The action began a little after noon, when the Federal right, consisting of the troops of Generals Banks, Sigel, and others, advanced and made a vigorous attack on Jackson's left, under A.P. Hill.

In March, 1862, Lincoln received the news of the victory won at Pea Ridge, in Arkansas, by Curtis and Sigel, a battle which had lasted three days.

Sigel, Gen. Franz, 108 Smith, Gen. Kirby, surrender of, 191 Soldiers authorised to vote in presidential election, 152 Southampton, insurrection at, 256 South Mountain, battle of the, 124 Stanton, Edwin, M., 65, 101 ff., 185 Stephens, Alexander H., and the Peace Conference of Feb., 1865, 162 ff.

He asked for further service, and was directed to report himself to General Sigel, by whom he was ordered to make a reconnoissance in the direction of Springfield.

He then divided his forces, sending Colonel Sigel to Carthage, nearly fifty miles further toward the west, in the hope of cutting off the Rebel retreat in that direction.

Major Sturgis was delayed in crossing a river, so that the Rebels arrived at Carthage before Colonel Sigel had been reinforced.

It resulted in Sigel's retreat to avoid being surrounded by the enemy.

" In arranging a plan of battle, Colonel Sigel suggested that the forces should be divided, so that a simultaneous attack would be made upon either extremity of the enemy's camp.

We left Springfield about sunset on the 9th, General Lyon taking about three thousand men, while Colonel Sigel took less than two thousand.

Before the Rebels could respond to our morning salutation, we heard the booming of Sigel's cannon on the left.

Colonel Sigel reached the spot assigned him some minutes before we were able to open fire from our position.

Down the valley rose the smoke of Sigel's guns, about a mile distant, though, apparently, two or three miles away.

Opposite Sigel's position was the camp of the Arkansas Division: though it was fully in my sight, and the tents and wagons were plainly visible, I could not get over the impression that they were far off.

"Sigel in Front.

General Sigel was the first to receive orders to march his division from Tipton to Warsaw, and he was very prompt to obey.

While other division commanders were waiting for their transportation to arrive from St. Louis, Sigel scoured the country and gathered up every thing with wheels.

To stand by the roadside and witness the passage of General Sigel's train, was equal to a visit to Barnum's Museum, and proved an unfailing source of mirth.

[Illustration: GENERAL SIGEL'S TRANSPORTATION IN THE MISSOURI CAMPAIGN.]

Even the Missourians, accustomed as they were to sorry sights, laughed heartily at the spectacle presented by Sigel's transportation.

Sigel's Division was given the advance, and crossed before the bridge was finished.

General Sigel, with two full divisions, marched by a road parallel to the line of Price's retreat, and attempted to get in his front at a point

On the 5th of March, as soon as General Curtis learned of the Rebel advance, he ordered General Sigel, who was in camp at Bentonville, to fall back to Pea Ridge, on the north bank of Sugar Creek.

In moving to our right and rear, the Rebels encountered General Sigel's Division before it had left Bentonville, and kept up a running fight during the afternoon of the 6th.

Several times the Rebels, in small force, secured positions in Sigel's front, but that officer succeeded in cutting his way through and reaching the main force, with a loss of less than a hundred men.

The attack on our left was met by General Sigel and Colonel Davis.