It is proper now to consider the part taken by Col. Sigel and his brigade in the battle of Wilson’s Creek. It has been stated that he had moved entirely around the southern end of the Confederate line of camp, and on a previous page we left him with his guns “in battery,” and his infantry and cavalry in line commanding the Fayetteville road, and ready to open fire as soon an the sound of Lyon’s guns could be heard up the valley, nearly two miles. At 5:30, early in the morning, the rattle of musketry was heard, apparently nearly two miles away, to the northwest. “_Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!_” in rapid succession, went the four guns of Lieuts. Schaeffer and Schuetzenbach, as they discharged their contents into and among the tents of McCulloch’s camp. A few more rounds and the Confederates abandoned their tents and retired in haste toward the northeast and northwest. This fighting was done just across the line, in Christian county, on Sharp’s farm, which runs up to the county line, on which stands Mr. Sharp’s house. McCulloch’s troops, infantry and cavalry, soon began to form, and Sigel brought forward his entire line into and across the valley, the two companies of cavalry to the right, the artillery in the center and the infantry on the left. After a period of irregular firing for about half an hour, the Confederates retired into the woods and up the adjoining hills. The firing toward the northwest was now more distinct, and it was evident that Gen. Lyon had engaged the enemy along the whole line. To give assistance to him—to be able to co-operate with him if necessary, and to drive the enemy in his own front, Sigel again advanced, this time toward the northwest, intending to attack the Confederates in the rear. Marching forward, Sigel struck the Cassville road, making his way through a number of cattle and horses, and arriving at an eminence, which had been used as a slaughter-yard by McCulloch’s men. This was on Sharp’s farm and near the house. At and near Sharp’s house, on the road, some of McCulloch’s men, who were straggling back from the fight in front, came unawares on Sigel’s men and were taken in. Sigel, after a brief conference with some of his officers, at once concluded that Lyon had been successful and was driving the Confederates before him. Knowing that this was the only avenue of retreat left open, and imagining that here was a grand opportunity for stopping it up and bagging several thousand “rebels,” the colonel hurriedly formed his troops across the road, planting the artillery in the center on the plateau, and a regiment of infantry, and a company of cavalry on either flank, and awaited the coming of what seemed to him to be the _vanquished_ Confederates, large numbers of whom could be seen moving toward the south along the ridge of a hill about 700 yards opposite the right of the Federal right.