I then met Capt. Powers for the first time since he left us in the south rifle pit
when he went to get orders for us to retire to the fort. Sometime late in the evening, he
received a slug sidewise on his right shoulder blade, from which he was then suffering
much pain. He sent me his sword and revolver, as soon as he got hurt. Then how badly I
felt! Lieut. Tate gone; Lieut. Settle perhaps a prisoner or killed; and I had to take
command of old Company H! Then came supper. Mine was one hard tack and a good
slice of raw fat bacon! For one time in life, I could eat raw fat bacon! It actually tasted
sweet! This was the last square (?) meal we got until we reached Leasburg. We ate our
suppers and then wiped out our foul guns and thought we could then take a little rest,- but
as darkness closed down over us, save that big pile of charcoal (all a live coal of fire
then) Gen. Ewing sent me an order to send a commissioned officer and 20 men to patrol
Pilot Knob town! I didn’t have them! While I was puzzling over the problem, in walked
Lieut. Settle and his 20 men! Just the boys I was looking for! They grubbled a little, but
went along to duty. Lieut. Settle said when they came down off of Shepherd’s Mt. they
came among a lot of camp fires, thinking they were among our boys, but as once
discovered that they were tight among the “Johnnies”. He said he and Capt. Milks then
just kept ahead as tho’ they were going forward to watch the Yankees, and the rebels
never even spoke to them, and they said it was light enough to have seen a pin on the
ground! So they all got safely into the fort. They had to lay low, as they were
completely surrounded and cut off, but were not discouraged!
Yours truly,
H. C. Wilkinson
Damon, Mo.
Letter No. 19
RETREAT TO LEASBURG
Dear Doctor:-
While the great-little battle of Pilot Knob was a great trial,- we are now going to
tell of a still greater trial that surely told the kind of material of which the men and
oficers, who were engaged in it, were made. It was the crucible of greater heat than the
battle.
Sometime after Lieut. Settle and his twenty men and gone over to patrol Pilot
Knob town, I went over to visit them to see how things were. As I Passed out of the fort
gate, I saw the ambulance and the attendants with lanterns, driving over the battle field,
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moving the dead and taking up the wounded. It was a sad sight indeed, to see so many
men, and
American citizens too,- all bloody, dead, wounded and dying,- shot by American citizens!
They surely were brave men but were then suffering the penalty of following the wrong
lead. They were engaged in a mistaken cause. One poor fellow who lay somw where
near the present site of the Pilot Knob Depot, was hollowing as loud as he could,-
evidently he was suffering great pain. Others could be heard growning, praying and
others cursing.
A marquee had been pitched in the northeast corner of the fort for Gen. Ewing’s
convenience as head quarters, into which he called the company commanders and field
officers and others, in a council of war. Capt. Powers was amongst the number,- and as
nearly as is possible, I will tell of what transpired in this council of war, as related to me
by Capt. Powers in after years. When the officers and assembled, Gen. Ewing addressed
them about as follows: “Well, gentlemand and officers, my orders from Gen. Roseer as
were to remain at Pilot Knob until I had ascertained that Gen. Price was actually in
command of this raid, in person; and when I had ascertained that fact; to at once evacuate
Pilot Knob, without a battle, and fall back on Gen. A. J. Smith at De Soto. This
information I never officially obtained until to-day at eleven o’clock. At that hour, you
officers all full well know that to evacuate Pilot Knob and to reach Gen. Smith at De “Sto
in safety, was utterly out of the question, as Joe Shelby, at that hour, occupied Mineral
Point and Potosi, had Pilot Knob was surrounded with Price’s army. We have fought
them to-day and repulsed them with fearful loss to the rebels, while our losses have been
comparatively light. On to-morrow, if Price renews the attack, I have ammunition
enough to last but about half the day for the guns, and when we have expended the last
shot, we will then of necessity by compelled to surrender,- and after we surrender, you all
full well know that many of you officers and your men will be murdered. Now, the
question is,- Shall we organize and sally and attempt to cut our way through their lines
and risk the consequences of attempting to reach Gen. Smith,- or shall weremain and risk
another day’s fight? If we sally and succeed in cutting our way out and succeed in
reaching Gen. Smith at De Soto, I will then have carried out my orders.”
