Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-11-21
Battle of Belmont.
GREAT BRAVERY OF THE IOWA 7TH.

GREAT BRAVERY OF THE IOWA It'll.
Through the courtesy of Lieut.. j
F. Warner of Co. X, of the Iowa It'll
we have gained considerable informa
ton relative to the part taken by this
regiment in that bloody engagement
They were in camp at Birds Point I'M
til the night previous to the engage
ment, when they embarked on one Of
the boats of the expedition.
When they landed near the battle
field they were assigned a position
near the center of the line formed fol
the attack. Our right was held by
the Illinois 9th, next to which was
the Illinois 22d, then the Iowa 7th
The left was held by the Illinois 31st,
between which and our regiment was
the Illinois 30th. The line was formed
some two miles from the camp to be
attacked, and extended circularly in
such a way as to bag the enemy by
turning both their tanks.
The severest engagement was with
the Iowa It'll, Col. Lauman, and the
Illinois 22d, Col. Dougherty. They
commenced the combat and were the
only regiments actually within the
camp. The Iowa boys were first to
gain the object of the contest, and to
them belongs the glory Of having
fired the tents and camp eqnipagc OF
the rebels, and of having seized their
cannon, which they hauled some dis.
lance, and for want of horses were
compelled is deliver them TO Taylor's
Battery. Lieut.. Sample, of Company
4, took with his own hands the camp
flag of the rebels and guarding it from
the eager soldiery, brought it away a
trophy from the field. Individual in.
stances Of the most daring bravery
occurred. One soldier, bearing the
stars and stripes, rushed far ahead OF
our line into the very midst Of tn,
enemy, and waving our flag over tho
foe, melted the Iowa boys ~ rcdoublcd
deeds Of daring.
The 7th went into the engagement
with but four hundred and sixty-fivo
men, excluding commissioned officers
and two hundred and twcnty-six o.
these are reported among the killed
wounded and missing, being abou
onc-half the total number, a proper
ton as large as has been reported il
any previous instance since the wa
begun, and but rarely equalcd in mill
tary history. No wonder that tn
rebels mistook them for regulars, 70
never have troops worn our rcgula
uniform with more glory.
The fate of the gallant field officer
will form record to which we will
point with pride for long time t
come. Col. Lauman, badly wounded
1t. Col. Vent, killed ; Major Rice
wounded I; Adjutant Bowler, missing
and reported killed. After the en-
Igagement not field officer or o fiel,
officers clerk could be found, SO sc
verely had they suffered
Lieut.. Col. August Wentz was killct
by bullet hitting him in the side
and fell MORALLY wounded. At tina
time the enemy had received the rein
forcements which compelled the Fed
cral forces to retire, and they had JUS
fallen back from the camp. Col
Wentz. but a short time previous, was
urging his men to deeds of valor by
referring to the battle of Wilson's
Creek, saying "The Iowa First did
well at Springfield, but the Seventh
are equaling them" When he fel
MORALLY wounded. the men sprung t.
bear him away, when he forbade them
saying "Let me alone, boys wan
to die on the battle field" Thes,
were his last words.
The next day the wife of Col. Went,
obtained pass from one of the stat
officers, and went to Columbus on tho
steamer Memphis for the body of hel
husband. Every courtesy the occa
sion demanded was paid her by the
rebel officers A Lieut.. Colonel of one
of their regiments accompanied her tc
the battle field, where she found the
body, robbed of its clothing, and or
dered it taken to the boat, on which
it returned to Cairo.
For. over an hour in the hottest O
the engagement, the artillery of boil
forces became useless, because of tn,
close mingling of friend and foe. AT
ter the Federal forces had retreated I,
the boats, the gun boats took position
and with the artillery on the trans
ports poured concentrated fire among
the enemy, who had gathered in .
dense mass along the shore. How
many of them were killed by the ter
rible fire poured in among them We
could not ascertain, but from attend.
ing circumstances it must have been
immense and this view of the case
is strengthened from their course az
forwards, in refusing our messengers
the privilege Of visiting the spot.
Our total loss is reported at $50
The enemy crossed the river under the
protection of the batteries at Colum
bus, in such position that the fire from
our gun-boats was not able to prevent
it. The battle commenced about II
o'clock A. NJ. with the sk;rmishers, an,
became general about half past Il
At 5 P. NJ our forces were in the boats
and reached Cairo during the evening
The result of this battle is regarde,
as a decided victory for our side, al