​Transcribed from the Harper's Weekly Journal of Civilization, dated August 3, 1861:

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The Battle of Carthage

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          The picture illustrated The Battle of Carthage, where Colonel Siegel, of the United States Volunteers of Missouri, kept at bay and severely punished a very disproportionate force of rebels, under Generals Parsons and Rains. The following St. Louis Republican gives gives the following account of the affair:

          On Friday morning last, at five o'clock, a scouting party sent out by Colonel Siegel encountered, about two miles distant from Carthage, a picket guard of the State troops, who were attacked, and three taken prisoners. With all dispatch Colonel Siegel prepared to go forward, expecting to meet the State troops some distance west of Carthage. About half past nine o'clock the meeting took place in an open prairie seven miles beyond Carthage. Lieutenant Tosk estimates the number of the opposing army at five thousand, chiefly cavalry, but supplied with a battery of five cannon-four six-pounders and one twelve-pounder - while Colonel Siegel's command consisted of his own regiment of two battalions, and Colonel Solomon's detached regiment, with several pieces of artillery, under command of Major Backof. Colonel Siegel's regiment had six hundred men and Colonel Solomon's five hundred. The State troops were commanded by Generals Parsons and Rains. Major Backof, under the direction of Colonel Siegel, opened the fire, which continued briskly for nearly two hours. In less than an hour the twelve-pounder of the State troops was dismounted, and soon after the whole battery was silenced. The superior arms of the Unionists enable them to maintain a situation of comparatively little danger. The State troops - whom, for convenience, we shall call Jackson's men - twice broke their ranks, but were rallied and held their position very well, considering the destructive discharges against them, until their guns gave out, when their column was again broken.

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          At this juncture about fifteen hundred of the cavalry started back with the intention of cutting off Siegel's transportation train, seeing which movement a retreat was ordered, and word sent immediately for the wagons to advance as rapidly as possible. By keeping up the fire with the infantry, and bringing the artillery in range whenever practicable, Colonel Siegel managed to retard the progress of Jackson's cavalry, and eventually to fall back almost unobstructed to the baggage train, which was some three and half miles from the scene of the first engagement.

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          By a skillful movement the wagons were placed in the centre of the column in such a manner that there were artillery and infantry forces both in front and rear. Jackson's troops then retreated and endeavored to surround the entire column by taking a position upon some high bluffs or hills overlooking a creek.

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          Major Backof ordered two of the artillery pieces in front to oblique to the left and two to the right, and at the same time a similar movement was made from Colonel Siegel's battalions. This was a maneuver was to induce Jackson's men to believe that Siegel was seeking a pass out on the extremes of their lines, and to outflank the cavalry. It was followed by a closing up to the right and to the left by the forces on the bluffs, when on reaching a point three hundred and fifty yards from the cavalry, the four pieces were ordered to a transverse oblique, and immediately a heavy cross-fire was opened with canister. At the same time the infantry charged at double-quick, and in ten minutes the State troops were scattered in every direction. Then rounds of canister were fired from each of the cannon, together with several rounds by the infantry.

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          This was at about five o'clock in the evening, and the engagement, with the maneuvering, had occupied in the neighborhood of two hours. Jackson's cavalry were poorly mounted, being armed chiefly with shot guns and common rifles. They had no cannon on the bluffs or hills, and were consequently able to make little or no resistance to the attacks of Colonel Siegel. Forty-five men and eighty horses were taken belonging to Jackson's troops, and there were also captured sixty double-barreled shot guns and some revolvers and bowie-knifes. Our informant states that one of the prisoners, on being asked how many had been killed on his side, estimated the loss at from two hundred and fifty to three hundred.

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