Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1861-10-31
The Battle Of wild Cat.

The Cincinnati Gdxettk of the 26th,
has the following particulars Of the battle
of Wild Cat 10 which the rebels we're COM
pletely routed, obtained from three wound
ed men Of the Indiana SD, who have ar
rived at Covington. The Gazette says:
II appears tbst abc1t eleven o'clock on
Monday morning, four companies of the
Thirty third and part of Col. Wolford's s
cavalry regiment lnot mounted, however,
were attacked BY two or three regiments Of
rebel infantry with one battery of artille.
ry. Our men were entrenched upon a
ridge which completely commands the on
ly available pass toward Camp Dick Rob-
inson, which it was the design of the reb-
els 10 reach, aud they were allowed to come
within IS yards Of the breasiworks when
the Indiana boys sprang from their shelter
and poured their fire with unceasipg vigol
upon lie foe for nearly two hours. There
was little regularity in the engagement SC
far as the rules Of battle are concerned, fol
each Union soldier fought as though the
fate of the day rested with him alone, and
such bravery has rarely been recorded du.
ring this rebellion as was shown by the In
piana boys upon this occasion. The rebels
too, fought like tigers, but the great disad-
vantage of approaching their opponents Vi
bill, and under steady fire from behind
entertainments soon began to tell upon
them, and they kept falling back at each
volley, dragging their slain and wounded
with them. Our loss is four killed and Is
wounded, as far as we can learn, but it is
likely that more recent intelligence will
show an increase of both. The loss of the
rebels is variously estimated at from three
hundred 10 six hundred. Toward night.
fall the rebel forces bad fallen back almost
out OF sight, but it was thought that posi-.
bly, they might renew the attack with in.
creased numbers, knowing the weakness Of
the Union force, and the utmost vigilance
was kept for fear of surprise. About
midnight the alarm was given by the boom,
ing Of cannon from the rebel side, and a
simultaneous movement BY both infantry
and cavalry upon the right flank of our
force. By that time, however, one of our
Ohio batteries, but which we could rot
learn, had arrived upon the scene, and i'm.
mediately opened a most effectual fire with
shot aud shell, which scattered the flank
rascsls, and after few rounds completely
silenced the rebel battery. Next morning
one field piece, a six FOUNDER, was found
spiked, with both wheels shattered by one
Of our shells, and fourteen or fifteen dead
bodies scattered around it.
1t 3 probable that our battery was that
of the Sixteenth Ohio, which had passed
through Crab Orchard Springs oa Sunday,
and the Springs are about twenty miles
from the scene of action.
Thirty stand of arms had been captured
a number of blankets and large quanti-
ty of accoutrements, including terrible
looking home made knives.
The Fourteenth, Thirty-eigth and Six
teentn Ohio, and two Tennessee regiments
are now in hot pursuit of the rebels; and it
is not improbable that hot and bloody
work has been done since these struggling
particulars reached US. The ball has fair
ly opened on "the dark and bloody ground
and it is very safe to predict that nowhere
during the progress of the present war
will it be carried on with more ferceness
and uuAinching bravery upon our side.
By next accounts we expect 10 hear Of
Zollicoffer being driven with terrible loss
| from the soil of Kentucky.