for great exultation to the secessionists of St. Louis and its vicinity, and their demonstrations of hostility became so marked that General Fremont, on the 14th of August, was compelled to resort to the extreme measure of declaring martial law in that city. This had the effect of restraining the rebel sympathizers in immediate proximity with the headquarters of the Commander, but was not regarded in the State at large. Under these circumstances General Fremont followed this proclamation with another on the 30th of August, establishing martial law in the State, and fixing the lines of the army of occupation as extending from Leavenworth by way of the posts of Jefferson City, Rolla and Ironton, to Cape Girardeau, on the Mississippi river. All persons taken with arms in their hands were to be tried by courts-martial, and if found guilty, shot. The property of persons taking up arms. against the United States was declared confiscated to public use, “and their slaves, if any they have, are hereby declared free men."

This proclamation produced a profound excitement throughout the country, and was received by the people with varied emotions-enthusiastically applauded by some, and bitterly condemned by others.

The President, on the 2d of September, addressed a letter to General Fremont, recommending him to modify his proclamation. General Fremont desired the President to make an order for the modification in his own name, a request with which the Chief Magistrate complied, and under date of September 11th, communicated to General Fremont, that the proclamation in question should be made to conform to the act of Congress of August 6th, which confiscated only property used in rebellion; and referred the question regarding slaves to the determination of the courts, or to subsequent legislation.

While in St. Louis, General Fremont was actively engaged in the organization of his forces, and making preparations for his approaching campaign. To protect the city he had extensive fortifications constructed. He also projected and ordered the building of the gunboats, which have since rendered such signal service. The necessity of massing a

large army near Washington, after the defeat at Bull Run, compelled the withdrawal of many regiments which had been assigned to the Missouri Department. It was not until the 27th of September that Fremont was prepared to enter upon an offensive campaign. Accordingly on that day he left St. Louis, and with fifteen steamers and fifteen thousand men, sailed up the Missouri to Jefferson City. Here he halted several days to collect additional material necessary for his march into the interior.

On the 29th, two days after General Fremont's departure from St. Louis, General Price commenced the evacuation of Lexington, leaving a small force as a guard. On the 7th of October, General Fremont left Jefferson City, marching in the direction of Sedalia, for the purpose of attacking the rebel commander at the earliest opportunity.

On the 16th, two hundred and twenty men of the First Missouri Scouts, under Major F. J. White, surprised the rebel garrison at Lexington, and recaptured the place, with the Federal sick and wounded there, together with two pieces of cannon, a quantity of guns, pistols and other articles which the rebels threw away in their flight. The garrison numbered three hundred men. The victorious troops found the inhabitants in a deplorable condition. Some portions of the town had been plundered of everything that could be appropriated, and many persons were suffering for the necessaries of life. It was a painful scene, and formed one of those early pictures of the war which have since been multiplied so fearfully in the border States.

On the 1st of November, General Fremont, then at Springfield, entered into an arrangement with General Price, to facilitate the exchange of prisoners, agreeing to release any who had been made prisoners "for the mere expression of political opinions ;" and providing also that "the war in future be confined exclusively to the armies in the field." Armed bodies, unauthorized by the commanders, were to be disbanded, and persons guilty of violence and lawless acts were to be subject to trial by courts-martial. This agreement was signed by Major Henry W. Williams and D. Robert Barclay, Esq., for General Price, and J. H. Eaton, Assistant-Adjutant-General, for General Fremont. A proclamation, announcing this negotiation, was accordingly published on the first of November.

The next day, General Fremont received from the Department at Washington, an order relieving him from his command. General David Hunter was appointed to the Department of Missouri, temporarily as his successor. General Fremont returned to St. Louis, and soon afterwards reached New York city, where he awaited the orders of the Government.

The Federal army was now withdrawn from the south-western por