American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1861-11-16


pEscnaprIor o. THE FIGHT ny
Az EYEWITNESS
CALAMITY Of the conk,dsrzts of6oers
GEN. Folks HEROIC CONDUCT.
The Memphis Avalanche, OF Saturday,
gathers from Mr. s. Thurman. who was an eye
witness, the following particulars of the great
battle foaght opposite Columbus, ky-, on
Thursday last
The Fir.s Euxa=~mcnt-
To prevent the Federals from erecting bait
teries on the Missouri shore. opposite Co
Iunlbsis. and 10 act scouts, Cei- Tsppan' :
8 Arkansas regiment, Col. Markss Louisiana
regiment. aud some cavalry had been for
months eaeamped o the Missouri shore OPP
posite Columbus. News was brought TO the
eneampment about o'clock on Thursday
morning, tlat the eneny was coming upon
them in large force, and actually
only three miles distant Immediately in
formation of the fact was sent over to Column
bus. vi hen Gen. Pillow, with Coils. Pieketts,
Rnssell'S and Wright's regiments. and Log
woods eavalry, were transported to the
Missouri shore. They had only lasficd and
gone about half mile from the boats, when
the enemy appeared in full force in the woods,
and tiIe ighting Immediately commenced.
IAe 11g Ut GdtlSfJ H1IgaV IaC been ssat1Oneu
the Missouri shore WAYS first brFught into
requisition, but the eneasy kept advancing
and driving IN our force as tlacy moYed, till
finally, by l. O'Clock, they had taken our
battery and entire encampment, troops
being forced under the bluff to tire water ;
edge.
The enemy, flushed with victory, then par
tally ceased their pursuit and engaged in
setting fire to our tents, taking prisoners and
committing other depredatons. They shortly
after opened fire upon the Prince and Charm,
which were engaged in bringing over rein
foreements, sending a ball through the wheel
house of both but not seriously inInring
either. This act led our friends at Columbus
to suspect that side had been repulsed,
and Immediately heavy cannonade was
opened from the Columbus side on the enemy,
then in our camp the Missouri shore.
The Responder did fearful execution
The Enemy nepusscsE md Rented.
In the meantime, Gen. Pillow having been
reinforced by Coils. CAROLS, Walkers, Free
mans, Stephens's and the 18th Louisiana
J regiments, re- eormed his forces bout mile
above our encampment, on the river, and ex-
ecuted a flank movement the enemy, re-
captured our battery, and was CALAMITY Griy-
ing the enemy before him. with great slaugh-
s ter, when, about o'clock. he was still far
/, Their reinforced by Col. Smith regiment and
Blythes Mississippi battalion, in command OF
Gen. Cheat than, who, on landing on the Mis-
souri, side, briefly bat eloquently appealed to
the men TO follow him and he would lead
J them to hell or to victory" The men, being
fresh, soon caught up with the flying enemy,
s and IN eonjunct on with Logwoods cavalry
battalion, pursued and cat them down to
within fifty yards of the gunboats which
the enemy debarked, the enemy meanwhile
keeping upa most terrific cannonade upon
our pursuing hosts from the ganboats.
We captured large lot of ammunition,
al Of n few ME of
artillery. besides knapsaeks, wagons, eolors
and overcoats without number.
The Fences Engaged.
The enemy had engaged in the fight ten
gimentS, fifteen pieces of light artillery and
some cavalry. This report of their force is
from prisoners taken. We had at first in the
fight only Gel. Tappan's 18th Arkansas regi-
rnent, Coz. Freeman's ed regiment Col. y.
Knox Walkers I'd regimet and Col. Pickett's
list regiment, in all about $500 effective men.
These compose the body who fanked the en-
envy, recovered the battery that had been lost,
and were driving them before them when
Cheatham's reinforcements came NJ, and
adding to their discontinue, made them
retreat in double-quick time.
The enemys forces were commanded by
Gen. McClernand in person, assisted by Gen.
Bowling, who is amongst the prisoners.
Gel. Dongherty is also prisoner, and Col
Beaufort, who came down with flag Of
tiutc ihc elttf Gal from oalEO. Is diiOH-St
the slain, and several others of their field
officers are either killed or captured.
SznIisntry Of the Officers.
Cen. Pillow has fairly proud dis
tincticn by this well fought battle Gen.
Polk, also, comes in for a prominent share
of the glory Of this, his first battle. Our
martial Bishop displayed headlong courage,
and his name, hereafter, viii be terror to
the Hessians. who fled before his impetuous
charge. lie has shown that he possessed
personal courage, as well as administrative
and strategic ability of high order
Gen. Cheatham, likewise, who led his
brigade to the relief of Pillow at the critical
moment, displayed the most distinguished
bravery and address, and will hereafter rank
high among the illustrious generals of the
Confederate army.
--latest from, ihe Rattle Field.
We gather the following from the CORES
pondence and special dispatches in the Mem
phis Appeal;
We lost twenty-six prisoners, twenty-one
Of whom were sick in the hospital on the
Missouri shore at the time of attack
A special dispatch, received last night,
from high official source at Columbus, says
i that our loss in killed, wounded and missing,
IN the recent battle, exceeds six hundred
j The amount of excess is not stated. Other
reliable estimates place the number of missing
43SuppuSeu 10 De pflsoISis III Ike HstHes VI
the enemy at two hundred. This would
leave our loss, in killed and wounded, over
j four hundred.
The loss of the enemy is stated, in tbs dis
patch alluded to above. to have been more
5 than double our own. Our men have already
buried two hundred and ninety-fve of the en-
eny's killed, and the task is not yet compile
/ ted
This Enemy's Loss.
1t is thought that we captured over two
hundred prisoners and about FIVE hundred
stand of arms. The bearer of flag of truce,
who came down on the day after the battle
! from Cairo, acknowledged loss of between
seven and eight hundred Federals-
Gen. MeCIernands portfolio, including
his writing materials, a number of written
orders to various suberdinates and ink
stand inscribed with his name. were taken
/ by our men, handsome iron-framed cot
was also found, in which it is thought Nc
CIernand designed reposlng during the night
after his victory was achieved
Ancr she EassIe.
correspondents says
As We came back, the sight along their