Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 38.djvu/382

368 of the range of the Federal guns before the other troops could do much effective service in resisting the attack.

When the Confederate commanders realized that they had an enemy in their front and rear. General McOulloch selected the Third Louisiana, led by Colonel Hebert, to repel the attack of Sigel's flanking column, which by this time held a strong position on a hill south of the center of the camp and about one mile from Lyon's camp. The Louisiana troops made a splendid appearance as they marched up that little mountain slope in the face of Sigel's battery. They wore bright, new uniforms of gray and their equipments were the best in General McCulloch's army. The German soldiers on the hill saw the advancing column and they mistook the Louisiana troops for the First Iowa—one of General Lyon's regiments that wore gray uniforms. They thought the attack in front had been successful and that Lyon had broken through the Southern camp. General Sigel watched the advancing column through his glass, and at last exclaimed: "They carry the secession flag." Still his men held their fire. They could not believe that the approaching line, so superb in bearing and equipment, belonged to the Confederate Army. The Pelican Rifles were so unlike the raw recruits Sigel's column had first encountered in the valley below.

The Third Louisiana came close to the admiring Dutch troops before they levelled their guns. A deadly fire then blazed in the faces of Sigel's artillerymen. With a wild battle-cry the gallant soldiers in grey rushed up the hill and captured the battery before a gun could be fired. Sigel's whole column was routed in five minutes. His army became a panic-stricken mob, and every man sought safety in his own way. As the Dutch troops scattered and fled towards the James River the Texas cavalry took up the pursuit, and the daring riders who had done service for years on the Indian frontier now did deadly execution with their carbines and big revolvers.

Sigel was thus quickly put out of the fight. He retreated back to Springfield early in the day, followed by the straggling survivors of his demoralized army.

The Louisiana troops then hurried to the front and joined their Missouri and Arkansas comrades engaged with General