, 1861-11-15

noply. ssss1se:.t*...- -. -.
to leave Vi over 200 yarda ahead ct them, With
out support Aftef standing our fire Qfom /
unr new ppeitdon) for about Is mtnutea, tbs !
rebel battery sgaln g 'lmbere& TO the rear"
and this tne took thsE gun, 3,e 20 ne ne HxsF t
to the steamer, Which ~ IN the river ready TO |
take them over to Columhuase We nov nm
our pieces forward to tha top Of little knoll
which commanded the Whola camp. Hare Ee.
began to throw sheA n among ~ the ten5 sSa t@a
whole force run "pellme1" " for the ateamerae
We then turned cur fire upon the boats. Our
gunners made some splendid shots, and the
Eplinters flew quite lively, until an order cana
from Gen. McGlernaad to advance 70 f1e f1ver
bank and open upon two boats which were
landing reinfo1cemeuts just below us- But
cur BOYS were Wo1n out, aad ne were working
The Gun with only four men. Alter two Or
three attempts We managed topring the gun
into position as the GenerA Wished. McCoy,
(cpr guHner,) hoEever, Was tired out, and g
lie threw himself down on the .gzass tSaia,
Il tBfl1, I'm played out; / must rest If am
shot Tor it." Sergeant Chase then diamounted-
and took his iplace. We fred about azdozen
| shots al the boats, but al fell short Of their
mark. Here company Of sharp ahootsEg com m
| rain around Us and on the old gun, and for
come time we could not discover where they
were concealed, but one fellow Ventured to
| come out from the tents In which they Lay.
cav him as he shot and lodged back, and
| pointed out the place to Chase. He brought
The gun to bear on the tente, and we gave them
| desc Of zopud-ehot which settled their caae.
[ We should have fred canister If We had had
| 1t but both caA1eter and spherical case {sheID
had given ont before We entered their camp,
and there was no means Of getting more from
our caisEous, as one OF cur lead horses wss
| thot dead, and both Of the other guns lead
torses were dead. After finishing the sharp
shooters, {but not till Chase had one arm ren:
cered useless By one Of their balls), VIC turned
chazes am was 70 painful that he Could 1s5 aot
! SIGHT the gun, 50 Frank Pond loaded while
sighted and fred. We fired two shots which
bo:h fell far short The fourth was better,
and the fifth after bounding On the water
struck jnst aft the "heelhonso During this
time the infantIy were firing the tents and
destroying all the property they coud ind.
Ever since we came out Of the woods the
siege guns Of Columbus were sheliing us, and
a. Ill cur troops Were very much exposed BY
lie o1der to III Back to The boats. This We
did, and. retired in good ORDER When We
reached the woods, We found that q body Of
men had been landed above us, undoubtedly
*ith the intention of harasstpg our retreat but
they were unsuccessful. for alter Ifing one
vc1lty, their men turned and fled. In. due time
We arrived st the boats, and after getting all
our guns On board, beside two rebel guns
which ne brought off from tho field, in place
Of tHO Of OUT caiaEons, just as We were push
ing cut into the river, these fellowB began
firing On " with their muskets. We opened
On them Nth two guns, and the TWO gunboats
gave them their broaG sides, which soon cleared
the banks. At u o'clock that night we ar
rived at Birds Point, aud at two o'clock had
landed our guns and we're sound asleep. We
have no men killed in our company, three
| 3nJr f.~1.%
1had my left arm struck By spent ball, which
left Tery pretty little mark On me- without
injuripg me In the Least. The only tine that
+ feel itB @ffect, Is in the morning when I get
up, It takes some time for me to stratghten
The arm out The officers OF the whole toree
but poorly carried out I do not think we
should have attacked Belmont st all, until ne
we're sure the force from Paducah had began
; their work or we're ready to do 80. Fremont
calls it Federal victory" a II il, and csa
not zee Why it is not. We captured the town,
destroyed their property and equipments, and
show smaller killed and wounded list. Our
own company brought away guns (be1o1glng
to one Of their. "crack" batte1ies) 20 horses
{emorg which we're a number Of officers
he1ses and three teams Of artillery horses
with their harness On them). One Of the
horses was caught By our lead driver on tn
, field and harnesBea in the place Of the Ont
shot. Col. Dougherty, who went through tht
Mexican Nat, said that he did not suppose
battery was lever placed under heavier fir
than CUTS Waa while We were III the woods be
lore We silenced their battery. inagine4
that battle was terrible, but this Vent beyons
al that expected. The shell from the heay7
/ gus in Columbus were all too high to d.
much harm. They would cut off tree top a
f | clean 81 saw. One ehen burst about 500 fee
) from us and sent its grape all around as. On
! of The shot picked up and put in my pocket
. Shell are bad enough bIt bullets are Worse.
, ! Tonld rather stand through all the shellin
i tEan to stand again and give those SHARP
!, sbcotlrs chance cs TIE did On the river banl
-, Tie sound Of large shell is exactly Ike th
{ tou1d Of a eaw IN Z saw mill cutting piec
; Of green timber. They can bs seen, and Whe
: cEe tees the dash Ct the cannon the best pla
+ ia to fall fat On the ground as the shell whe
/, it bursts always flies upward. When We wel
t coming off the dela picked up horse plst,
q and pair Of spurs. shall send them hon
1 by the first charce. Capt. Taylor has mai
3 cut q requisitlon tos new outfit and thinl
# lie will get it. Your affeetionate son,
r WILLIAM.
d Psi must not forget to say that wht
q we left the field there Has not shot in Il
!, timber Of our gun. ".