Tri-weekly journal. (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1847-188?, 1847-10-02


airy last:
At about 2 o'clock, our Rifle Battalion, COM
manded by Major German, was drawn up in
line of battle near the foot of the mountain,
with orders to resist any force of the enemy
that might attempt to flank us on the heights.
In few minutes the enemys Battery COM
menced throwing bombs in the direction of
our line, which, however, did not reach us by
some 200 yards. At this time Col. Marshall
had dismounted portion of his Cavalry and
ordered them on to spur of the mountain on
our left, where large body Of the enemys In
fantry made their appearance in front and to
the right of the Cavalry. Col. Marshall then
ordered Major German to take possession of a
height in front of the enemy, with two COM
panies, which was promptly obeyed by Capt.
Sluss and my command. Immediately on our
moving towards the mountain the enemy OPP
ened on us brisk fire, which was kept up by
both parties until dark, when we retired to the
foot of the mountain, where we laid on the
field all night.
At the break Of day. the whole Indiana Rifle
Battalion assembled the same spur of the noun
tain, my command on the extreme right, where
the enemy opened a tremendous fire upon US
| 1.-THE enemy having received large reinforce
ments during the night,) which was promptly
returned by our troops and continued until be-
tween 10 and ii o'clock, A. NJ, myself and eight
or nine men being wounded in the time. At
this time, the enemy had forced the left flank
of our troops on the plain and at least six times
our number were within from 40 to go yards
in our front, when We were ordered to fall back
and rally on the reserve, every man having de-
liberately discharged his piece-most of my
command having six loads in theirs. We re-
tired to the foot of the mountain, and crossed
1 -
establishment, saw that the Kentucky Caval-
ry had retired to the right, and that body Of
the enemies Lancers was Immediately in front
of the ground the Cavalry occupied in the NOR
ming, when we assembled the mountain, and
was coming in full speed at us. Major Cor
man, at this moment, ordered us to march by
the right flank in double quick time, but the
enemy came so near our lines that / ordered
my company to march By the left flank, which
caused us to move along the foot of the noun
tain; Capts. Walkers and Dunns commands
following in the same direction. Here we be-
came separated from Capt. Sluss' command
and Major German. In our retreat, for some
distance the Lancers were close on us; we
were forced several times to face about and fire
on them, which generally, by the third fire
from our Rifles, brought them to a halt, which
held them in check until the Kentucky and Ar
kansas Cavalry came TO our assistance, and en-
abled US to get out of their reach. But when
we reached about half the distance from the
mountain TO the rancho, 1--WE being near one
mile in advance of the enemy,) the Cavalry at
the head of a ravine that rises in the plain,
brought the Lancers TO halt; an officer rode
up to us (Which am of the opinion was Lieut..
: Mcdowell, aid to Gen. Wool } and ordered us
to march back and assist the Cavalry at this
point, which we did, and formed on their left.
We had scarcely arrived at this point before
the Cavalry again fled from before the Lancers,
and left us again in the midst of them. We
Immediately jumped down into this ravine
which sheltered us from the enemy, another
, body of Cavalry came from the direction Of
Washington's Battery and relieved us from the
pursuit of the Lancers. Here Captain Walker
and several of his men fell. Lieuts. Alexan-
der and Peck assisted me much in this attack
! and in covering the retreat
i When approaching near the rancho observ-
e ed body of men under the command of Capt.
Rosseau, of the ID Regiment Indiana Volun
teers, who were moving in the direction of the
y mountain: to whom Immediately proceeded
e to add my company. While doing so, Maj
v Monroe, of the Artillery, rode,up and request
. ed that the men might be kept there, as a large
! body of Lancers were approaching to attack it
I At his request Captain Rosseau moved the mel
d in the direction of the buildings, and we form
g ed in horse pound. Maj, Trail formed the II
linois Riaemen on the the buildings, and il
this position awaited the approach Of the en-
envy, who were driving our cavalry before them
: In few minutes the Cavalry passed from be
Is tween us and the Lancers, our troops held thei
3 fire until the enemy were within twenty yard
of us. when they opened the fire on the ap
preaching Lancers, driving them back in grea
l. confusion, and caused them to disperse in ev
cry direction. One portion of them rallied il
body at the foot of the mountain on the Yves
O. whilst the other fell back on their Infantry a
{ the foot of the mountain on the east. At thi
!" time Col. May with a squadron of Dragons al
Id rived, which was Immediately followed by tw
IS. pieces of cannon, and fired on those that ha
formed on the west, which drove them owe
the mountain. At the request of Col. MAJ
the men at the rancho marched to support tn
IS Artillery, the Infantry under the command {
IT. Capt Rosseau, the Illinois Riflemen under III
III command of Maj. Trail and the Indiana Rifle
=, men under the command of Maj. German,
" attack the enemy at the mountain. On our al
10 proach, the enemy commenced retreating, an
Ter continued to retreat until they had finally n
he tired upon the main body-while the Artiller
Infantry and Rifemen continued, at interva
to advance-Col. Mays Dragons having bee
mt drawn off to other portions of the field. d.
re- ring this advance they were frequently expo
he ed to the fire of the enemies Artillery, whic