Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/389

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 329 they killed one, wounded five and captured thirteen. On August 20th, there was a skir- mish fought at Charleston between the forces under Jason H. Hunter and the 22ud Illi- nois Infantry under Colonel Daugherty. Hunter was defeated and retreated to the main body of Thompson's force where he was placed under arrest for having violated or- ders. He had been instructed that he was not to fight a superior force, but only to dis- cover the position of the enemy. Other skirmishes were fought during these months when each side was straining every nerve to make preparation for the great con- flict which men were beginning to see was in- evitable. On August 2, 1861, B. Gratz Bro-vn, then in command at Ironton, made an ad- vance towai-d Centerville in Reynolds county. When near Centerville a body of Confeder- ates was found with whom a severe skirmish was fought. The Union forces then fell back toward Ironton. On August 11th, a skirmish was fought at Potosi between Captain AVhlte of Frederick- town and the Potosi Home Guards. On August 15th. John ]IaeDona!d of the Eighth Missouri made an expedition to Ste. Genevieve, captured the town, seized the money of the bank and carried it to St. Louis. August 19th, Col. Daugherty with Illinois troops fought a skirmish near Charleston with Confederates and defeated them. On the same date a skirmish was fought at Fish Lake near Charleston in which the Union forces were victorious. It was the plan of the forces of the Fed- eral army to make invasion into the southern part of the state from their headquarters at St. Louis. The first of these was made in July, 1861. A regiment under command of B. Gratz Brown was sent from St. Louis with orders to take possession of the town of Pilot Knob, which was then the terminus of the St. Louis & Iron IMountain Railroad. This was accomplished and Brown remained there with his forces until August 8th, when he was relieved by the 21st Illinois Regiment under command of Colonel U. S. Grant. Grant was at this time holding a colonel's commission; he had been appointed Brigadier-General, but had not received his commission. While he was staying at Pilot Knob he made his head- quarter at the house of Colonel James Lind- say, now the property of Judge J. W. Em- erson. It was here that he received his com- mission as a general. It was brought to him while he was standing under one of the great trees in the 3'ard, and this spot is now marked by a monument erected by the members of this regiment. It was Grant's intention to begin a forward movement against General Hardee, but about the time he was ready to move he wa.s relieved by General B. M. Pren- tiss. General Grant was then put in com- mand of the district of Southeast IMissom-i which also included southern Illinois. On being appointed to the connnaud of this district. General Grant established tempo- rary headquarters at Cape Girardeau where he remained for only a few days, then remov- ing to Cairo, Illinois. Cape Girardeau had been taken possession of by Colonel ]Iarsh with the 20th Illinois Regiment in July. Here he built four forts and named them A, B, C and D, commanding the approaches to the town on all sides. Fort A was on the high bluff near the Union Mill, now occupied as a residence site by I. B. Miller and James Rey- nolds. Fort B was situated on the hill where the Normal School now stands. This site is marked by a cannon presented to the school by the U. S. government. Fort C was at the south end of Sprigg street where there were small earth works, and Fort D was on the