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The Methodist and Episcopal clergymen were also sent
North as prisoners; they refused to take the oath of allegiance.
It was thought that a sojourn in the North, which they had preached
against with so much malignancy, would be good for them. One
of our prisons would be a suitable place to correct their insanity,
which had turned all their ideas of theology into rebellion.
It is hoped they will return wiser and better men, and obtain
some new stock ideas for sermons. The pastor of the Presbyterian
Church took the oath of allegiance, and continued loyal to the
end. He was therefore undisturbed in his administrations, and
the soldiers gave him a well filled sanctuary every Sabbath.
On the morning of the 30th the peace
and quiet of our camps were disturbed by the appearance of the
enemy, who had been concentrating at Grand Junction preparatory
to an attack upon the troops at Bolivar. The rebel force was
commanded by Generals Price, Van Dorn and Armstrong. Some colored
men, who have in all cases proved loyal, and friends to the Union
army, came into camp, informing us that the rebels were in force
and within five miles of Bolivar. General Leggett, in order to
ascertain the truth of the matter, took the mule cavalry, which
he had selected from the Seventy-Eighth and Twentieth Ohio, fifty
in number, and had used them for scouting purposes; he also took
companies E and C, of the Seventy-Eighth, and H and G, of the
Twentieth Ohio, and started upon a reconnoisance. He had gone
but a short distance beyond our picket lines till he met the enemy's
advance. The mounted infantry dismounted and opened the fight;
the rebels retreated slowly to their main force, our men vigorously
following. Some of the Twentieth Ohio were killed, and several
wounded of the Seventy-Eighth, Stopher, of Company H, severely.
The two companies of the Seventy-Eighth deployed as skirmishers
on the right of the road, the Twentieth on the left, and two companies
of cavalry with the mounted infantry upon the road, but the mule
cavalry, or mounted infantry, were afterwards sent to guard the
flanks, and picket the road leading into the main thoroughfare
to Bolivar. Here some of them were pursued by a large body of
the enemy's cavalry, and came nearly being captured.
A messenger was dispatched to Bolivar for reinforcements;
the Seventy-Eighth and Twentieth Ohio left with all possible dispatch,
and hurried on the double-quick, but did not reach our advance
in proper time for effective work. When the rebel skirmishers
fell back to the main force, we had nothing but a thin skirmish
line to oppose about four thousand men; they soon repulsed our
cavalry, and a heavy column charged upon E and C, of the Seventy-Eighth,
but the heavy vollies from the Enfields checked the advance, and
twenty were unhorsed the first volley. A heavy fence intervened,
and in their attempt to cross it repeatedly, from eight to twenty
vollies were poured into them, which caused them to abandon the
effort and retreat, but they moved round upon the flank of the
left, and charged upon the two companies of the Twentieth Ohio,
who were posted in an open field, and surrounded them, taking
nearly all prisoners. The two companies of the Seventy-Eighth
Ohio were nearly surrounded, but by the dexterity of Colonel Wiles,
then Captain of Company C, were saved by wading a swamp and passing
through cornfields, piloted by one of the faithful colored men
who was acquainted with all the ravines and places of retreat
between that and Bolivar.
Toward evening companies E and C, supposed by all
to be taken prisoners, returned to camp and were received with
many cheers; only one was missing, and he returned next morning.
All that night he lay concealed, the rebels passing near and
around him frequently; he could hear their conversation, being not
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