The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-10-31
The hattie of Lcesburg Heights.

of Leesburg from Capt. F. G. Young,
Ouartermaster of Col. Bakers brigade,
who was gallant actor in and an eye
witness of the terrible events he de-
scribes. Having given the number Of
the companies who succeeded in reach
ing the Virginia shore, and the difficult
ties they encountered in securing a
footing. Capt Young proceeds:
mo adequate means of transporta-
ton bad been provided. 1t seemed as
if the column was expected to walk
across OH the water-surface.@ Nothing
but one old scow, capable of holding
perhaps forty men, appeared available
on either side of the Island. If the
Massachusetts men had had any other
boats they were not visible in the
morning. AT length discovered
large scow in the canal, and two hours
were consumed in getting it over into
the Maryland channel 1t would hold
about sixty men. Col. Baker, Lieut..
Colonel Wistar, Assistant Adjutant-
General Harvey and myself went with
the first load to the island, and there
superintendent the transit of our men.
1t was IL M. before our first company
landed at the foot of the bush-covered
precipice which rises abruptly over one
hundred feet from the liver bed on the
further side of the river. Four hours
more had elapsed before the last COM
pany landed. Sections of the Second
Rhode Island Battery, comprising two
howitzers, two field smooth bores, and
one rfled gun, went over with us, the
men dragging them up the heights with
great difficulty and spirit.
All this time irregular fighting was
going on above. 1t seems that Cox
Devan had in the morning moved with
small detachment in the direction of
Leesburg, shortly after his forces had
crossed, and advanced one mile, there
met the enemy's skirmishers in feeble
force, and had retired to the brow of
the heights. Before this the Quarter
master of the Massachusetts Fifteenth
had gone alone to point within mile
of the village, had returned, crossed
the river, and reported to General
Stone that there were no hostile forces
i'm that region. But after Col. Devan
fell back his men were placed in a
semi circular clearing, or natural forest
opening, covering FIVE or six acres,
with it's base resting on the edge of
the heights, and fianked and fronted
by forest. The enemy, becoming boil
der, advanced in scattering parties to
the edge of these woods, and from 10
A. M. to p. M. kept up random,
annoying fire upon our men. The latter
sheltered themselves as well as they
could, lying just below the ridge, and
awaited reinforcements.
AT a, then. our whole force had
crossed and assembled, Colonel Baker
and staff with the rest, and the troops
were suffering somewhat from the con
cealed enemy's fire. Many had dropped
and been carried down the hill
We asked Colonel Baker what he
thouobt &C affairs. He said that he
thought we ns., a good position; could
fall back for shelte. 5ehind the ridge.
" Yes" said we, "but \, haas IN those
WOOUS liz dliSN clC u :.
the enemy are concealed on our rign..
A private had reported that there was
no force on the left, but a deep ravine,
hidden 10y the woods. We then pro-
posed sending skirmishcrs to make a
reconnaissance OH the right, and Capt.
Markoe, Second Lieutenant Williams,
and myself, advanced with companies
a and ID of the California Regiment.
Company A got in trent on rising
ground, in skirmishing order, company
d followed in line.
The California battalion, to make
the story clear, were drawn up on the
left of the field; the Massachusetts
Fifteenth and Tammany on the right,
and the Massachusetts Twentieth
nearer the center Colonel Coggswell
took charge of the artillery. Only four
guns were planted in the field. the
rifed gun having been hauled mp at
the wrong place, and being afterward
seized by the enemy and spiked.
When our skirmishing companies
had reached the edge of the woods,
Suddenly the enemy, hitherto concealed,
rose with yell and fired volley !; then
loading and firing at will for few
minutes; then ceasing an equal time
then giving another yell and volley,
and so on, pouring murderous fire
into our little band for the space OF
half an hour. The whole woods around
swarmed with them. They had no
artillery and no cavalry. Our Rhode
Islanders, except the officers, deserted
their guns, but Colonel Baker, Lieut..
Colonel Wistar, Colonel Coggsceu,
and Adjutant Haruey manned the
battery, and fired the guns themselves
aided by company G, First California
led by the gallant Captain Beiral
THE latter was conspicuous for bravery
throughout the action; is wounded
but not dangerously, and is now safe
on Maryland ground.
We kept up both q musketry ant
cannon fire as we'll as we could, but
half the time we could not see the
enemy, and his cowardly discharges
were thinning our ranks; still, most o.
the men stood firm and acted bravely.
The enemy's volleys and yells increased
in loudness, and it was evident thai
reinforcements were pouring in to his
aid. Capt. Stewart, Gen. Stone.
/ INT NJ al Al. Al