“Lyon”

Willard Thorp identified the Record as a source for “Lyon” but gave no verbal evidence. Although much of the poem appears independently composed, there are echoes of passages in the Missouri Democrat and New York Tribune narratives of the battle of Springfield, Missouri, reprinted in Volume II (Documents, pp. 511-519). In stanza five of “Lyon,” the “night-tramp” describes a march of twelve to fifteen miles begun about 8 p.m. and finished around 6 a.m. “We spied the Vale/With guard-fires lit” probably owes its inception to the Democrat’s account: “We soon came in sight of the valley in which they were encamped. A thousand tents, stretching off into the distance . . . , were before us, presenting as animated appearance as a young city” (Documents, p. 512). “Trooping clouds” in stanza five was probably inspired by the Democrat’s metaphor in “their clouds of cavalry were visible” (Documents, p. 512).

Melville’s depiction, in stanza eight, of a Lyon who fought courageously despite painful wounds from gunfire is well substantiated in the Tribune account (Documents, p. 516), but he was not at first as determined to continue the battle: “After being wounded, he exclaimed to Major Schofield, ‘The day is lost,’ but the Major said, ‘No, General, let us try once more’” (Documents, p. 513).
Melville speaks in stanza eleven of the Iowa men, who were “Half drilled,” and “new/To battle.” Lyon had lacked confidence in his troops at first, thinking them too raw and untrained, “but now the time had come for him to reverse his judgment, which he did after their first repulse of the enemy” (Documents, p. 513). The cry of the Iowa men, “Give us a leader and we’ll follow to death,” is reported by Melville, “Some one lead us, then we’ll do,” and is spoken by a fictitious Corporal Tryon. Melville shortens Lyon’s answer to “Men! I will lead,” whereas both the Democrat and the Tribune print “I will lead you. Come on, brave men.”