Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-14

. capt. boWles, cavalry, der Col. Miller, as shar
shooters and videttes, that portion Of our cavalr
when the charge was made, were cut off from q
: mai body and were obliged to retreat down th
river. Capt Whites company, was delayed som
hour or more in crossing and made the other sid
: at time when the landing for disembarking GU
endorsements had been moved farther up tn
river, and were consequently with the main bed
at and after the time of landing.
AS soon as It became apparent that our troop
y mac deserted their camp on the Missouri side an
. while the flames were issuing from them, sur
. rounded as they were by Lincolnites the famou
: pivot gun, Lady Davis" was turned loose upo
Z them from this side, and Stewards and Smiths bai
lerles opened ire from position on this side Of
the river, opposite them. The Lady Davis free
two shots, one of which is said to have killed
/, twenty Of the enemy.
About this time the Inpomar WAS coming nm tbs
river and the guns of the enemy being turned
against her, she was compelled to fall back auC
postpone her landing. The batteries on this aide o.
the river however, kept up such incessant frins
that the enemy were compelled to retire from the
river bank and take position farther back and
within the cover of the woods. By tins time cur
lreinfOreements had landed. and were drawn up in
line of battle on the bank Col Smiths 154rh)
/ tennessee regiment and Col. Blythes Mississippi
battalion being in transit across the river.
The falling back of the enemy from the river was
the turning tide in the affairs Of the day.
Gen Pillow, now at the head of Col Tsppan's
freeman ,Picketts, Wrights, Russel's and Marks
llth Louisiana regiments, attacked the enemy in
three desperate charges between twelve and two
O'Clock, each time repulsed and rallied BY General
PHO" II person. Wherever the battle ragged the
hereest there was seen their indOmitable leader
overseeing and directing the details Of the engage
ment.
Ia the mean time flank movement under Gen
Cheatham was being etf5 cted, under the immediate
direction OF Gen. Polk. This movement was intend
ed to cut the enemy of from their boats by throw
ing our right wing between the river and the head
OF q little lake that runs parallel with the river
some mile from each other Capt Whites Tennes-
see Mounted Rihss was on the extreme right of
TINS movement. with CAROLS Tennessee regiment
and Bythes Mississippi battalion soon followed on
their landing b. Col. Smiths LIST I54th) and Neely
4th Tennessee, in their order on his left command.
ed by Gen. Chethsm.
While this flank movement was being effected and
before our forces had fully gained position il
was designed they should occupy, Gen Pillow, with
the forces under his command, made Irresistible
chsrge upon the position of the enemy, driving eve
rything before him. and completely routing them |
They made two partial stands as they were pursued
oy our troops, but fnaly broke iatO perfect STAN
pede, and the victory was ours though the enemy's
loss Is not near so heavy it would have been had
the design of our flank movement been fully carried
out and our troops placed In the position they were
designed TO occupy before the breaking of their
column Capt Whites Tennessee Mounted Rifles
oelng hrst to move had, however, gained the point
where the enemy were to embark before they
reached IL In large numbers, and taking g position
between the gunboats and the enemy's hospital
where they could not be shelled without the shots
aking effect upon their own sick, they kept IN a
brisk fire upon them as they retreated past Smith
md CAROLS regiments, snd Tsylor's, Montgome-
Us and BOwies' cavalry, soon came up, and
he havoc is said to have been frightfuL
as the enemy gained ground in the com 1ence-
nent CT the engagement, they had kept large
lumber OF wagons and ambulanees engaged in car
, ing their dead aud wounded eff Of the field and 4
his will make IL impossible for US ever to approx
nate the number Of their killed and wounded Be- |
ldes, CALLING fire was kept up upon them even
fter they had reached their transports and as we
ro~ded upon them, every shot from our ordinary !
luskets even seemed 10 take effect. c
capt Whites company captured two surgeons S
20 captains and fourteen men from the Linculnites
nd recsqtured three of Col. Wriehts regiment
hen within 40 Euudred yards of tle boats 4 '
we rscaptured from the enemy seven wagons, | c
eDerai EcClernsrd's mess chests a large lot OF I
TeTcoats ard hayers axis ard large amount Of o
nmuniiiol {
From the best information l can get the enemy '
noarked seven regiments at Cairo the evening ?
the 9Th. as well as two batteries while three or
ur regiments Of infantry and st least one, and c
'me say six companies Of cavalry, came down &
ON Birds Point on the Missouri side making q
rec which is variously estimated from eight to ten
Ousand, while we had actually engaged not more h
an four thousand at any time.
Il is a remarkable fact that not a man was lost
the cavalry corps engsged and but two slightly :,
Ounded u
Two companies Of the first Tennessee battalion of
yalry, Col LogwoOd, were kept on this side as =
serve IL Anticipation Of attack on this side OF y
e river. Capt Balentine's company. the Shelby ~
ght Dragons, and Capt Green's formerly Msjjr ',
Ills company) were stationed On the hill above I y
)lumbus, and the battle went on before thin like
panorama. In the midst of the excitement in u
dent to such 2 scene, Mr.. W II. GailOr of the -
I)rqugOus hapau1a d 4l,F ro, I
at he left the ranks, and crossing over the river ~
ok musket and entered an infantry regiment ~
the midst of the engagement he was dangerous VI
wounded in the shoulder, after having made no
IS than IL arJ Of the eOemy +" bite the dusto
Capt. FsyF0rs cayslrAathe Memphis Light ORA V
0ns, capture tNcnty-four prisoners, among If
nom was BreFgt Brigsdier-General D0ugherty gi
lionel Of the Seventh Illinois regiment, who had M
shot by Charles Slower in the early part of the III
y-about the time of the taking of the Watson su
ttsry by the enemy. Col. Dougherty has since pr
his leg amputated twice, the first operation co
ing unskillfully performed. fr'
Capt Dashiel of PIcketI's regiment was carried SCI
Of the field wounded, and the command devolved Co
on Lient COnnell, who is said 10 have covered to
nself with glory. Capt. DashielFs wounds are co
GsSD'rGts ge
Gen FOuke, an T. c." of some little distinction, me
s commander Of brigade on the field, and it is va
d that in retreRtiDg en- to the boat a colonel on
one of our regiments, who was formerly his per- on
IN shooting his homer" through ercsSS Of c0su- -
Y, he being a " distinguished visitor"
japt 3 ooks, Of one Of the Northern regiments a
10 came down under flag OF truce 70 bury the \
ID. found a brother upon the field shot by a
lnle ball through the head, who had been attach
to Col. Tappan's Arkansas regiment as surgeon T.,
J formerly of Memphis. The recognition is said II
have been one of the most affecting scenes on the n
d, the surviving brother sitting down beside his ~
theirs son, wept like q child.
{ is a remarkable thing that out of the sixteen
'ses lying dead on the field after the battle was
r., nine were white. AL the white horses on the
d, with the exception Of Gen Pillows and Col
ywood's were killed. Every man on Gen. Pill
rs staff lost his horse, and q number of them
two herses shot under them Geo Pillow, a
of Gen Pillow had his horse shot no less than
en- times and was aflerward himself injured BY
falling Of the staging while getting 6-pound
off of one Of the boats. Mr. II P WOodlock
Pillows orderly, had two horses shot under
and taking the musket from the hands of the Ii
who pulled him from under his horse, and exssl
was mertaliy wounded while in the act, he ~
his place in the ranks and fought through the sDr
segment. Capt Jackson, of the artillery act teiei
aid 10 Gen p was shot through the thigh and sac