Fight at Feasterville - August 13, 1861

After falling back from the fighting at Springfield, Colonel Hezekiah Larsen had his 2nd Illinois Infantry withdraw to the northeast along the Ashland-Springfield Road. His men arrived in Feasterville, a rail depot, on the night of August 12th and Colonel Larsen was pleasantly surprised to learn that an ordnance train was there. In the morning, his men resupplied their ammunition from the ordnance wagons.

As the 2nd Illinois was resupplying, the 2nd Battalion Tennessee Engineers, under Lieutenant Colonel Richard Sharp departed Springfield for Feasterville.

As the enemy battalion approached, the forewarned ordnance train slowly moved out onto the Ashland-Springfield Road and evacuated Feasterville, heading north.

Colonel Larsen positioned his regiment in town to slow the advance of any enemy and provide time for the ordnance train to make its escape.

The Confederates approached and opened fire. Although the 2nd Illinois was trained and had fought continuously over the previous 4 days, the Tennessee Engineers were better armed and had significantly more fighting experience on several fields of the campaign.

Colonel Larsen's men advanced to make best use of their Belgian muskets and returned fire. The firefight ensued for some time. The Confederate's better armament was negated by the larger size of the Union regiment. The two sides inflicted equal casualties on each other.

In the end, the small Confederate battalion decided it was time to withdraw, retiring back to Springfield and leaving the 2nd Illinois in possession of Feasterville.