Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-11-15

Battle N 4441sSouEAs
Uasoa Troops 1f1s9,Fstaat-H -Heary Loss on both
Ssdss-oeieiai Report Of Gen. Grant.
s A .cvere battle occurred Friday last at Bel
noui. No. on the west bank OF ibe Miszisssip
pi. opposite Columbus KY
Our forcs consisted of the follosing Iliiueis
regiments. 32d. Col Dougberty: 9th. Col. Bu-
food; 3Oth, Col. Fouke; Slst, Col Logan; 9Th
Iowa, Col Lauan TaYloF; Chicago artillery
DoIlius' and Delana's cavalry They left Cal
70 on The sseamers Alex. Scott, Chancellor,
Memphis, keystone State, accompanied by the
eun-ioaas Lexington aud Taylor. After land
ing .fhry we're formed IN line Of battle, Gen
MeCIernara IN command OF Me Cairo troops,
and Col. Dougheriy IN command Of the Birds
Point troops.
They we're encountered by rebels, seven
thousand strong. They fought every inch Of
.,hs wav 10 the eBemy's camp, making sad hay.
oe IN the eneuiy's ranks. Col. Buforl was the
first 20 plant The Stars and Stripes in the enc
myis camp Col. Dcngherty's regiment cap
furcd Che rebel La.tcfy OF tselve pieces, two of
Hhich we're breugbt away.
/. Col. Eonkcs men suffered greatly, as they
were in front OF the batteries before they were
taken. Amer taking posessiOn of the rebels
eanp, il was discovered that the rebels were
crossing over from Kentucky, for the purpose
e,R attacking us in the Order was then
given 10 re.nFn TO onr boats, when our Hcn
we're attacked by reinforcement Of several
thOusand rebels from Columbus, anG another
severe engagement took place, in which our
troops suffered severely. Our lOsses as FAR as
aseeFtained at a late hour ltst night, arc asful'
lows 3Olh Regiment lGO missing, Major Nc
(lcVken wounded and taken prisoner; 2Ist
Regiment l4O missing. Col. Butord's Rrgi-
meat returned too late to obtain further par
ticulars. Col Doughrrty. n ported taken pris-
Sncr; Col LauaH. reported dangerously wOun-
dcd; Taylor's battery lost one gun. We
Lave taken $50 prisoners. number of whom
are wounded The rebels kiIiel are 300
the ground was completely stIcwn with dead
bodies
The rebel ColoneIesFris hs, 5:h Tennessee,
Was killed.
Gen. Cheatum commanded the rebels, Polk
being at Columbus.
Il is stated that General johnson was woun-
ded.
The gun.boais rendered efficient service
in covering the retreat moving down the
rebels with grape, but killing some OF ourown
men.
CAIRO, Nov. l2.-Gcn. Grants official re-
port OF the BeIuapnt battle says he had 2,SOo
men. The object ,cf the expedition was to pre-
vent the eneIny from sending reinfurccmcnis to
Price, and also from cutting off column that
he had sent out from Cairo and Cape Girardeau
in pursuit of Jeff Thompson.
Knowing that Columbus was strongly guaId.
Ell, asked Gen. Smith, commanding Paducal,
10 make demonstration in that direction. lie
did so by ordering small force to Mayfield.
and another ia the direction or Columbus; not
10 appr0aeh however nearer thai iiflcen miles.
also sent small force on the Kentucky side
wiki orders not ate approach nearer than -
miles above, Columbus.
At daylight We reached point just out of
range Of the rebel guns, and debarked. The
troops we're marched one mile towards
Belmont though drawn in line, one battalion
being left as reserve near the transports. Ii
was but few minutes before we met the cue
my and general engagement ensued. They
were driven foot hy foot back TO their encamp.
ment on the river bank distance Of two miles.
Hare they had strengthened their pcsiiionsby
telling the timber for several hundred yards a.
round.
we charged through this timber. driving the
enemy over the bank into tl;eir transports, leav-
ing US in possession of every thing not porta-
bic. Belmont being in range Of the guns on
the opposite shore, could not be held asinglc
hnnr bysour troops.
Having 30 wagons, VIC could not move any OF
the captured property, cons, quently l gave
orders for its drstruction. Before getting fair
i urder- way on our return, the enemy made
his appearance again, ard attempted to sur.
round us. Our troops, not in the least dis
cpuraged. charged the enemy again and defeat
ed them.
Our loss is about cightyfve killed, one hun
dred and filly wounded, many Of them slight
ly, and about an equal number missing; near,
u all the latter from the Iowa Regimen,
which behaved with great gallaniry and suf-
,fered more severely than the others. The bal,
encc Of the report is details of Individual gal
lantry.