SPRINGFIELD (Mo.), Military Opera tions at. As the central point of southwest ern Missouri, Springfield was an important place in military operations during the Civil War. After the engagement at Carthage (q.v.), 5 July 1861, Colonel Sigel retreated to Spring field, where he was joined by Gen. Nathaniel Lyon (q.v.) on the 13th, Lyon assuming com mand of all the Union forces, and calling for more to make head against the combined forces of Generals Sterling Price and Ben. McCulloch, a call that brought no response. On 1 August, hearing of the Confederate advance, Lyon marched from Springfield with 6,000 men and 18 guns against it, and next day at Dug Springs, 19 miles from the city, his advance encoun tered and drove back the Confederates under General Rains, with slight loss, and returned to Springfield on the 5th, which he thought he should be compelled to abandon, falling back either to Saint Louis or Kansas, as he was largely outnumbered. He reported the condition of affairs to General Fremont (q.v.) in command at Saint Louis, held his position, and advancing on 10 August, fought the battle of Wilson Creek (q.v.), nine miles south west of Springfield, and was killed. His army, under Colonel Sigel, retreated through Spring field to Rolla, the Confederates following only to Springfield, which they held until the 25th, when they moved against Lexington. On 13 August, Fremont, hearing of the Wilson's Creek disaster, Lyon's death and the unobstructed re treat of Sigel on Rolla, sent reinforcements to Rolla, and at the end of September he left Saint Louis with an army of 38,000 men and 86 guns to take the field in southwestern Missouri, against Sterling Price (q.v.). His five columns were directed on Springfield. On 23 October, when about 50 miles from Springfield, Fremont sent Major Zagonyi, with about 250 men of his bodyguard and of the °Irish Brigade) (37th Illinois) to advance on the place. Zagonyi
reached Springfield on the 25th. It was then held by about 1,000 recruits, some mounted and some on foot, and after several charges Zagonyi routed them, his loss being 15 killedt, 27 wounded and 10 missing. Fremont occupied the place on the 27th with 21,000 effective men, and was about to advance and give battle to the Confederates, when (2 November) he was re lieved in command by General Hunter, who withdrew the army to Rolla. Price reoccupied Springfield and began to recruit an army to re cover Saint Louis and had gathered some 8,000 men by 12 Feb. 1862, when he was driven from the place by General Curtis, Price retreating into Arkansas. Springfield now became a depot of supplies, and was well fortified. Early in January 1863 General Marmaduke (q.v.) with 4,000 mounted men and three guns, started from northern Arkansas on a raid into Missouri, and with a part of his command appeared before Springfield on the morning of the 8th. Gen. E. B. Brown, in command of the place, had but short notice of his approach, but gathered some militia from the adjoining country, which, with his regular command, convalescents from the hospitals and some citizens, gave him about 2,100 men. The fight began about 10 A.M. of the 8th and continued until dark. Marmaduke's men drove in parts of the line, captured one gun, carried some of the works and seized part of the town, but Brown held the strongest fort against all efforts to take it. On the morning of the 9th Marmaduke withdrew in the direc tion of Rolla, after a loss of 20 killed, 105 wounded and 26 missing. The Union loss was 14 killed, 146 wounded and 5 missing.