Worcester daily spy., 1861-11-13
The Battle at Bel,nOnt. on the AI'asiss'ppi.

/ Inc Battle Mt HBeltnOHts on ihe 4sAAaesNrAff1'
/ From the Chicago Journal, stlL
| When il was proposed to start an expedition
! down the river, the best information that had
| been received at headquarters leii the lhpros
/ sion that there WAS but small garrison OF
/ rebels at the little town of Belmont Missouri,
! nearly opposite Columbus, ana It's proximity
! 20 Columbus, the rebel headquarters, lnide It's
| occupancy desirable as q strategital point III
| order that its occupation should be tntcteu
| with the least possible expenditure OF bIoou,
/ aud without precipitating Il general Ddttle, tle
movement was kept, or attempted TO be kept,
profound secret. But the result proves that
| there were traitors in camp, who availed them
selves of the earliest possible Information, and
/ not unlikely OF full details OF the expedition
| which we've Transmitted without delay TO the
! rebels in ample time for them to complete per
| feet preparations for our reception Inc tuIal
| available force OF the expedition was about
three thousand five hundred.
The design was to reach Belmont before
| daylight but, owing to unavoidable delay IN
! embarkng il was eight o'clock before the fleet
| reached Lucas Bend the point fixed upon +
! debarkation This is about three miles north
| of Columbus, Ky, on the Missouri side. The
| enemy were encamped on the high ground
| back from the river, and about two and hai
! miles from the landing From their position
! they could easily see our landing, and had
| ample time to dispose of their forces TO receive
| us, which they did with all possible dispatch.
! They also sent detachment OF light artillery
| and infantry out to retard oar march and an
| noy us as much as possible. n line OF battle
| was formed at once on the leyce, Col. F0uke
taking command of the center Col. Butord on
| the right, and Col. Logan on the left.
The advance from the river bank to the
| rebel encampment was a running fight the
| entire distance, the rebels firing and falling
| back all the way, while our troops CALAMITY
| received their fire without tiinchlng, aud
| bravely held on their way, regardless OF the
| missiles of death that were flying thick and
fast about them. The way was OF the most
| indifferent character, lying through woods
| with thick underbrush, and only here aud
| there path or a rough country road. The
three divisions kept within close distance OF
each other, pressing over all obstacles and
overcoming all opposition, each striving tor
| the honor Of being first in the enemy camp.
| This honor fell to the right division, led by
! Col. Buiord. 1t was the gallant 9Th illinois,
who, with deafening cheers, first waved the
stars and st ipeS in the midst OF the rebels
camping ground.
The scene was a terribly exciting one
muskeiry and cannon dealing death and de-
struction on all sides; men graphing with
men in a fearful death struggle column alter
a position of danger; officers riding hlther
and thither in the thickest Of the fight, urging
their men on and encouraging them To- greater
eXertiOns; regiments charging into the very
Jaws Of death with lrighttul y>els and shouts,
more effective, as they fell upon the enemy,
than a thousand rifle DallS-and in the midst
OF all is heard one long loud, continuous
round OF cheering, as the star spangled banner
is unturled in the face OF the foe and detanty
I ~. II. ~, l.. L
mens before designated the spot as rebel
ground. The twenty second boys have the
honor of having silenced and captured bat
terry of twelve pieces which had been dealing
destruction with marked success. The Thrift
eth liaI been badly cut up by this battery, and
were slranlng every nerve 10 capture II.
| They express considerable disappointment,
! that the pTlze was snatched from them. They
turned away in search OF new laureis, and IN
charging iniO the very midst OF the camp,
were drawn into an ambuscade where they
were again suffering terribly, though main
tanning their ground untlinchingy, when the
thirty first came to their ssistance. An i'm
! petuOus ana irtesi5tibie change then made
ilat drove the rebels in all directions, and left
| the field in possession of the federal forces.
The rebel camps were fired, and with all their
supplies, ammunition, baggage, &C., was total
ly destroyed.
The discovery, on the Kentucky side, that
we were IN possession OF their camp, led to an
opening Of the rebel batteries from that direc.
ton upon us. Their fire was very annoying,
the more so as we were not in position 10
return ii.
just at this juncture the report was brought
to Cen Grant by Lieut.. Pittman OF the thlr.
tieth Illinois regiment, who had, with his COM
pany (F) been on scouting duty, hat heavy
reluiorcements were coming up TO the rebels
from the opposite side OF the river. Indeed,
the discovery was also made that the enemy
were pouring over the river III immense mum.
DeTs, and the danger was imminent chat our
retreat would be cut of. The order 10 aIl
back 10 the boats was therefore given, but not
a moment too soon. The way was already
filled with rebel troops, and as We had fought
our way up to the encampment, SO we were
Obliged to hght back 10 our bOats, and against
desperate odds. But the men were not
lacking in courage, and fought like veterans,
giving ample demonstration of their deter
mlnallon. Every regiment Of federal troops
suitefedmOre or less severely in their return
march, but the general opinion prevails that
the rebels suffered far greater losses than we
Wherever they made stand we put them to
flight; and, although we lost many brave
men, either killed, wounded, or taken prison
ers, We made at least two OF their men bite
the dust for every one that 1ell from our ranks.
Oar regiments all reached their boats, though
with considerably thinned ranks. We also
brought away, as near as can be asccrtancd
ZI5 prisoners, two cannon, and quantity OF
nuskets, small arms, equipments, blankets,
&c.
The battery captured in the engagement in
the midst of the encampment we were Obliged
to leave behind The guns, however, were
carefully spiked. The battle lasted from IL
O'Clock in the morning until sundown. Had
the day been longer we should have stood the
ground later, and doubtless have achieved a
decided victory. The rebel loss must be
much greater than ours. Among their killed
was Colonel John V. Wright OF the fifteenth
tennessee regiment, formerly member Of con.
gless from that state. 1t is supposed that the
rebel campat Belmont numbered not less than
seven thousand. These were wholly routed
by the gallant assaults Of our little banG of less
than four thousand, Our iatigued and wound
ed men were then obliged to overcome body
Of five thousand fresh troops in fighting
their way back TO the boats. Such fighting,
against odds SO vastly superior, is seldom
recorded.
Rebel Mover ia Tennessee.
From the Louisville journal.
Mr.. VIM. Il. Tracy and Capt. Cross of the