Capt. Powers said that after due deliberation, it was the unanimous conclusion
that it would be best to make the attempt to reach Gen. Smith at De Soto. I think it was
cometime after midnight, or perhaps one o’clock, when Capt. Powers called me aside,
and in a very low tone, ordered me to call together all of Company K what could be
found, and to go to the old guard house corral where our horses were for safety, and, as
far as possible, to get and saddle our own company horses, but if we failed to mount the
company on our own horses, to “get horses” until all were mounted! I then asked him if
we were going out on a scout or patrol duty, so I would know how to prepare the men.
He then whispered in my ear these awful words, “We are going to evacuate!” I said
something like “H--l fire!” I must now confess that at that moment I would have felt but
little worse if I had then seen my last “box” coming in at the fort gate! Until that
moment, not the shadow of a thought had entered my mind that we ould ever evacuate
Pilot Knob! I thought that if we had give old “pap” Price such an awful thrashing that
day, why could we not give him a worse one on the morrow? In fact, if Gen. Ewing and
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“Dave” Murphy said so, I knew we could! That was Company H’s conclusion. Like the
girl said, when asked if she didn’t want to go to heaven she said, “I’d rather stay where
I’m better acquainted.” We were then “well acquainted” with old Fort Davidson and his
rifle pits; but we were not at all acquainted with evacuation and this cutting-our-way-out
business. However, I at once set about obeying the order, instructing the men to take all
of their effects, as much as possible, but several of the boys borrowed (?) horses! As
soon as all were ready, we formed near the fort gate, facing south. Then things began to
move in the fort. O, that great live fire coal, over there by the now burnt furnace
building! I could have read coarse print! I could see as well to “line up” the company, as
in the brightest moonshine. Col. Thos. C. Fletcher led the infantry down and out through
the sally port into the deep moat, then wound in the moatto the north rifle pit, then north
along in it to the church building at the north end of the rifle pit where they formed in the
friendly shadow of the church building, Capt. Jas. S. McMurtry taking the advance. Then
we saw Capt. Montgomery bringing his guns out over the muffled draw bridge, but no
caissons, nor the magazine wagon, for want of horses to draw them. Company G, 1st M.
S. M. Inft. then fell in behind the hindermost gun. Then Company H, 47th Mo. Next to
Company G, and I think the most of the 3rd M. S. M. Cavalry were just behind the
Infantry led by Col. Flletcher. All being ready, we at once moved out on the Caledonia
Road, to the northwest, around the western base of Cedar Mountain. Capt. Powers
commanded the rear. It was almost like we were then marching in prosession to our own
funerals! Not a single toot of a bugle was heard, and no loud commands were given.
Then the men rode in silence, which was very unusual with our cavalryt boys.
I then began to wonder how soon we would begin that “cutting-our-way-out”
business, and how we would come out in the end, as I had never been in a “cuttint out
fight”. It was now near two o’clock in the morning. Then as we were passing the “Gum
spring” about three-quarters of a mile from the old fort, I could see theenemy’s camp
fires over to our left, not a bit over 75 to 80 yards us! They appeared to be camped in
bivaue, as their fires were in line, facing the fort, and just look at the men passing hither
and thither amoung the fires! When in profile, we could see their noses in the firelight! I
thought they were rather late getting supper. Some said they were on our right also, but I
saw a few more on the left than I cared to look at. I wondered what in the world is the
reason that firing don’t begin at the head of our column? Well, it did’t begin though!!!
Old Comrade John Woodmancy afterwards told me that when their picket challenged just
ahead of our advance, that the reply was given, “Confederate troops changing position!”
That of course, was a “Military truth(?)” “A Military necessity” just then. While we
were yet passing through the rebel lines, Capt. Powers said to me in a very low tone,
“There will be a big light back yonder directly”. As I turned in my saddle to lok back
toward the old fort, not comprehending what was his meaning, I “saw indeed the light”
and felt the ground shake beneath us. One mightly flash that arose far above the
surrounding mountains and a mighty crash as though the very earth had burst to swallow
us, when Price would-not come! I could see the shells bursting as they went up, up, up to
the very clouds! The force was so tremendous that it hurled great square timbers from
the magazine, some a half mile and some three-quarters of a mile away. Solid shot,
grape, cannister and unexploded shells were scattered every where, far and near. There
were a few fellows left in the fort, sound asleep, and no one to wake them, until this bit
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“Irish wake” came along. Of course, they were “buried alive”! One old fellow,- a
cobb;er tao;er.- and lived in Pilot Knob and kept his cobble shop, who was with us in the
battle, afterwards told us that “I vas acshleebp, und I vas done peen perriel uop! I doss
schradeh oudt mit mine fingers!” Yes, our magazine, flag and all went up in the flash of
about twenty tons of gun powder.
