150 Years Ago Today:
In Missouri, Brigadier General. M. Jeff Thompson had led a 1500-man force into the southeastern area of the state. He burned the Iron Mountain Railroad bridge, which caused predictable annoyance to the Union side. Two columns of troops were dispatched after the Thompson force. Expecting such a reaction, Thompson set up an ambush.
The first part of the plan worked fairly well, inflicting a number of casualties to the advance Northern troops. But the Union's large advantage in manpower was already making itself apparent. More and more Federals arrived, and one of Thompson's regimental colonels who had waited too long to pull his unit back was killed. The regiment retreated in less than good order, taking serious casualties. This exposed the main Rebel artillery piece, an iron 12-pounder, and a troop of Union cavalry made a charge for the gun. They were driven back by Thompson's main force, but at the cost of revealing the rest of the ambush.
The main body of Union infantry now surged forward, and Thompson could see that he was outnumbered. He ordered a withdrawal, but had to abandon the 12-pounder. Most of his infantry retired in good order, but some of his cavalry was routed. Final losses were 7 killed and about 60 wounded from the Union side, and 25 killed, 40 wounded, and 80 captured from the Confederate side. The Union had re-established control of southeastern Missouri.
In Virginia, however, it was the Northern side that lost a colonel, and with more terrible results. General Stone's attack across the Potomac failed to find a Confederate camp, but finally succeeded in getting the Southerners' attention. Some skirmishing began after noon and gradually built to heavy fighting by 3:00 pm. As the combat increased, Colonel Edward D. Baker crossed the river and took command of most of the Union troops. Unfortunately, Baker tried to concentrate the Federals at, creating a bottleneck as an inadequate number of boats ferried his men across the river just below Ball's Bluff. At about 4:30 pm, a Rebel bullet killed Baker. The Federals began to fall back.
A fresh Confederate regiment (the 17th Mississippi) arrived, and with its aid the Southerners mounted a major assault that turned the Northern retreat into a rout. Tragic scenes took place: some Union soldiers jumped off of hillsides and impaled themselves on the bayonets of the men below, while others desperately tried to climb into the few boats available and overturned them. At least one was being used to carry wounded, and they drowned, unable to swim. It is estimated that 223 Federals were killed, 226 were wounded, and 553 were captured, which was more than half of the 1,700-man force. The Confederates lost 36 killed, 117 wounded, and 2 captured.
Washington was shocked. Some of the drowned men floated down the river and washed up on the banks of the city. More, Colonel Baker had also been one of the Senators from Oregon, serving while Congress was in recess. For the first and so far only time, a sitting U.S. Senator had been killed in action.
Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?
--Victor Hugo
