Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/393

 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 333 While the Confederates were passing along the river bank a number of acts of heroism were performed ; one of them was the act of a little boy who was attached to Tappan's Ar- kansas Regiment, one of the Confederate or- ganizations, and took part in the retreat of the regiment along the river's bank. As he went he carried two flags, one in each hand. The Arkansas regiment was subjected to a terrific tire from the Union troops, many were killed and many men who were wounded fell into the river ; among those struck was the little boy who bore the flags. He was not frightened by the terrific volley fired into the regiment nor was lie dismayed by the wound he received. He waved the flags over his head, gave one last shout in honor of the flag which he carried and staggered into the river and was drowned. His death, which was witnessed by a great number on both sides, was very greatly deplored by all who saw it. The remaining events of tlie year 1861 in Southeast Jlissouri consisted of skirmishes and desultory fighting. December 11th there was a .skirmish at Bertrand, and on the next day one at Charleston. December 29th Thompson with forty men passed rapidly through Sikeston from Hunter's Farm to Commerce capturing stores and then re- treated to New JIadrid. The year 1862 saw the war carried on in Southeast Missouri about as before. There were no great movements but skirmishes were fought and much property destroyed and suf- fering caused. On January 7th. Col. Purcel with a Union force started frora-Bird's Point to Charleston. Just about daybreak he fell into an ambixsh and lost twenty-two men. The Union forces more and more adopted the plan of sending out expeditions from the places in their possession into the lower coun- ties of the district to seize suspected men and property. Many men who were accused of being bushwhackere and guerillas were shot on these expeditions, some were brought to Cape Girardeau and imprisoned. On Janu- ary 15th of this year three of these expedi- tions were sent out. F. M. Smith led a force to Benton. Capt. Lindsay ilurdoch to Bloom- field, and Maj. Rawalt to Dallas as Marble Hill was then called. On January 23d, two hundred men were sent from Greenville then in possession of the Union forces to St. Franeisville on the St. Francois river. They were beaten in a skir- mish that ensued. On March 23d, Maj. Ra- walt with a detachment of the 7th Illinois made an expedition from Point Pleasant to Little River. Here he fought a skirmish and then fell back to his headquarters. On April 3d, Col. Carlin defeated a Confederate force at Doniphan. He had led an expedition from Pilot Knob. On April 13th Lindsay Murdoch conducted an expedition from Cape Girardeau to Jack- son, Whitewater, and Dallas. No severe fight- ing occurred and no organized resistance en- countered. On March 3d of this year General Pope began the movements which resulted in the capture of the Confederate stronghold at Island No. 10. With a strong force he reached New Ma- drid after a terrible march, March 3d. He found the town strongly defended, and pro- tected by the guns of Confederate gunboats in the river. The situation was such that he was unwilling to risk an assault on the town for he feared that even if it could be carried the fire of the boats would render it impossi- ble to hold it. He determined to lay siege to