The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-11-06
From the New York Herald Oct 25
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE FIGHT
AT SANTA ROSA ISLAND.

From Captain Norman We receive . rather i
teresting narrative of the engagement at San
Rosa. decided victory is claimed for the u
ion eide, the Zouaves 6ghting with the create
bravery. and every where dsshing down the rel
els before them. The fight lasted from o'cloc
in the morning until 8, and is described as beir
contested on both sides with much obstinac,
the advantage in numbers being, however, O
the rebel side
On the morning of the 9th inst, at 8 o'clocl
it being pitch dark, the attack was made. o
the evening previous to the fight, the rebel
landed i've hundred men on tie lower part {
the island, and on the same evening two steam
| boats were noticed to leave Watertown, whic
circumstances had the effect Of putting the Zou
| aves little on their guard. On the muster be
| lug called but two hundred and fifteen of tn
Zouaves we're reported ready for immediate &C
| ZION, several companies of the regiment bein
sent to the Tortugas and intermediate localities
Col. Wilson and Lieut.. Col. Creighton were OF
the island, however, with their handful of men
The steamboats,, with the rebels on board, pro
ceeded to point three miles below the camp
and succeeded in landing 1000 more men, thu
leaving the rebel attacking force on the isant
500 in all, the whole under the command O
Gen. Anderson, of the rebel army. They re
maind under cover of night IN this locality ur
to two o'clock in the morning, when they made
sudden and furious onslaught on the Zouaves
The night was dark and lowering, 80 that 8
man could scarcely be distinguished thirty rod.
ahead. Not sound was heard, save the regular
tramp Of the pickets and the voice of command
as It rang through the silent night air. The
movements OF the rebels we're conducted with
the greatest caution, and the Zouaves little i'm
agined 80 incensed knd blood thirsty foe was SO
near them, painting for their blood, until the frs,
shot was fired, which instantly aroused the camp
onward, however, through the gloom of the
hour the attacking party came, certain of an ca.
sy victory. They formed in three columns, one
on the right taking the Gulf shore, one in the
centre taking The centre column, and one on the
left taking Pensacola bay shore Previous to
this order Of march five rebels we're detailed to
challenge each picket, and stop their voices for
ever should they give the alarm too soon. This
movement was effectually done, almost at the
same instant of time, but the rebels found that,
though they had five of their men against one
Union picket, yet they had to cope with soldiers
and heroes, fJr the pickets fought with dogged
obstinacy. The ground was contested foot by
foot, aud hand to hand conflict was going on
in the meantime. The main body was now fast
approaching. Col Wilson had bis little party
OF men drawn up in line of battle, expecting the
attack to be made on the right, but he, unfortu-
nately, was deceived on this point, it being cos
menced on the left. About one hundred and
fifty men of the regular army had joined the Zou
aves from the fort, so that the whole force actu-
ally engaged was three hundred and sixty five,
pitted in deadly strife against fifteen hundred
rebels
As the right column was coming up and roun-
ding the hospital, private Scott was challenged
by Captain Bradford, of the rebel army, who,
without waiting for reply, shot poor Scott dead
on the spot. The gallant soldier fell without a
groan. The rebels then sent a vollev through
the Surgeons tent, but finding that they were
attacking the hospital. orders we're at once given
TO march towards the camp. By this time the
camp e sSa % tRs
most terrible and exciting part of the conflict
The pickets being engaged with the right ard
centre columns of the enemy, and the main body
Of the Union troops expecting an attack on the
right, the left wing Of che assailants entered the
camp almost without shot being fired. The
enemy then fred a murderous voley into the
gallant band, which was returned with unerring
aim, causing havoc and confusion among the
rebels. The Zouaves, however, 60 sudden was
the attack, we're thrown into confusion, but spec.
uhy toihCu W TIC ChOItS vi LuciT OmCcTS. 1uc
lighting was now conducted with desperation
On the part of the Wilson boys. They, howev.
er, did not fight with regard to order Bush
lighting was the mode adopted, and several OF
The Zouaves were seen to hold their ground
against treble their number of opponents for ali
entire hour. Various were the acts of daring
and impetuous valor dsplayediE this unequal con.
test by the Federal troops. Lieutenant Baker,
Of Company F, distinguished himself throughout
The whole struggle.
Col. Wilson fought valiantly. Capt. Norman
was cut of three times by the rebels from the
main body, and would have been taken prisoner
60 L. -i - i-.~. ..inSa D.
or the steady action of the entire force they
would no doubt have been cut to pieces.
Capt. Hit, of the regular army, with but eigh-
" men under his command, it is conceded did
The most service of any officer in the action.
When the fight first commenced he ordered his
company to march down upon the island, taking
the left of the battle. When about q half mile
from the camp he was met by some seven hun
1red of the enemy, when the most spirited part
Of the entire conflict began. The little band OF
eighty men at once attacked the seven hundred,
and succeeded in cutting their wsv through them.
The superiority of the Union forces was well at
tested on this occasion. The command of Capt.
Holt were all regular troops, to be sure, but then
they were pitted against nearly nine times their
own number-nine men to one!
At this period of the engagement the rebel
General Anderson ordered the retreat to be souu-
ded. When this was done the rebels fell into
immediate confusion. The cause of the retreat
being sounded appears to be q misconception as
10 the position of the Union forces, the rebels
thinking that they we're in their front instead of
heir rear. If the Unionists we're in their front,
between them and the mode of escape from the
island, it would be quite natural that in retreat
ing towards the shore they should overw helm
their assailants. But this mistake proved the
defeat of the rebels. In retreating they ran to
the right of the island, where they were met by
q body OF regular troops under command of
Adjutant Seely. Running to the left, they also
force Of Zouaves, who repelled the
attack with great bravery. The Union forces
now closed in on the rebels, and they ran like
sheep down the ehore, pursued by their brave
The battle-cry of the enemy was
u No quarter for Wilson and his men," but
they found that the first part of the sentence
would be applied with truthful force to them.
selves.
They now pursued their headlong course down
to their boats, on board Of which they hurried
in the greatest confusion. The boats, unfortu
nately for the enemy, we're fast in the mud and
could not be got off for sometime, with all the
e1ertions that were being made BY the steam
boats. Now. was the time when the carnage
in earnest among the rebels. The
Federal troops, pursuing them to the shore and
themselves behind embankneuts, and
other places erected for the better defence of
the islaEd, poured down murderous volleys upon
the heads of the enemy. Very little defence
could be made BY the rebels, and they had to
receive the balls of their victorious enemy with