Bloody Engagements by John R. Kelso

Author:John R. Kelso
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780300227772
Publisher: Yale University Press

7. A Defeat and a Victory

May to July 1862

After our return from Linn Creek, we again remained in camp training. We were then ordered to Neosho, a large town about eighty miles distant in a south-westerly direction.1 The men were armed with old style muzzle-loading muskets, totally unfit for the use of cavalry men. Our horse equipments were such old saddles, bridles, &c. as we had been able to bring from home for our own use. Armed and equipped thus, even veterans would have labored under fearful disadvantages in a battle. Raw recruits, like our men, armed and equipped thus, and commanded, as we were, by an officer in whose skill no one had any faith; and who, many believed, was even capable of selling us to the enemy,—raw recruits, I repeat, thus situated were simply doomed to defeat and demoralization, if they met any enemy at all. Our Colonel, however, had just received his commission, and had just donned a pair of straps that had eagles on them. And now, like Don Quixote when he attacked the windmills, our doughty Colonel was burning to win for his own brows the laurels of the conqueror. He said: “The name of my Mountain Rangers will be sufficient to scare Col. Coffee and Gen. Standwaite out of the country.”2 And yet, as I have just shown, his “Mountain Rangers,” as he called his men, were as yet, little more than a mob. No matter how brave they were, they were not in a condition to fight.

In a letter written to my wife on the 6th of June, after our return to Springfield, I briefly described the principal events of this expedition. I will, therefore, give the letter:

My Dear Susie:—Once more at Springfield, I find your kind letters of the 26th ult. and the 1st inst. waiting me. I am very glad to hear that you are doing so well as you are. I approve of all you have done, and I approve of your wish to visit your people. I do not as yet, however, see how you can make that visit. It seems almost useless for you to come back to a country in which men are almost daily shot down at their plows or in their own yards. Refugee families are passing daily on the roads, from the counties below this, and serious alarms occur even here. So soon as I receive any money, I will come to see you, and then we will conclude what to do. Try to bear all your trials like a little philosopher as you really are. I am at Jack McElhany’s now. Himself and family are all well, and all rejoiced to see me again.

On last Monday we marched to Mount Vernon. There we met some other forces, and, with them, marched to Neosho.3 While on our way, I was sent out in command of a scouting party of the men and had some interesting adventures which I will relate when I see you. We took several prisoners, horses, and guns.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.