CAIRO.

The most important strategic point in the West at this time was the city of Cairo, situated at the extreme southern point of the State of Illinois, at the junction of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, where the latter river separates it from Missouri, and the former from Kentucky. It completely commands both streams, and in a military point of view may be properly considered as the key to what is usually denominated "the Great North-west."

The Illinois Central railroad connects it with Chicago, the greatest grain city of the world-with Lake Michigan, and the chain of lakes, and with the vast net work of railroads that branch from thence eastward. On the Missouri bank of the Mississippi river, two miles distant, is Ohio city, the initial point of the Cairo and Fulton railroad, designed to be extended to the Red river, in Arkansas, and thence to Galveston, in Texas. Twenty miles below, on the Kentucky side of the same giant river, is Columbus, which was soon after occupied and fortified by the rebel troops.

As soon as General Lyon was vested with supreme command in Missouri, one of his first steps was to order a body of Federal troops to take possession of Cairo, under General Prentiss, who immediately proceeded thither, with 6,000 men, and commenced fortifying the place.

On the 28th of May, Bird's Point, on the Missouri side of the river, a commanding position, was also occupied, by direction of General Lyon, by the Fourth Missouri Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Schuttner.

On the 11th of June, Governor Jackson, at his own instance, accompanied by General Price, had an interview with General Lyon and Colonel Blair at St. Louis, when he requested that the United States troops should be withdrawn from the soil of Missouri. General Lyon, as well as Colonel Blair, were equally blind to the advantages of this movement, and could not be made to see how the Government or the State of Missouri could be benefitted by a surrender of the field to the secessionists. Jackson and Price, finding their negotiations altogether vain, and under a previous arrangement that they were not to be arrested or interfered with before the 12th, returned to Jefferson City on the same night, and prepared for an immediate hostile demonstration. General Lyon, convinced that the only effective treatment demanded by the occasion consisted in an instant arrest of the conspirators, if possible, started up the river, and occupied Jefferson City on the 15th, the place having been abandoned by the rebels. On the 16th, he started in pursuit of Price and Jackson, and on the 17th landed about four miles below Boone

ville, where their forces were collected, and had resolved to make a stand.

BATTLE OF BOONEVILLE.

JUNE 17, 1861.

The enemy were exceedingly well posted, having had every advantage in the selection of their position. They occupied the summit of the ground, which rises upward from the river in a long slope, and were prepared to give the loyal troops a warm reception. General Lyon opened a heavy cannonade against the rebels, who retreated and dispersed into the adjacent wood, where, hidden by bushes and trees, they opened a brisk fire on his troops.

Arriving at the brow of the ascent, Captain Totten renewed the engagement by throwing a few nine-pounder explosives into their ranks, while the infantry filed oblique right and left and commenced a terrible volley of musketry, which was, for a short time, well replied to. The enemy were posted in a lane running towards the river from the road along which the army of the United States were advancing, and in a brick house on the north-east corner of the junction of the two roads. A couple of bombs were thrown through the east wall of that house, scattering the rebels in all directions. The well-directed fire of the German infantry, Lieutenant-Colonel Schaeffer, on the right, and General Lyon's company of regulars and part of Colonel Blair's regiment on the left of the road; soon compelled the enemy to seek a safer position. They clambered over the fence into a field of wheat, and again formed in line just on the brow of the hill. They then advanced some twenty steps to meet the Federal troops, and for a short time the artil. lery was worked with great rapidity and effect. Just at this time the enemy opened fire from a grove on the left of Lyon's centre, and from a shed beyond and still further to the left.

General Lyon halted, faced his troops about, and bringing his artillery to bear, opened fire on the rebels, and after a short engagement, killed thirty-five and took thirty prisoners, while the remainder fled in all directions, leaving many of their guns on the field. This accomplished, the General moved forward and took possession of the town. Neither General Price nor Governor Jackson were on the field of battle, though the latter was a spectator, and took an early opportunity to withdraw.

On the 17th of June, Colonel Boernstein was appointed Military Governor at Jefferson City, including Cole and the adjoining counties, the Governor and officers of the State having fled. Colonel Boernstein, on being questioned as to how long he should remain, replied, "I don't know, perhaps a year; so long as the Governor chooses to stay away.

I am Governor now, you see, till he comes back!" His idea of freedom of speech and the press he expressed freely, like this: "All people zall speak vot dey tink, write vot dey pleazhe, and be free to do any tink dey pleazhe-only dey zall speak and write no treason!”

The loyal people of the State now entered with zeal into the work of defence. Union Home Guards were organized at Hannibal, Herman, Rolla, Potosi, and many other places, and troops stationed at various points, of which two thousand five hundred kept guard over the Hannibal and St. Joseph, and one thousand over the North Missouri railroad; three thousand took their position also at Rolla, on the southwest branch of the Pacific railroad.

At Booneville, on the 18th, General Lyon issued a proclamation, in which he exposed the misrepresentations of the conspirators. The views they had endeavored to inculcate, that the United States would overrun the State with "military despotism," and "destroy State rights," were pronounced false-the glaring inconsistencies of the secessionists exposed, and all malcontents solicited to return to their allegiance to the old flag.

