He told the bearer to wait until he could consult his "general," who was supposed to be lying down in the back office.

The "general" replied that his "division" was too much exasperated to render it prudent for a delegation from the enemy to enter town, and therefore declined to grant the request.

At the same time he promised to send out strong details to attend to the sad duty.
At sunrise he thought it best to follow the movements of his superior officer, lest the Rebels might discover his ruse and effect his capture.
Two days after the charge of the Body-Guard, the advance of the infantry entered Springfield without the slightest opposition.

The army gradually came up, and the occupation of the key of Southwest Missouri was completed.

The Rebel army fell back toward the Arkansas line, to meet a force supposed to be marching northward from Fayetteville.