The Civil War Muse

Scene of Hand-to-Hand Combat

Tour Stop

Directions: Continue walking north on the battlefield trail until it turns around to the west. When the trail loops around to the south, you will be standing near the scene of hand-to-hand fighting [ Waypoint = N39 11.575 W93 52.762 ] that took place on the third day of the battle, September 20th.

Description: By now, the Missouri State Guard had surrounded the Federals and cut them off from their sources of water. The men, women, and horses ha consumed all of the water that had been stored in the two cisterns inside of the earthworks. Look to the west down the hill from inside the entrenchments. The weather is hot and dry. You haven't had anything to drink in more than 24 hours. Now you see the enemy approaching your position hidden behind large bales of hemp. The Federals decided not to wait for the attack, but rather went out to meet the attacking Missouri State Guardsmen. The Federals need to break the stranglehold of the Missouri State Guard if they had any chance to hold off defeat.

Captain Joseph A. Wilson later described the scene of hand-to-hand combat:

"On the third day a party from Harris' division assaulted a small out-work, a lunette, which can still be seen on the northwest of the college, which contained one gun and a supporting force of infantry. The Federals did not wait the attack but leaped over the parapet and met our men half way. After a short conflict they were driven in with considerable loss, and the assaulting party withdrew a short distance but did not retire."

At a lecture, Union Colonel Mulligan described the scene of the attacking Missouri State Guardsmen:

"Finally the rush came. The enemy left the protection of their bales and with a wild yell swept over our earth-works and against our lines, and a deadly struggle commenced. Many heroic deeds were done in that encounter. Our men were encouraged by being told that if we succeeded in keeping them in check this time we had them whipped; the lines stood firm."

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