Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-13
LrTTERs rROu CoLUusIs.

do not contain much that has not already been
given to the public, vet they will be perused
with interest, as coming from private and en-
tirely disntereSted sources:
HEApqU ,RTERs l54rH SIR REaruNT}
November, 9, ls6l-
DEAR BROTHER: have this morning a little
leisure, and have concluded to improve the time
by writing you some Of the particulars Of the
recent battle The general outlines Of the en-
gagement suppose have already reached you.
The first intimation that our generals had that
an attack was designed upon the city, was the
appearance Of three or four gunbosts rounding
the point, about SIX miles above, accompanied
bv as many large steamboats,. Early on the
morning of the 9TH inst, Gen. Polk, sup
posing their object TO be the landing oi
troops, dispatched General Pillow with three
Tennessee regiments (Piekett's, Walkers and
Carrolls) to the assistance OF Col Iappan
Arkansas regiment which was eucamped ON the
opposite side OF the river, together with the
WATSON battery Of artillery, from louisiana
and some cavalry, Il believe the BOLIVAR
Troupe" from Mississippi The engagement
was commenced about halt past o'clock, the
enemy having the advantage of the woods,
which, 10 a great measure, protected then foui
the heavy fire of musketry which was kept up
Inv our men for about one hour, after which time
oIlr men were ordered TO fall back to the woods
which they did In toerably good order Inns
movement of our troops was construed by ihe
enemy as a retreat. They advanced from the
woods on our men. under the cover OF the woods
and ditch. which they chanced 10 IND, ana
opened again upon them the deadly hIe OF
musketry, which they continued TO Keep mp aP-
uarentlv without one moments lntermlssloi loi
about an hour OF 50, when portion OF our me
which WIS exposed to the FIRE, by not being able
70 ref into the woods retired in rather bad ordeI
of which only a part could be rallied. Al TINS
point the enemy had the decided advantage; our
men commenced to retire. and the enemy 10 ad-
vance. Gen. Pillow used every eXerIIon to raj
n, the men who were now commencing to break,
nuder the heavy fire from the artillery which
rbp enemy now brought to bear on our lines, and
on account of the giving out Of the ammunition
with some. Il is a remarkable lact Lhat poI
ton of the Arkansas regiment was rallied ana
came back to their places IN line without aninu-
nition. These four regiments bore the whole
.bruut of the action mp TO TINS tih5t oul over
vbclmiur numbers, together with dlsadVaniag
of uosition. caused our commanders to order
retreat. Taking advantage of Our disorder, the
enemy advanced into Col Tappan camp, winch
hal haer deserted bv an but the sick who were not
able tn + ONT oftber tents and proceeded to burn
the eucampment, and to destroy everything they
could Law hands on. At this Iuncture they raised
the stars and stripes with shout, ana had they
Immediately charged upon our men, who had'
apparently, given up all as lost ihey nilgnI
have GAINED considerable advantage, and would
nroba6Iv have driven our men into the river;
but thew. | suppose, concluded that the day was
theirs. aud the victory won, and drew themselves
up in line of battle, facing Columbus. IL was
al this time that our brigade, commanded by
Col Preston smith, consisting Of our regiment
and that commanded by Col \. X. Blythe, OF
Mississippi. filed down the streets OF Columbus
10 the steamers Kentucky and charm we
quickly rot aboard, and were taken charge OF oY
Cen Polk IN person. We were discovered by
the enemy who directed the tire o' tneI al l'gly
upon us. Bu, Just then cur batteries
| Of heavy artillery opened upon them
! from this side of the river and slleneed
/ them in a + very short time, Ihe
landing OF our brigade served to spread new lie
| into the bosom Of every man, and 70 muse en-
| tbusissm through the whole of the dropping
| force-wbo at the cheering words OF GeR' folk,
rallied. repleuished their cartridge boxes, joined
our lines in broken fragments and rushed, IN
| double-quick, toward the lines OF the enemy
inst then information reached Us that the
| fearless and dauntess Cheatham had rallied the
