Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-11-16
The Battle at Relm0nf.
Correspondence Of the Hawkeye.

BIRDS PoiNr, Nov. g.
Mr.. EDITOR The telegraph has brought YOU
the sad newe OF yesterdays work which has spread
g.oom through our camp and through our country
! his morning seems IN camp 1t our re !lment
was absent. Not in occrpant Is to be found ~ tLe
"hoSe reJsmentdl f,ae ~ tns, except servants.
Cpi Lauman Is wounded II. the leg, but hope
not dangerously. Lt. Col. Wentz is anon. the
gallant dead on the field, his last words we're 70
Ia ,se who attempted to carry him from the field
Let he alone boys, | want to die on tho b,trl.
held" Major hice Is seriously wounaed; Aaj,
bowler and Sergt. Maj Smith are missing, sup-
lo' cd 10 be among the slain.
Some Of the companie, suf red terribly. Com
plhy y went out with G5 men and eturned with
.; u with AZ, returned With II IL with 5S, lc-
turned with u. many Vt them wot nded | with
IS, returned with 10, lost about 30; + has Is
ms sing, many known to be dead so gee, th {, sad
catalogue 1t my be that some viii YET come in,
fn,ecYtst" 81 tRof R,fh; ~ adr@ovs @ ,nw ,tt
camp, then followed them and dove them inrh
10y iuch from the camp, took lots of prisoners
four cannon and burned their tents and caml
eqnpage.
Col Lauman at the head of his column, cheer
iig them on, was twice d mounted; but would
mount another horse, waving his sword and re-.
volver, shouting, "Onward my brave boys" The
I To has covered itself with immortal honor; they
drove the enemy entirely from Their ground a M
supposed the victory complete, and while cheering
ami Ri olclng In the enenys camp heavy rein
forceinei.ts crosse. the river and completely sur
rounded the htf.e band that remained. Then the
terrible slaughter commenced anew, for all were
determined TO die ather tnan surrender. Leoni-
das Ike, tlcy cut their wy, and although many
Drave ones " re made to bite the dust yet III.
remnant got through With the prisoners they had
taken. The tide oi war Was then set against our
forces, and ali were Commanded to retire 10 Ii .
boats. The cannon could not be brought #.
Our forces retired IN toleIaole ,od order, con-
siderng the nature OF the grouna. Although the
stytf raa hv fra.
other side Of the rear, they did not seem dspos ed
to follow usu ntil our forces mostly Oil board
OF the boats. reverse force bad been kent to
guard the boats but they were destined to have
share in the fight, fer about the time the sI oi
our artl!lery and men were gettug aboard, the
advance of the enemy came up and Commenced fir
ing upon US, the boats still lying u hoIe but they
were immersed as isst as they came up The
whole fleet vered NTH men, and q constant
stream ot fire from all the decks was seen to noN
Meanwhile the gun boats got in position and the
BATTERIES or ard the transports commenced tn
most terrific cannonadng the 81 ght Was most sub
lime and awful, as the white smoke rolled M IN
umns, the declinging throwing his reid ened
rays upon ii colOred by the incense that da
,ffcred to the god OF war. The smoke seemed to
act as mirror, ref .ctng the rays of light upon
the hills OF Coumous, revealing the y sition oi
all her batteries in manner that could not have
been seen before with the best lass Tho burst
iag Of shells on the Ian L. as We 1ated out on the
enemy had brought artillery alter us.
AS we moved up the river, the firing continued
on shore and from beats tor distance OF two or
three miles, after which all was quiet
So ends an imperfect sketch ot our bloody day )
work II cannot be styled defeat, but a retire
ment from position that any General, yes, any
private, ought to have known could not DC ssi
bly, have held when taken 1t is completely under
the heavy batteries OF Columbus.
jnst now learn that the loss OF the Iowa 7th !
equa to all others combined. Thus the gallant 7th
has taught eL beetle political Generals and the
world tn at they can fight and die by the whole
sale even when knew tne whole thing must
end in disaster and ruin. Among the Wild excla-
IL ations Of grief BY 1t Col Wentz's amiable Iady.
when she heard Of his death was one that struck
me with culiar force. Why, on Why is it that
they t-ad mon INTO certain .laugacr ?r' Let this
question un through every nook md corner Of the
Republic, and let tie people and the rulers know
that we have had enough of this, or the soldiers
will take the thing into their own nds aud kill
their worst enemies the political geuerals and 20
home.
When we arrived in camp, we were just in time
to hear of the reno !a of the mo t efficient man in
the West, General Fremont wearied, wounded
and sore, from the excessive toll Of the day, eur
Ren were not in the humof to hear such news
Late night, while lying upon my couch ,musing
over the dreadful scenes of the day / could hear
the most bitter curses heaped upon the authors Of
our war, some going far to FAY that If things
to go in this way, they did not care if the
Government went oh-l.' | should object to ,ts
going there myself still want to live under tn
Stars and Stripes put don't want 20 be among
those political Generals, after slain, for We
have enough OF them and their conduct here. In
fact. am in hopes tnIs consideration alone, will
cause all our boys to choose the path that will
lead where the toscin Of war. nor embecile Gene-
rails can never disturb their peace.
OCCASIONAL.