Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-12-27
From a Craftsbury Soldier.

reside in Craftsbury. They have anoth-
er son in the Vermont cavalry regiment
CAMP Lyon, BIRDS POINT,
November 10, 1861.
BRorunR GEORGE: Your kind letter
came to hand on the morning of the 9th
inst, it found me very busy getting ready
to 20 somewhere with our regiment.
We were ordered to get ready to march
with two days provisions in our haver-
sacks, at a moments notice. Well, about
p. NJ, the steamer City of Memphis
came over from Cairo and took US all
aboard. Many were the conjecures as
to where We were to go; some OF the
boys said it was up the river, and some
said down, but at about Z we steamed
down the river, and then we all concluded
it was Columbus. We went down the
river some twelve miles and then tied up
for the night. There were with us some
I four other boats, with the 9th, 30tb, 3lst
/ Illinois and 7th Iowa regiments, Taylor's
battery, and one company OF cavalry on
board; also two gunboats short distance
ahead of as
As soon as it was light, we all put out
with the boats and went down to within
three miles of Columbus. Here we were
all landed on the Missouri shore, and we
then marched down nearly opposite to
Columbus, at a place called belmont
Our company was sent out as skirmishers
to try and hunt up the enemy's camp ;
we went through the woods mile or
two and came very near running into two
1 regiments Of rebels, as we afterwards
found out. BY this time we heard heavy
firing oil on our right, and we returned
back to where we had left our regiment.
But in the meantime they had been or
derad to advance, and as we could not
fluid them we concluded to pitch in at the
first place we could get = chance, and we
soon found plenty of them | assure you.
For the next four hours it was a continual
roar of musketry all the time. | never
heard such noise before, and | am not
sure that ever will again, Many is the
brave man saw fall and many the time
l thought | was bit. They came awtuIly
close, but this sheet is not half big enough
to tell yoa all heard, saw, and felt
We drove them back three times, after
they were reinforced from Columbus.
There were boats bringing them over all
the while, till our $500 seemed but a
handful l had charge of some prisoners
for while. They belonged to Inc ls,h
Kentucky, 18th and ID Tennessee rcgi-
ments. One Of them told me that they
bad 1000 men engaged, and plenty more
at Columbus. We took two of their brass
guns belonging to the Washington Mis-
sissippi battery. They are splendid guns
and were at the battle Of Bull Run.
one of them bears the name Of Lee.
At about p. NJ. a general retreat
was ordered to the boats. This was con-
Quoted very well, though they pursued
Us pretty close. BY the time we had
pretty much got aboard the boats, up
came large bodies Of the enemy, and they
sent forward their sharpshooters to pick
US off in the boats. 1t was about the
hardest place saw during the day. The
balls came through the thin partitions
like hail. One man, captain in our
company, was shot in the Lex, and he was
in the cabin at the time. Another of oul
company was badly wounded in the head
at the same time. But fortunately they
did not hit any of the pilots, and all the
boats got out into the river safely. Oul
gunboats now opened most murderout
fire upon them, and very soon the bank,
were clear. We now went up the rivel
while the gunboats stayed to pick up any
one that might escape from the enemy
We got home about 10 Z. NJ, tireC
enough. Friday steamboat went dowr
the river under flag of truce TO gathe
up our dead and wounded. They go
back the same night and reported tina
they buried between so and 90 bodies
and brought up several wounded. Tn,
loss of our regiment is, Colonel, woundet
? and taken prisoner; two Captains an,
one Lieut.. also wounded and taken pris
oners; twenty five men killed thirty
five missing seventy-three wounded
, The loss of our company is two me
killed, one missing, one taken prisoner
> and six wounded. The Iowa 9th suffer
ed severely, much worse than our reg
D ment. The other regiments belong i
f Cairo, and as yet do not know the
loss. The loss of the enemy is yer
, severe; no doubt it is nearly doubl
1 ours, though yesterday they would NJ
= admit to Col. Hart that it was more tina
500 killed. Some of the prisoners W