The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-11-02
From the Ct. Louis DemocIat.
The Battle of ErcderickstOwn.
FREDERICKTowN, Mo, Oct. %.

/ L MON and secession forces. The belliger-
ents were just about equal in number and
position and whatever was was gained by
/ the one over the other must be attributed
to courage and skill rather than any
other cause 1t was a fair stand up fight.
| jeff Thompson was m possession of
! FredericktOwn his bands were pIllagng
| the country in every direction, ard 1t was
/ decided to dslodge him. A force was or
dered up from Cape Girardeau to cut OF:
his retreat 10 the swamps. This force
consisted Of Col Plummers Missouri Elev-
enth, Col Ross Illinois Seventeeth, Col
MaIsh's Illinois Twentieth, two pieces of
cannon and two companies Of cavalry
At the same time force was ordered from
Pilot Knob, consisting of the Illinois Thir
| ty-eighth, Col Carlin Illinois Thirty third
Col. Hovey; Illinois Twenty-frst, Colonel
| Alexander; Wisconsin Eighth. Col Muir
| ply; First Indiana Cavalry, Col. Baker :
Capt Hawkins Independen Missouri Cav
J airy; and six cannOu-two 24Pouhoers
Major schoielda daffT11Smas, frs1 missouri Artillery
Saturday evening, Colonel Plummer, in
command OF the forces from Cape Girar
deau, sent messenger with dispatches to
| Col. Carlin, commander of the forces from
Pilot Knob This messenger was captured
by Thompson on Sunday morning, ,hus
putting him in possession of the move
! ments and intentions of the Union forces.
He ordered movement down the road
to Dallas, evidently intending to attack
and cut Col PIummer otf, when he would
return and tInlsh the forces from the west
at his leisure. But there are two roads
from Dallas to Frederic town-the north
and the south. Thompson went out on
I. h ,,,I
north road, and so he missed him. As
soon as he asccrtained this fact he came
back aud took position about one mile
south OF Frederick town (on the Greenyille
road), on the south side of rayine, plant
lug his cannon IL the edge OF "A wood aud
bearing on the road, and placing his ir-
iantry III the corn fields on either side of
the lane leading out of the ravine or hol-
low, toward the wood in which the artil.
lery was placed On taking This position,
he sent dispatch to the main body of his
cavalry, which was then ten miles south
of Pilot Knob at Judge Miller's which
dispatch reached them at o clock Mon
day morning. They hastened OFT TO his
assistance, but from the mum Der of cavalry
seen on the battle field. it is believed they
did not reach HIM in time to be in the en-
gagement. The rebel forces consisted Of
100, under Col Lowe: 1000, under jeff
Thompson a reinforcement from Mis>Is-
sippi, of l,jOO men: and the ritf Iati OF
the surrounding country, who fought their
own battle In their own way. Thompson
had nine cannon, and ~ Founders
three are at New Madrid, and four he had
at Fredsricktown.
DR.. Mcdowell. formerly OF your city, Is
his Surgeon. IeaIu these particulars
from spy just III from his camp and they
may be nstder-d perfectly reliable The
number on each side was about 5000 II
Is the first time the rebels have not greatly
outuumbcgcd Us.
Col CarIin arrived in Frederick town
about o clock Monday morning, and was
told 10y the inhabitants that Thompson
had lett the day before, aud tn. [ he was
probably thirty miles away by that lime
iiavug Tut teo days rations in the hayer
-acks, ana the basgfae-train being behind,
he concluded 10 wait till IL came up before
he pushed on after the tugacious enemy.
The men being tired, having marched all
the night previous, many OF them iaid
down and sept as did also some of the
officers, IN perfect security. At / ] o'clock,
Col Plumm,r command came in. After
consultation, and u rest OF two hours, he
concluded to push on after the enemy in
the least idea of oyertakng jeff so soon.
as the people of the town We're Unanimous
ia their story that he had gone the day
before. After he had proceeded down
the lane half a mile, negro woman told
him there were men down IN the road
This placed him on his guard and Cplouel
Ross who was IN advance, pretty soon saw
the rebel cavalry moving among the brush,
and the fact that the enemy We're in force
before them was soon APPARENT
Colonel Ross Immediately look position
in a field TO the left Of the road, and Oh
t e north side OF the hollow, about half a
mile from the rebel artillery, and two
hundred and fifty yards from Loves in
iantry, who were behind fence In the
centre Of the valley, aud directly before
him. one cannon was placed on his right
flank, and another in the lane bearing on
the rebel artillery. In lew minutes we
opened the ball by sending a six pound
shot into the brush on the other side. 1t
was promptly responded to by shot from
the rebels, and the firing was kept up
steadily on both sides Col Ross men
} fired TIVE or three rounds at random down
the hill. Col. PIummer and Col Marsh
were soon formed Oh the ridge to the right
/ OF Col Ross, and the firing soon reused
/ the land on double quick, and took DO
sition in the ear The Eight Wisconsin
was left as a reserve in town, and TO cover
! the retreat in case that necessity should
happen.
Perhaps it will be we'll to state that
there was difference among the Colohels
| as to who should have command. Col
Carlin thought he should have it, and Col.
! Plummer thought he should. As they
were about considering the matter, it oc
Cured to them that Col. Ross out ranked
them both. and so it was thought best to
sap nothing further about it. So, from
| the point at which We are now in the pro-
gress Of the battle, each Colonel managed
his own force pretty much as he thought
! best
Col Ross regiment threw off their KNAPP
sacks and coats, and with a steady STEP
advanced down the hill, under brisk fire
| from Loves men. The march quickened
into charge, made hideous with yells,
and the rebels broke and retreated across
the stubbie field towards the woods
While crossing this field their loss was
very heavy.
| In the mean time the Indiana Cavalry
had formed in the lane, and dashed down
the hill and up the opposite slope, where
they were exposed to fire from infantry
on both sides, and the artillery in front.
Seeing the impossibilty of making sue
cesslul charge in the brush, all order to
wheel was gwen, and just as it was being
executed, murderous fire was poured i'll
upon them, and Major Gavit, Captain
Highman, and two privates fell, and sew
eral others were wounded.
They were quickly supported by Col
Pummer, and our united forces rapi lily
advancing, the enemy began to fall back,
and In a short time the rout was complete.
The infantry pursued them three or four
miles, and the cavalry ten miles. 1t Is a
. cnmniete YlctOlN