AMERICA.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 418, 25 October 1861, Page 2

AMERICA.

{From.the Sydney Herald's City Correspondent.)

BATTLE OF MISSOURI. [This news not in London papers yet. 26th August] . Liverpool, Sunday, 25th August. The royal mail r steam. ship Africa, Captain Shannon, arrived m the Mersey, at two o'clock this afternoon. She brings New York advices to the 14th instant., ,

An important battle had occurred at Springfield Missouri. The New York Herald of the 14th' instant gives the following details:—

' The most important news from the seat of war f which we have to record to-day comes from' Missouri, where the gallant General Lyon has been contending in the south-western portion of that State with an immense force of the rebels;' and this news, we regret to say, tells of the death of General Lyon and the retreatof his army. 'It will be remembered that, on the Bth instant, General Lyon had a fight with his advance guard and that of the rebels under Ben M'Culloch, at Day Spring, near Springfield, where he endeavored to draw the latter out of his shelter in the woods. It appears from official intelligence received from Major-General Fremont, at St. LouisL from one of General Lyon's aides, that the fight was renewed on the 10th, at half-past six o'clock. Three columns of the Union forces, respectively commanded by General Lyoti, General Siegel. and Major Sturgess, numbering in all 8000, being engaged on one side, and a body of rebels, under General M'Culloch and General Price, numbering. 23,000, on the other. The battle took place at, ;Davis Creek, abont nine miles south-east of Springfield. Against this immensely superior force, which was composed of regiments from Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Texas, the troops of General Lyon were still able to maintain their ground, and pressed the enemy back to their encampment on Wilson's Creek, which General Siegel actually occupied for the night; but fearing a flank movement of the rebels, he withdrew his small force.

'General Lyon was killed while charging at the head of his column. The engagement was a severe one. Eight hundred of the Union troops are reported killed and wounded. The loss of the rebels was very heavy, and is said to include Generals M'Culloch and Price. AU the tents and wagons of the rebels were lost. ' General Siegel effected a retreat to Springfield in good order, and from there fell back on Rolla, ' the terminus of the south-west branch of the Pacific Railroad, leaving only one gun behind on the field. He captured ninety prisoners, and brought back as a trophy the horse and sword of Ben M'Cullooh, together with 25,000 dollars id specie from the Springfielckhank. ' At last report there was no appearance of pur- . suit on Siegel's retreating columns, and his army was considered safe.

' The report of the rebel loss has been confirmed by the statements of- prisoners taken, arid their numbers have been ascertained from the muster rolls found on the field. - - - • .

'A despatch, confirming the account of the battle, and the death of General Lyon, was received yesterday at the War Department from General. Fremont.'

A telegram, dated St. Louis, August 13, says:— 'In consequence of the recent special trains on the South West Branch, and the extensive preparations made, here for sending reinforcements to General Siegel, no trains came from Rolla to-night. Nothing further has been received from Springfield. The police office was taken possession of this evening by the United States authorities, arid '* special orders issued to place the Home Guards under arms at the various armouries, to be prepared for any emergency. The city is quiet now, and no,apprehensions of disturbance are felt. It : is understood General Fremont will declare mar- - tial law to-morrow. A loan of 250,000 dollars was effected from our banks to-day, by General Fre- * mont. Heavy siege guns are being mounted to command the various approaches to the city. It is stated that General Siegel would have lost '-■ another gun had he not compelled the prisoners to drag it off the field.' " ' '

No military movement of importance had taken place at Washington. Orders had been issued from the navy depart- _ ment for the construction of five out of the twelve steam gunboats authorised by Congress. Charles J. Faulkner, of Virginia, lately United ' States minister to France, had been arrested at Washington by the.Provost Martial, on a charge ■ of treason. The charge is based on acts committed - at Paris, in purchasing arms for the seceded States While representing the United States Government, and endeavoring to procure the recognition '. of the Southern Confederacy by the Government of France. Mr. Faulkner was sent jail by order of the Secretary of War, and a formal examination would take place immediately. } The appropriations made by the late Congress for the support of the war amounted to 259,676,990 ; dollars/ ' .

Major-General Wood had been ordered to Fort Monroe to supersede General Butler in command of that post. Th Neio York Herald makes the following strange statement:—

' The offer made by Garibaldi to. our - Govern* ment of his services has been acceptedj and he ia to receive the rank of Major-General in our army. His name and presence will be of immense value to the Union cause. They will prove to the English and French Governments that it has the sympathy ofthe friends of human freedom throughout the world, and that any interference in favor ofthe South will expose them to a severe retribution at their bauds.'

; The following European consular appointments i had been made:— ;. >t,

To Glasgow, John S. Prettiman, of Delaware; I to Londonderry, Thomas M'Cunn, of New York ; & to Revel, Henry B. Stacy, of Vermont; to Paris, " John Bigelow, of New York; to Leghorn/: Andrew J. Stevens; to Amsterdam, F. J. Klanzes. Information received from St. Thomas's state that the notorious privateers Sumter and Jeff.".;'Davia were located, the former at Curacoa, and the latter at St. John's, Porto Rico. It is stated that there are 271,000 Secession troops in the state of Virginia. ' ■. I The Minister of the Interior was about to pay a visit to New York, in order to attend a meeting of the United States Marshals, to confer with them as to the best means of more effectually suppressing the slave trade.