The 3rd M. S. M. Boys, who remained behing to light the fuse connected with the
owder in the magazine, soon came up with us and we passed the remainder of the night
comparatively quiet, until near Caledonia sometime about, or after sun up. As we
approached Caledonia, a portion of the 14th Iowa, Company E 47th Mo. And our cavalry
boys, except Company H 47th Mo., yet in charge of the rear, were assigned to make the
advance. Comrade Jas. F. Johnson told me that as they dashed into Caledonia, they saw
no rebels, but saw several horses with saddles on, hitched near a saloon and as they came
up, the rebels ran out of the saloon and made for their horses. Our boys charged, firing as
they advanced,- some of the rebels got hurt, some escaped, some probably killed and
some two or three were captured,- one of which was a dispatch bearer from Shelby to
Price. Comrade Johnson said the dispatch was Shelby’s reply to Price’s orders, which
read about as follows: “I will be at Pilot Knob by ten o’clock to-day”. Shelby had
marched from Fredericktown by way of Farmington, to Mineral Point, 25 miles north of
Pilot Knob, on the day before, burning the railway bridges, and captuiring our wagon
train in charge of Lieut. Tate and some E. M. At Mineral Point, one of whom was old
Comrade Ben. F. Woodruff, now P. M. At Hendrickson, Butler Co., Mo. His wife told
me some four or five years ago, that she went to Webster next day after we left there, to
look amoung the murdered Union men, those who were killed by Shelby and
Marmaduke, for her husband, not then knowing that he had been made prisoner. The
number killed at Webster were twelve men,- shot down like dags!
Thence he moved west to Potose, three miles from Mineral Point. At Potosi, some
of the citizens showed some resistance and Shelby opened on the court house with his
stwo guns, cutting some ugly holes in it. A month afterwards, I saw the holes, notably the
holes in the thick wooden defense of the upper windows, which the citizens and militia
had placee there with sufficient cracks for loop-holes. There were some tow or three
citizens killed in front of the court house,- one of whom was Lieut. Col. Walker, of the
old 8th Prov. E. M. M. Thr rebels captured in Caladeonia made light of our little band, as
they said Shelby would soon “gobble us up!” They said Shelby was not far northof us, as
Price, not being able to whip us at Pilot Knob, or course, and ordered Shelby to close in
on us by the Caledonia road.
As Company K ride into Caledonia, the prisoners had just been put in charge of
Capt. Losergan’s colored troops. I noticed one fellow in particular. He had black hari
that reached his shoulder, a broad-brimmed white hat, like the cow-boy hat, coat black,
and the points of the tail reached half way below his knees. His pants were of a cloudy
color,- and had once been of fine cloth, and I certainly believe I could have slipped either
leg of his pants over by body! If his legs would have fit his pants, he certainly would
have been “Goliath No. 2” or “Os, King of Bashan”.
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By the time we came up, the head of our column was well on its way west on the
road towards Steelville, capturing these fellows in Caledonia, revealed the fact that
Shelby then obstructed our only road to Gen. Smith at De Soto. His (Shelby’s) forces,
numbering from 3000 to 5000 men, and ours then near 800, or perhaps less. I afterwards
learned that when the fellows who escaped at Caledonia, reported to Shelby, it caused
Shelby to at once halt and fall back to Potosi, not being able to make us out, as be
supposed Price had us cooped up at Pilot Knob. Our vigorus push into Caledonia caused
Shelby to rather suspect that somehow, Gen. Smith with the 16th Army Corps had swung
in below him, and if so, he was in a “bad box” and had better fall back.
Now, we must make Rollz, if possible. The day wore along as we were weary,
sleepy and hungry. Horse swapping (?) now began, as many others had done as
Company H was instructed,- “get horses”. Several of Company H were soon set afoot.
Others were set afoot to find some one else on his horse. There was no repector of
person,- officers as well as men must change or dismount, at the order of privates.