On the same day, eight hundred Union Home Guards, under Captain Cooke, at Camp Cole, were surprised and routed by a body of rebels from Warsaw. Twenty-five were killed, fifty-two wounded, and twentythree taken prisoners. The rebel loss was forty-five killed and wounded. At this time, Colonel Siegel, General Sweeney, and Colonel Brown, with their commands, were in the south-western part of the State, keeping the insurgents at bay.

General Price and Jackson were employed in raising all the turbulent elements of the State, and rallying followers to their standard. They were also greatly inspirited in their labors by the rumor that Ben. McCulloch was approaching with eight or ten thousand men to aid them in the overthrow of the government. On the 3d of July, General Lyon left Booneville with two thousand men, for the south-west. General Sweeney, who was in command of the south-west expedition, at Springfield, published a proclamation to the people, inviting them to remain loyal, and warning all rebels to disperse, take the oath of allegiance, and escape the penalties of their lawless career.

BATTLE OF CARTHAGE.

JULY 4, 1861.

Colonel Siegel arrived at Springfield on the 23d of June, and there learned that the rebel troops, under Jackson, were making their way southwardly through Cedar county. He immediately proceeded with

his command, numbering over a thousand men, and a small field battery, towards Mount Vernon, for the purpose of intercepting him. On arriving at that point, he learned that General Price, in command of one thousand two hundred of the State troops, was encamped at Neosho, the county seat of Newton county, situated in the south-west corner of the State. His object there was to prevent Jackson going south, or Price going north. He appears to have decided to move southwardly and capture Price if possible, and afterwards attend to the Governor. As he neared Neosho, on the 30th, the reports began to come 'n of the strength of Price, until his force was swelled to thirty-five hundred men, including Arkansas volunteers. The inhabitants expressed their welcome for Colonel Siegel, and detailed the most pitiable accounts of the oppression of the rebel soldiers.

On the 1st of July, the entire force entered the town without opposition, and encamped there, the enemy having retreated.

On the 2d, Colonel Siegel, learning that the forces of Price, Rains and Jackson had united at Dry Fork Creek, eight miles from Carthage, and having communicated with and received orders from Brig. Gen. Sweeney, proceeded at once to attack them. He took up his line of march on the 3d, and on the morning of the 4th came upon the enemy, who were in great force.

The Federal command was about one thousand two hundred strong, including part of Colonel Salomon's regiment. They met the enemy in camp on an open prairie, three miles beyond Dry Fork, and after approaching within eight hundred yards, took position. The artillery was placed in the front; two six-pounders on the left, two six and two twelve-pounders in the centre, and two six-pounders on the right.

The fight commenced about half-past nine, the balls and shells of the enemy flying over the Union troops, and exploding in the open prairie. At eleven o'clock the rebel twelve-pounders were silenced, and much disorder visible. About two o'clock the enemy's cavalry having attempted to outflank the Federal troops, they fell back upon their baggage trains to prevent their capture, Colonel Siegel changing his front. Proceeding in their retreat without serious casualty, they reached Dry Fork Creek, where eight hundred rebel cavalry had concentrated to cut them off; but a cross fire of canister and shrapnell soon broke their ranks, and they fell into wild confusion. Thence the Federal troops proceeded toward Carthage. Just before entering the town, Siegel posted three companies at Buck Creek, while the residue, in two columns, made a circuit around the town, the artillery pouring in a welldirected fire on the pursuing enemy. Night was approaching as the retreating army passed through Carthage, while the rebel horsemen withdrew to the woods on the Mount Vernon road.

Colonel Sigel, notwithstanding the great fatigue of the day—his men having been in action nearly twelve hours, and suffering severely from the heat and from lack of water-ordered his men to press on in retreat from Carthage. A forced march was made to Sarcoxie, in the southeast corner of Jasper county, (Carthage being the county seat,) a distance of twelve or fourteen miles. There they went into camp at three o'clock Saturday morning. In the afternoon of the next day, the retreat was continued to Mount Vernon, in Lawrence county, sixteen or eighteen miles east of Sarcoxie, where Siegel took a stand, and where his headquarters were located.

The Union loss was thirteen killed and thirty-one wounded; while, according to the most reliable accounts, the loss of the enemy could not have been less than three hundred in killed and wounded, and forty-five prisoners.

BATTLE AT MONROE, MO.

JULY 10, 1861.

Before daylight, on the morning of the 10th, Colonel Smith, with about six hundred men of the Sixteenth Illinois Volunteers, while encamped near Monroe Station, thirty miles west of Hannibal, was attacked by one thousand six hundred rebels under the command of Governor Harris. After a successful skirmish with the enemy, Colonel Smith retired to the Academy buildings for greater security. Here he was again attacked by an increased force of the rebels, and again succeeded in repulsing them. Determined on keeping them at bay, he sent messengers to Hannibal and other places for reinforcements, while the longrange rifles of his men told with fearful effect on his besiegers, and rendered two inferior pieces of artillery which they had brought to bear on him of but little use.

Three companies from Hannibal arrived first to the rescue, with two pieces of cannon of superior power to that of the enemy, and Colonel Smith immediately assumed the offensive. Toward evening, a body of cavalry under the command of Governor Wood, of Illinois, arrived and fell upon the rear of the enemy, when the struggle soon ended, and the rebel besiegers fled, with a loss of thirty killed and wounded, seventyfive prisoners, one gun, and a large number of horses. Of the Union troops, but four or five were severely wounded-none killed.