The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-08-23

Night before last a little army Of iifty. 4
two hundred men moved IN two columns ,
on march Of twelve or fifteen miles 10 ,
attack a body ofrebcls twenty-five thou-
ssnd strong. In a military point Of view I
the move was one Of doubtful propriotyi 1
not 10 say absolute rashnoes. The lurR /
ur force were, with the exception ofthrcc /
Thousand mon, we'll armed and equipped, |
and they had q l0rue body Of cavnlry.-
But Tho question OF eYtouadng Spring I
Geld, The key Of the entire Southwest, |
had already been discussed and settled 10 /
tho negative. II was decided that the
loyal eitiEona Of Green and the surround
ing counties should not have cause TO say
VIC had len them without a struggle,
abandoned themselves, their families,
their ali, 60 heartlcss end desperate foe,
until the enemy had felt our steol and
tried the mcttle Of our troops. That mot
tle proved itselfworthy Of tho great cause
10 which Il was engaged. The Union
troops who fought and won the battle
Of yesterday need no higher mark, no
brighter name than the lsurols earned
Justly cntitle them to. They fought like
brave men, long and we'll
Den. Scigel, with six pieces Of cannon
his own regiment and that Of Colonel
Solomont, moved In Southerly direc-
ton, marching about fifteen miles, pass
ing around the cxtromo southeastern
camp Of the enemy and halted until day
light, or for the sound Of artillery from the
noFthMestto annougee the opening Of the
battle.
Gen. Lyon, with the volunteers com.
posi1g tho Missouri First, Lieut.. Col. An
drews; Iowa First, Lieut. Col. Marri,tl
Konsns First, Col. DoiHlef, and Second
Col. Mitchell; part Of the Missouri Sec
ond, under Mpior Ostcrhaus, and de-
taohmcnt oftwcnty men from Col Wy
mans Illino,s Regiment; three or four
companies OF mounted Horne Guards, a
force Of regulars about eight hundred
strong, ana Two batteries of four and six
pieces respectively, left Springfield about
) o'clock p. NJ, when we haltod for two
houra, at which time Capt Gilbert's com.
pany OF regulars and Muior Osterhaus'
battalion were thrown out as skirmishers
on either aide Of the column, aud We NOV.
cd forward.
Shurtly after FIVE o'clock party Of
rebels, acting os a picket, woro seen
scuttering ever the hills to give the alarm
but portion Of our column had already
penetrated far enough TO cut on their
runte, unless they took a very circuitous
one, In which case we should reach camp
aheud OF them. Wo soon came in sight
ofthe valley In which they were cncamp-
ed. A thousand tents stretching OF in
60 tho distance aud partially screened
from view by hill iutting into an hnglC
Of Wilson crock, were before US, present.
iup Ls animated an appearance as a young
city. The onemy's camp extended from
tho head Of the valley, overlooked on the
North, East aud West sides by hills and
ridges two or three hundred feet in hight
suuthward about a mile, thence eastward
a mile, following the windings Of the
creek, along whose banks the gontly
elopi hills on either side afford tho most
excellent camping ground.
Near the northern end Of tho valley
lived John McNary, formerly from Indi.
ana, who, finding the rebels within five
miles, on Tuesday last, packed up hi,
worldly goods, took his family aud start.
cd for the good old Hoosier State, where
twas not a crime to be loyal to the Gov
ernment under which wo live, not lest
than twenty or thirty families, living OF
farms in the vicinity, started about The
same time, most Of Them having little ol
noidea where they were going, except
TO escape from the danger which throat
oaed them.
The battle Geld, viewed hy your cor
respondent, whero the most severe fight
ing was done, was along the ridges an
bills on either side (mostly ON the West
OF the stream for the first mile montono,
sboye, where the creek runs IN a south
erly direction.
Asw crossed the hill on the North
moving in a Southwestorly direction
Capt. Wright, with the mounted Hon,
Guards. was sent TO the East side 30
20 cut of party Of rebels seen In that di
rcction. Adjuiant Hasccok, with Rlns
rode 20 the brow Of the hill, where look
ing down, he saw every movement Of IN
enemy beneath him. His appearance q
full view caused great hub bub in thi
rebel camp, which had already beef
thoroughly aroused by our appearance
and camps and baggage were hastil,
loaded and moved toward the South. WI
had eomPletely surprised them. The ev
idence ofthat fact was everywhere yisi
BILE, butthey had got quickly into line o
bettlc-the.r clouds Of eaValry were yis
lble, and their twCnty-one pieces Of cen
non were not long silont uler ourl ha,
opened the engagement.
On the sides OF the first ridge on N
western side OF the valley, Col, Blair
regiment, u ten minutes aitcr six o'oloc
encountered heavy force Of inf6ntr,
not less than full regiment, aud after
arVerc eantest they gained tho SUNNI
end the defeat a rebels dispersed rapid
going in direction which rendered
impossible tof any considerable numb,
OF them 30 again partici2 pate IN the battl
TUttcn's battery then threw a few bal
Hs feelers, 10 draw out the enemy's cal
non.
Col. Blair's regiment moved forwal
and were soon mot by well equipp,
regiment OF Louisiana troops, whom, a
ter bitter contest Of forty-iivo minute
they succeeded in routing, though sufit
ing severely themselves. Captain lat
fop's company ofrifie recruits now assir
I'd them and together they, with Mai
Osterhuus' men, mUved up the seco
hili, which was considerably larger th
the first and meeting third regimel
hhalIy succeeded IN driving them ba
with the assistance Of Tottcn's battel
and gaining the summit, Ia this part
tho light the gallant Missouri yohnte'
acted bravelys indeed, no words Of prai
could more than DO them justice
OF course many aets ofyulor were pl
fofmed nef Witnessed BY me. bat amo
those Igsv conspicuons wena Capt
GUtat leading be men against oF
whelming odds, AID falling n death j
las ke. had rorplsed the foes LieuicDl
Murpby,, dashi,e forward ahead of
.lihe, waving his sword high 10 TIE
esbqnipg epwafd p ihe almesf Yayfr