| t3th TaunaSza.4-11th Louisiana Dist -Ie4nes-
I see, and 18th Arkansas, and had ouihankea the
| enemy on their right, and that they weTe cOui-
pIei,.Iv routed and were flying from the held
! precipitately, leaving great number ol
/ their dead and dying behind. Gun brlg-
ade was then rushed forward TO cut
them of before they could reach their boats,
| which If appears were in waiting about SIX miles
above The retreat Of the Hessians was one OF
| the most disgTaceful and disastrous Of the war
! They left THEN wounded behind them. Strewn
all along the road sides were blankets, knapsacks,
| haversscks filed with provisions, splendid over
coats boots ana shoes saddles, loose horses, hats
] caps ammunition, etc, etc, and the greatest
! quantity of fire arms OF every description nom
! the fiRf-lOck mHsEet 20 the hne COtts rer0triHg
rife. Scattered all along their cartridge
/ bores thus displaying their eagerness to reach a
| place Of fqRcied safety. We came IN sight OF
| Them several times, and shot a great many that
/ were scattered about through the wOOds-and
| took many prisoners. There, however, was no
general engagement until we reached their boats;
we found that they had got ON board. We
divided our force the right wing taking the right
and the left the left, hard road Immediately
| upon arriving in sight Of the boats, Gen Cheat
ham ordered that we should extend our lines
along the bluff and drop, which order we all
obeved 10 the letter. Then the firing COM
menced in real good earnest-musketTy on our
side, and heavy artillery from the gun boats on
theirs Our men picked off with their Minnie
and Sharpes rifles the men on the steamboats,,
who We're so thick that they could scarcely move
about They report themselves that they had
u,orr killed ON the boats than they did during
the whole engagement during the day Our
regiment had very few iniuTed-twelve wound
ed and killed. Our fight with the gunboats
las ed fully an hour, after which time the boats
had moved out OF the range Of ou rifles, l
earnestly believe that If we had had battery OF
.r7v1.7 how flL~ no vi
trouble
The rapldity Of the firing from The guEboats,
Of grape canister, bomb she'll etc, etc was
really astonishing; but the most astounding
circumstance was that our men stood immediate
IL upon the brow of the bluff, and untlinchingly
loaded and fred their pieces with as much de-
liberation and calmness as if they were firing ~
signals ia the woods, and 20 have no more
wounded OF injured than we did. Gems. Polk,
Cheatham and Pillow displayed much bravery
AMI evinced that courage and calmness that Is
the characteristic Of good generals The boys,
as they returned from the scene. of action,
gathered up all they could find IN the way OF
knausacks blankets, OveTcOats, etc, etc. gat
me an elegant OveTCOati ! found also on The
field after the battle, a small pocket book, con-
tanning some small change, treasury note OF
the United States which inclose to you wish
you TO keep IL.
/ NiSlLtl lht utIu amer llt Dattt anu A'tAiAA
many that / knew, lying in the cold embraces
of death. Poor Pat. Bradford, and near him
was Tom Giles, both dead Many more, whose
names I will not mention, as you viii find
them in the official report which viii shortly
appear | witnessed some OF the most affecting
SCENES which ever the eyes OF man beheld.
| Here You would find one weeping over the
| lifeless corps OF brother there one aiding
wounded friend by another direction you would
| see men wringing their hands in agony over the
| loss of some brave officer. One instance OF this
/ kind particularly, was over the body of Lieut..
| Wrsv, of Col J. v Wright's regiment,
have given you an imperfect account of our
| lrst FIGHT We may have another soon to de-
/ scribe. Yours, etc,
! LAWRENCE A. SPICER.
Columns, KY, November 9, 1861.
DEAR FATHER / write you few lines to
let yOu know that ! come out safe in the fight
We had a very severe fight on the 9TH, on the
opposite side Of the river The enemy landed
about 1000 men about six miles above this point
the night before the fight, and encamped within
three miles OF Tappans regiment and Watson's
battery, and they did not find them out until