DETAILS OF THE BATTLE.

(From the New York Times,: August 14 j rr. ™ Washington, Tuesday, August J3. ; .The War Department to-day received a dcs, patch from Mapr.Geoerai Fremont, savin*, arao,P£ otf w tluogs, that Genei^ tyooV j$ $ %

•- " ■" "ir- ' 'T i i"-- ■■■'>'- ■ ■"*T., 1 ,:,:f ;■' '*—^ ports an engagement, with a severe loss on both Bides, and that General Lyon was killed. General Siegel was in command, and retiring in good order from Springfield towards Rolla. The following is the official report received tonight by' General Scott;— Head Quarters Western Department, St. Louis, August 13th, 1861. Colonel E. D. Townsend. General Lyon, in three columns under himself, General Siegel and Sturges, attacked the enemy at half-past six o'clock on the morning of the 10th, nine miles south-east, of Springfield. The engagement was severe. Our loss was about 800 killed and wounded. General Lyon was killed in a charge at the head of his column. Our force was 8000, including 2000 Home Guards. The musterroll reported taken from the enemy gives their forces at 23,000, including regiments from Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi, with the lexan Rangers and Cherokee half-breeds. This statement is corroborated by prisoners. Their loss is reported as heavy, including Generals M'Culloch and Price. Their tents and waggons were destroyed in the action. General Siegel left one gun on the field, and retreated to Springfield, whence, at three o'clock on the morning of the 11th, he continued his retreat on Rolla, bringing up his baggage trains and 250,000 dollars in specie from the Springfield, Bank. J. C. Fremont, Major-General Commanding. St Louis, Tuesday, August 13. The following is the official report of the fight near Springfield, on Saturday last, forwarded by one of General Lyon's aides. ' To Major-General Fremont. ' General Lyon, in. three columns, under himself and General. Siegel, aud Major Sturgess, of the cavalry, attacked the enemy at halt-past six o clock on the morning ofthe 10th, nine miles south-east of Springfield. The engagement was severe. Our loss is about 800 killed and wounded. General Lvon was killed in a charge at the head of Ins column. Our force was 8000, including 2000 home guards. The muster rolls taken from the enemy give his strength at 23,000, including regiments from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, with Texan Rangers and Cherokee halt breeds. « Their loss is reported heavy, including Generals M'Culloch and Price. This statement is corroborated by prisoners. Their tents and wagons were destroyed in the action. ' General Siegel left one gun on the field, and retreated' to Springfield with a large number of prisoners, at three o'clock in the morning of the 11th. He continued his retreat upon Rolla, bringing off his baggage trains and 250,000 dollars in specie from the Springfield Bank.' The following is a verbal report, taken from a special messenger, who brought despatches for General Fremont :— Early on Saturday morning General Lyon marched out of Springfield to give battle to the enemy. He came up to him at Davis Creek, on Green's Prairie, a few miles south-west of Springfield, where he had taken a strong position on rolling ground. . At twenty minutes past six o clock m - the morning General Lyon fired the first gun, when the battle immediately began. Severe cannonading was kept up for two or three hours, when the fire of Captaiu Tatten's artillery proving too severe for the enemy, they gradually fell back towards their encampment on Wilson's Creek. General Lyon's cavalry, posted on the enemy's left flank, and General Siegel's artillery on the right, began a terrific attack, and spread slaughter and dismay in the raoks of the enemy, pursuing them to their camp, shells from Tatten's artillery setting fire to their tents and baggage wagons, which were all destroyed. A Louisiana regiment and a Mississippi regiment seemed to have-suffered most in the flight, and were almost annihilated. Some time in the afternoon, as General Lyon was leading on his column, liis horse was shot from under him. He immediately mounted another, and as he turned round to his men, waving his hat in his hand and cheering them on to victory, he was struck in the small of the back by a ball, and fell dead to the ground. The command theti devolved on General Siegel. Pursuit was continued till nightfall, when our little army rested for the night in the encampment of the enemy. Sunday morning, General Siegel, fearing the enemy might recover and attempt to cut his command off from Springfield, fell back upon that city, where the Home Guards were stationed. On reaching Springfield, fearing the great numbers of the enemy might induce them to get between him and Rolla, General Siegel concluded to fall back upon Rolla with his provision trains, and meet the reinforcements which were on the way to him. At the latest moment of the departure of the messenger, the enemy had not been seen, and it is probable General Siegel has not been disturbed in his march.

Ninety of the rebels were captured, among whom a colonel' of distinction, the messenger not remembering his name. The sword and horse of General M'Culloch were the trophies taken. Reinforcements are on the way to Rolla, and General Siegel and his army may be considered safe.