Camp-Fire and Cotton-Field

Camp-Fire and Cotton-Field

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Title: Camp-Fire and Cotton-Field Southern Adventure in Time of War.
Life with the Union Armies, and Residence on a Louisiana Plantation
Author: Thomas W. Knox
Release Date: April 17, 2004 [EBook #12068]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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CAMP-FIRE AND COTTON-FIELD: SOUTHERN ADVENTURE IN
TIME OF WAR.
LIFE WITH THE UNION ARMIES, AND RESIDENCE ON A
LOUISIANA PLANTATION.
BY THOMAS W. KNOX, HERALD CORRESPONDENT.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.
1865.

TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRESS, WHO FOLLOWED

THE FORTUNES OF THE NATIONAL ARMIES, AND
RECORDED THE DEEDS OF VALOR THAT SECURED THE
PERPETUITY OF THE REPUBLIC, THIS VOLUME IS
SYMPATHETICALLY INSCRIBED.
[Illustration: THE REBEL RAM ARKANSAS RUNNING THROUGH
OUR FLEET.]
TO THE READER.
A preface usually takes the form of an apology. The author of this
volume has none to offer.
The book owes its appearance to its discovery of a publisher. It has
been prepared from materials gathered during the Campaigns herein
recorded, and from the writer's personal recollections.
Whatever of merit or demerit it possesses remains for the reader to
ascertain. His judgment will be unprejudiced if he finds no word of
promise on the prefatory page.
NEW YORK, _September 15th, 1865_.

ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE RAM Arkansas RUNNING THROUGH OUR FLEET ABOVE
VICKSBURG HAULING DOWN A REBEL FLAG AT HICKMAN,
KENTUCKY THE OPENING GUN AT BOONEVILLE THE DEATH
OF GENERAL LYON GENERAL SIGEL'S TRANSPORTATION IN
MISSOURI SHELLING THE HILL AT PEA RIDGE GENERAL
NELSON'S DIVISION CROSSING THE TENNESSEE RUNNING
THE BATTERIES AT ISLAND NUMBER TEN THE REBEL
CHARGE AT CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI ASSAULTING THE HILL
AT CHICKASAW BAYOU STRATEGY AGAINST GUERRILLAS
THE STEAMER Von Phul RUNNING THE BATTERIES

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
ANTE BELLUM.
At the Rocky Mountains.--Sentiment of the People.--Firing the

Southern Heart.--A Midwinter Journey across the Plains.--An Editor's
Opinion.--Election in Missouri.--The North springing to Arms.--An
amusing Arrest.--Off for the Field.--Final
Instructions.--Niagara.--Curiosities of Banking.--Arrival at the Seat of
War.

CHAPTER II.
MISSOURI IN THE EARLY DAYS.
Apathy of the Border States.--The Missouri State Convention.--Sterling
Price a Union Man.--Plan to take the State out of the Union.--Capture
of Camp Jackson.--Energy of General Lyon.--Union Men
organized.--An Unfortunate Collision.--The Price-Harney Truce.--The
Panic among the Secessionists.--Their Hegira from St. Louis.--A Visit
to the State Capital.--Under the Rebel Flag.--Searching for Contraband
Articles.--An Introduction to Rebel Dignitaries.--Governor
Jackson.--Sterling Price.--Jeff. Thompson.--Activity at
Cairo.--Kentucky Neutrality.--The Rebels occupy Columbus.

CHAPTER III.
THE BEGINNING OF HOSTILITIES.
General Harney Relieved.--Price's Proclamation.--End of the
Truce.--Conference between the Union and Rebel Leaders.--The First
Act of Hostility.--Destruction of Railway Bridges.--Promptness of
General Lyon.--Capture of the State Capital.--Moving on the Enemy's
Works.--The Night before Battle.--A Correspondent's Sensation.

CHAPTER IV.

THE FIRST BATTLE IN MISSOURI.
Moving up the River.--A Landing Effected.--The Battle.--Precipitous
Retreat of the Rebels.--Spoiling a Captured Camp.--Rebel Flags
Emblazoned with the State Arms.--A Journalist's Outfit.--A Chaplain of
the Church Militant.--A Mistake that might have been
Unfortunate.--The People of Booneville.--Visiting an
Official.--Banking-House Loyalty.--Preparations for a Campaign.

CHAPTER V.
TO SPRINGFIELD AND BEYOND.
Conduct of the St. Louis Secessionists.--Collisions between Soldiers
and Citizens.--Indignation of the Guests of a Hotel.--From St. Louis to
Rolla.--Opinions of a "Regular."--Railway-life in
Missouri.--Unprofitable Freight.--A Story of Orthography.--Mountains
and Mountain Streams.--Fastidiousness Checked.--Frontier
Courtesy.--Concentration of Troops at Springfield.--A Perplexing
Situation.--The March to Dug Spring.--Sufferings from Heat and
Thirst.

CHAPTER VI.
THE BATTLE OF WILSON CREEK.
The Return from Dug Spring.--The Rebels follow in
Pursuit.--Preparations to Attack them.--The Plan of Battle.--Moving to
the Attack--A Bivouac--The Opening Shot.--"Is that
Official?"--Sensations of a Spectator in Battle.--Extension of Distance
and Time.--Characteristics of Projectiles.--Taking Notes under
Fire.--Strength and Losses of the Opposing Armies.--A Noble
Record.--The Wounded on the Field.--"One More Shot."--Granger in
his Element.--General Lyon's Death.

CHAPTER VII.
THE RETREAT FROM SPRINGFIELD.
A Council of War.--The Journalists' Council.--Preparations for
Retreat.--Preceding the Advance-Guard.--Alarm and Anxiety of the
People.--Magnificent Distances.--A Novel Odometer.--The Unreliable
Countryman.--Neutrality.--A Night at Lebanon.--A Disagreeable
Lodging-place.--Active Secessionists.--The Man who Sought and
Found his Rights.--Approaching Civilization.--Rebel Couriers on the
Route.--Arrival at Rolla.

CHAPTER VIII.
GENERAL FREMONT'S PURSUIT OF PRICE.
Quarrel between Price and McCulloch.--The Rebels Advance upon
Lexington.--A Novel Defense for Sharp-shooters.--Attempt to
Re-enforce the Garrison.--An Enterprising Journalist.--The
Surrender.--Fremont's Advance.--Causes of Delay.--How the
Journalists Killed Time.--Late News.--A Contractor "Sold."--Sigel in
Front.--A Motley Collection.--A Wearied Officer.--The Woman who
had never seen a Black Republican.--Love and Conversion.

CHAPTER IX.
THE SECOND CAMPAIGN TO SPRINGFIELD.
Detention at Warsaw.--A Bridge over the Osage.--The
Body-Guard.--Manner of its Organization.--The Advance to
Springfield.--Charge of the Body-Guard.--A Corporal's