Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-14
THE BATTLE OF COLUMBUS.
FULL AND AUTHENTIC PARTICULARS
Description By an eyewitness.
spseIal Oorrs.pOndsnoe ., Tie MemrlI. Arpssl.

COLUMBUS. Nov. 10. 1861.-The incidents of tn
| last three days have been of so exciting and 81
thrilling 3 character that have been unable L
| gather the pure gold from the dross of error tina
always floats on the surface in the midst Of publ,
| eommotlon. Besides, the duty of soldier has in
terfered with the efficiency of the correspondent
remissness which you will know well how to ex
! cuse ,-.-s cav
| The prologue to the tragedy of " The Dark and
| Bloody Ground" has been spoken and ike the
authors preface it gives indications of the charac
ter of the work-a succession of fierce and bloody
scenes, in which the right is indicated and error
yields to the force Of saltpeter and the persuasion
Of vslor.
Thursday, the 18th day Of November 1861, as
your column have already announced was an event
Jul day to the Confederate cause in the Northwest
-'the advance Of the first column of the enemy !"
as prisoner has remarked. upon Nsl0 Orleans /"
though more properly speaking, upon Columbus
Things had their wOnted aspect Of quiet up to
A. NJ on that morning, with the exception of an
occasional piece of imPudence on the part of the
Lineolnites, in the shape of near approaches with
small bodies of their men to lines, without any
shrmishIng, however, for some two weeks.
On the morning of the 9TH, about O'Clock, boats
were seen landing troops some seven miles above
Columbus, on the opposite side of the river, near
Hunters landing. Information was immediately
conveyed to headquarters, though at first the i'm
preston prevailed that the movement was but an
attempt TO rob some mans planGatiOn-an act of
daring which they have frequently accom- plshed
heretofore. he number OF the boats however
seemed TO imply that they were after larger game
than was known to be in that vicinity. The Alec
Scott had frequently been seen on these mqrauiing
expeditions, but this time she accompanied by six
other boats, including two gun boats most Of them
Of heavy tonnage. The process of Decentralization
kept steadily progressing and Uy the numbers lsnd
ed il became plain that little force on the other
side Of the river-consstiDg Of Col. Tlppsn's 18th
Arkansas regiment WatsOn's battery. Col BelfZ |
hoover, and the Bolivar Troupe, Capt Montgomery |
and Capt. BOwles' cavalry, OF Lieut. Col MIller's |
battalion of Mississippi cavalTy-were in imminent |
danger of an attack Under these circumstances |
reinforcements rapidly sent consisting of Col
Ed Pickett's 2lst, Col. J. V. Wrights 18Th Col |
Freeman's Z2d and Col. J. Knox Walkers ID Ten
nessee regiments. On the landing of these troops
they were hastily formed in line of battle on the
border of an old field lying Immediately behind the
encampment of Col TapPan's regiment, skirmishers
being detailed from COL Plcketts regiment to press
forward and engage the enemy at the head of the
lake, Colonel Freeman's regiment and Watson's
battery, Colonel Belthoover occupying the center
with the 18th Arkansas the right, and 18Th Ten
nessee on the left. AL of this had been effected
by nine o'clock and troops on the other side at
this time may be estimated at about two thousand /
seven hundred men. The enemy at about ten
O'Clock came upon our advance, which received i
them with q heavy volley of musketry, and
gradually fell back toward our main line, the
LncOlnites following them up closely until they
came within range CT the main body, where
they were calamity received. Now commenced the L
rafting Of the musketry and the roar of the srti
lery in earnest, our line standing firmly for one
hour and half in the face of overwhelming mum
beIs of the enemy, which fair calculation places
between eight and ten thousand, with two batteries
of twelve guns. The coolest courage and the most
desperate valor are not always invincible to supe
rior numbers, and our small force rendered it in
possible to extend our nes.so to avoid being out
faDked by the superior force of the enemy. Oar
position at this time an eligible one as our
force were mostly drawn up in the open field, Civ
ing the enemy the advantage Of the woods, which I
was bordered by q heavy underbrush and large 1
numbers of old logs which served them as I'm,
Dromptu breastworks. Two of the guns of Watson's
battery had by this time become unservicesble :
through the stopping of the vent by their fuse c
Ihch materially impaired the efficiency of the bat
cry, though it still continued 10 do noble SER Ice
Under all the circumstances, no wever it folly
% maintain our position before q vastly superior
Orce, who were steadily outhankiDg US, and the =
rider wssgiving to fall back ana await reinforce
nents, which was not done, however, until our
title force repealed three desperate charges by the
nemy. q
Our forces. after falling back in coed order, took t
lp position the bank of the river, where they &
continued firing until their ammunition gave out Q
nd they we're compelled to retire under the bank
n order to escape the CALLING fire OF the enemy, b
Who had taken Watson's battery after desperate 0
barge and turned 1t upon our lines, charging at q
be same time upon the encampment which had L
zen occupied by Col. Tappans regiment, ard the Il
Watson battery setting fire to the tents, ana it is
aid killing number of invalids who were found 81
within them and throwing their lines upon the bank
the river beneath which our men lay without q
1t is said that the LincOnites came g
pom the bank above them our whole force, which 6
" but eight ten yards off, had bat three rounds hi
cartridges with which 10 receive them. q
Our men now retreated up the bank of the river v
a point opposite the upper end Of Columbus, to
here Col Carrols 18th (under Col Tyler, of San ed
1an notoriety) and Col Marks llth Louisians IN
,gments were being landed, which forces reached tn
other side of the river between hafpast twelve hi
I'd two o'clock. th
At II O'Clock A. NJ, orders were received for tive
mpanies Of the LIST battklion Tennessee cavalry We
81 lockwood, to the river, and Capt Tayor's e
emphis Light Dragons and Capt Whites Tennes
e Mounted Rifles (beiDg companies A and B. Of So
e battaion) were detailed and marched uuders VI
H. Logwood In crossing the river the two com
mics were compelled TO take separate boats, and tb
pit TsylOrs company, accompanied by Col. Log ia
bod. reached the other side before our forces had
tired up the river. Taking position the left co
ng with Capt MOntgomery's Bolivar Troupe and IN