Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 2.djvu/185

 Union troops. Plummer’s battalion of regulars, numbering but two hundred and fifty men, for more than an hour successfully resisted the attack of two Rebel regiments, until their commander fell severely wounded, when they slowly fell back, fighting as they went. Sigel had made a gallant attack upon the Rebel rear and his men fought bravely until they were overwhelmed by greatly superior numbers and driven from the field with heavy loss. And now, for six hours the battle raged all along the lines. Charge after charge by fresh regiments was made upon the Union lines and repulsed. General Lyon had been twice wounded and his horse killed, but cool and undaunted, he issued his orders and cheered on his men to new deeds of valor. No soldiers ever fought more bravely than the First Iowa all through this battle. Greeley’s “American Conflict” says:

“The First Missouri, the First Iowa and the First and Second Kansas Regiments, with Steele’s Regulars, won immortal honor by the persistent and heroic gallantry with which for hours they maintained their ground against immense odds.”

Three companies of the Iowa regiment, H, I and K, were placed in ambush by General Granger of the regulars. Lying down close to the brow of a hill, they waited for another charge of the enemy. Soon it came in overwhelming numbers. Not a sound was heard among the Iowans until the Rebels were within thirty-five or forty feet, when they poured the contents of their muskets into the enemy, routing him, though suffering heavy loss themselves.

General Lyon now ordered a bayonet charge by the First Iowa and Second Kansas regiments and led it himself. “Come on, brave men,” he exclaimed, and they again charged the enemy, as the gallant Lyon fell mortally wounded.

The command now devolved upon Major Sturgis. For half an hour the combat ceased, while each army was