The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1861-10-31
Ilne Battle OF LcCsDurg HAc1gntA

the Battle Of l1ccsDurg HAcS9nSa
We present below an extract OF let-
ter OF Capt, i. q. Young, to the n. \.
World. giving very vivid description
Of the above named battle.
AWhcn our diminishing companies
reached the edge Of tho woods, sud
henly the enemy, hitherto concealed,
! rose with yell and fred yolleys
then began firing in the usual manner,
frs, giving yell and vollcy, then load
ing ana firing at will for a few minutes,
then ceasing an equal time, then giving
another ych and vollcy, and SO on,
pouring morderous volley into our
little band for the space Of half All hour.
The whole woods around swarmcd
with them. They had no artillery and
no cavalry. Our Rhode Islanders, ex-
ccpt the officers, deserted their guns,
but Col Baker, It. Colonel Wistar, Col
Ccggswell, and Adjt. Harvey manned
the battery, and fired the guns them
selves, aided by Go. 6. lst California,
led on by the gallant Capt. Beiral. The
latter was conspicuous for bravery
throughout the action; he is wounded
but not dangerously, and is now safe on
Maryland ground
We kept up both mnskctry and
cannon fire rs we'll az We could. hut
half the time we could not see the
enemy, ard his cowardlv discharges
were thinning our ranks; still most of
the men stood firm and acted bravclv.
The cncmy's vollrys and yells increased
in leuaness, and it was evident that
rcintorccmen,s were pouring in to his
aid-Capt. Stewart, Gen. Stones all
jntant, came on the field with the cheer
ing statement that Gen. German would
shortly support us. At Is y. m. we
held Il council of war, and resolved 10
stand our ground Gen. Baker ordering
me to 90 for rcin!orcements. by this
time Coggsw,ll was wounded-Wistar
|
more daring, u>hing ont Of the woods,
taking some prisoners, ard firing hotly.
Just then rebel officer. rid sng
white horse. cane out OF the woods
and beckoned to us ia come forward.
Col Baker thought it was Gen. John
son and that the enemy would meet us
n open fight. Part Of our column
charged, Baker cheering us OH, when
tremendous onset was made by the
rebels. One man rode forward, pre-
scented revolver ut Baker, and fired
all its charges at him. Cur gallant len
id,r fell, and at the same momcnt AL our
lines were driven back by the over
whelming force opposed to them. But
Capt. Hciral, with his company, fought
his way back 10 Col Bakers body,
rescued it, brough, It along to me, and
then 4 general retreat commenced.
/, was $auv~ 9ri rem' ! got the Co.
lonel's body to the island before tho
worst Of the ront, AMI then, looking 10
the Virginia shore, saw such q spec
taclc as no tongue can describe. Our
entire force was retreatlng, tnmbling,
rolling, leaping down the steep heights,
the enemy following them, numbering
and taking prisoners. Capt. Dcvcns
lef, his command. and swan the river
on horseback. Col. Cogswcil, after IN
available bravery, ordered the re-
treat himself, but being wounded, was
taken. The one boat IN the Virginia
channel was speedily filled ami sunk.
! \ thousand men thronged the fnrthe.
bank. Muskets, coats and everything
were thrown aside, and all were despcr
atcly trying to escape. hundreds
plunged into the rapid current and the
shri.ks of the drowning added 10 tho
horror Of sounds and sights. The enemy
kept up their fire from cliff above. All
was terror, confusion and dismsv. n
captain Of the Fittccnth Massachusetts
1t one moment charged CALAMITY up the
hill, leading two companies, who still
had their arms, against the pursuing
foe. a moment later and the same
| Queer lWrcclNlhH, tHc nopciVeSHcs, VI
the situation, waved II white handkcr-
chief. and surrendered the main body
Of the regiment. Other portions of tho
column surrendered; but the rebels kept
up thei, fire upon those who tried to
GROSS, and many not drowned in tho
river were shot in the act of swimming.
| Night came on. At Sp. III. all ofour
band whose fortune it was to return had
landed on Harrison Island, and the fire
from the Virginia heights had ceased.
! The rebels took all our guns but one.
When left yesterday, they had shouted
to us, telling us to come over and take
away our dead sons of b-s under a
flag of truce; had also mounted our
own guns on the heights, and warned
us to leave the island in four hours.
The cause Of this sad havoc was that
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