Blue & Grey

The intermission of half an hour which followed allowed time to carry off the wounded and arrange the line for another struggle.

Snead

In the intervals of the fight he (Price) would ride far to the front among his skirmishers, and peer into the thick smoke which tangled itself among the trees and the bushes, and clung to the ground as though it wanted to hide the combatants from each other; would peer wistfully into it till through its rifts he could discern what the enemy was doing, and then his voice would ring down the whole length of his line, and officers and men would quickly spring forward to obey it:...Several times his clothing was pierced by bullets, one of which inflicted a painful wound in his side. Turning with a smile to an officer that was near him he said: "That isn't fair; if I were as slim as Lyon that fellow would have missed me entirely."......One of his aides, Colonel Allen of Saline, was killed while receiving an order; Weightman was borne to the rear dying; Cawthorne and his adjutant were both mortally wounded; Slack was fearfully lacerated by a musket-ball, and Clark was shot in the leg. Colonel Ben Brown was killed, Churchill had two horses shot under him, Gratiot one. Colonels Burbridge, Foster and Kelly, and nearly every other field officer, were disabled.

Corp Lorenzo Immell 1st MO Artillery

photo courtesy of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

Snyder

(Weightman) He always suggested to my mind my ideal of praise-God barebones or Christ-died-for-thee Jenkins of the days of Marston Moor and the Rump Parliament. In him piety and profanity were in ceaseless conflict for supremacy. Always, before lying down to sleep at night,...he reverently read or repeated a prayer or some other episcopal litany. The next minute, perhaps, provoked by some trivial mishap, he made the circumbient air blue with wholesome imprecations not found in any book of common prayer...An army chaplain was bending over him "With pitying glances" and faltering voice, administering words of consolation. The dying soldier cast his eyes heavenward, and with a look of benign resignation calmly said: "My trust is in the redeeming grace of the Saviour." Just then Gen. Rains....gave the apology for a pillow a shove, so as to slightly change and thereby ease the position of the Colonel's head. This pained or annoyed him, and turning his gaze from the ethereal regions earthward, he blurted out: "G-d d--n it, let me alone."

Blue & Grey

I happened to be one of the wounded, and when we reached the temporary hospital Dr. Franklin was found with a crowd of patients on his hands. He had an ample supply of medical stores, though badly in want of assistants. But he utilized the services of those who were not crippled; they applied bandages, constructed shades for the sufferers, and brought water from the stream....A spectacle unusual in most engagements was the presence of many wounded men along the slope of the hill in rear of the line of battle. Having been treated by the surgeons, they ranged themselves under the shade of the trees to watch the progress of the fight and await the result.....For a change, Woodruff sent an occasional shell at the crowds of wounded men, supposing them to be reserves, but when Dr. Franklin hoisted a yellow flag his patients were no longer annoyed. Glancing to the left, in the valley below, we could see the creek filled with half-naked men washing their wounds and quenching their thirst, while at some distance further down, within easy range of artillery, but in perfect security, were groups of Confederates similarly employed.

Lt John Rankin Co C 2nd Kansas Infantry

photo courtesy of Kancol

Rankin

Our boys were dressed in such a motley fashion that it was impossible for a person to tell our side, whether we were federal or rebel. This stranger came to the head of our line, halted to make an inquiry, saw that we were Federals, turned and tried to make away. Several of the men fired upon him unsuccessfully, until Capt. Russell of the 2nd drew his revolver, and as I have always regretted, was marksman enough to fatally wound him. He died almost immediately.

Blue and Gray

He therefore gave orders to leave the field and repair to the open country in rear, where the unquestioned superiority of his artillery and infantry would not fail to operate with advantage against superior numbers.....Before the regimental commanders had time to communicate this order to their captains, there came about of a sudden the fiercest struggle for the day.

Blair

At different times, I had sent men, one or two at a time, from Capt. Roberts' company of the first, and Capt. Cracklin's of the Second Kansas, but they did not return. At length, I rode out myself, and, at twenty yards to the right of my position, fire was opened upon me, by what seemed to full company. My horse was killed under me but I escaped unhurt.

Lt William Wherry 1st MO Infantry

photo courtesy of Wilson's Creek National Battlefield

Rankin

Col. Blair detailed Serg't Houston,...Of the 2nd and perhaps one or two others to reconnoiter on our right front to see if there was anything to indicate an advance on the part of the enemy. They were gone but a short time before they came running back with the statement that the enemy was advancing three columns deep.

Ware

...Finally the last charge of the day was made,...