Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-12-03
the rains. and in this our men took nOsitior

I
lnterspeis d with an occasional round shot:
Of tie former, two pierced our colors the
latter we're mostly aimed at the field eff.
GERS, who were the most eEposeR, being on
! the hillside unprotected w even a shrub.
J We had been here but few moments when
a loud yell on our left told us thai some
! advantage was gained another moment
| and tue rebels burst from the cornfeid in
| hopeless confusion, throwing down their
arms and aeconrements, and strairing
! every nerve to reach the shelter of the corn
! and timber ahead. Bat many Of their eff
forts were in vain Our left wing rose
when they heard the shout and poured into
the reireating force v0lley, every bullet
of which re med winged with death Here
it was thar G l. Lowe fell ard let us paya
Ia sing tribute to bis memory of him NAV
be said what truth f0yblds US L, say os his
superior officer on that bloody day he was
brave man, and bravery in a soldier. re.
deems many faults. l saw him when he
| lay stark and cold upon the battle field,
and could not help thinking of him. even
then, that to him we were ipdebted for an
/ opportunity to measure swords with the
! hosts o the Confederacy.
| From this time forward it was, on the
part of the enemy, perfect rout. The
| 18th and portion of the Missouri eleventh
! together with our own regime mt follow ed in
| pursuit. On the bill. where their batteries
bad been. vas found az abandoned iron
twelve FOUNDER. and this TIE 18th took pos
session of as they skirmished through the
| timber. IL chapced TO US that we should
| follow more closely upon the heels of the
enemy than any other regiment engaged
| in the battle. As cur centre advanced
along the Greenville road, the regiment be.
ing formed in line-the right under Lieut..
/ Col. Erwin came in view Of two brass
pieces. advancing south along the road
/ They displayed the Union colurs, and were
supposed by him to be a part Of cur own
force; it was by one Of these ieces that
Major Gavitt losl his life; he rode I'D at
the head of the LIST Indiana cavalry. TO
where cur centre was advancing and said
to Col. Marsh that be would like to pass
through, as he wanted to make a charge
upon the devils. Room was Immediately
made for him, and the troopers went thro'
at slashing pace il seemed as If they had
scarcely passed us when a report was
heard, and snon C,l Baker dashed up and
announced that he had been i.ed upon by
the enemy, concealed where be could not
make a charge upon them, requesting that
our regiment be Immediately adyanced.-
Forward we went at double quick past
the cavalry, drawn up one side Of the
road. forward TO where GaVitt and Hymann
fell. The Major died calamity, as becomes
soldier, at tho head Of his men. urging
them on, and his in Memorium" is craven
! on many a heart. 1t is an unrleas SAINT task
to speak in detriment Of any engaged in
the holy crusade against those who are
seeking to lay in ruins the fair fabric of
our constitutional temIle; and yet, truth
compels your correspondent TO say that the
almost universal opinion Of those engaged
in the fight is. that bad Gayitt lived, JEFF.
Thompson had left behind him other tro>
plies than thos~ --Lisi fsIi i-.9 hand.
upon that day. The FIRE of the rebel bat
terry was delivered. Our loss severe as it
was, had been sustained. and one minute Of
a gallant dash would have deprived the foe
of his principal means of destruction. But
let this pass. We hope to have those
pieces yet; and certainly, If ever the lst
Indiana cavalry gets glimpse Ct them,
they will charge with the battle-cry, Cav
lit and Vengeance ~ upon their lips. The
two brass pieces were out Of sight when
we arrived on the ground where they had
been drawn up 10 battery; so we fullowed
in pursuit down the GreeDville road, six
companies marching in column, two thrown
cut on the right, aud two on the left, to
clear the way of any lirking rebels.
We had advanced thus about two miles,
dropping an occasionsl enemy. when we
came in sight Of body Of cavalry. pre-
ceeding US IN our line of march. Those
in their rear, ard consequently tie near
e>t to ne, wore the llue overc0ats, or cavaI-
( " Iuckets, % our Ogr troops. We sup
posed them cur friends, and paid no par
ticuinr attention e. them Soon, however,
our too companies os fsnkers on the left,
commanded 10y Majur Goodwin. emerging
from the timber into an open field, obtained
an opportunity of haling them and learned
that they were "Missourians Major
Goodwin immediately gave the order to
Gre, ard one Wiley was delivered, when
Col Marsh still believing the mounted men
10 be friends ordered the firing to celse-
We FASTENED on and soon discovered in the
road man, dismounted and apparently
wounded; from him we learned that the
force. now in full retreat. was JEFF Thomp-
sons rear guard, and that be, in person,
was with them.
We hastened on. over a road strewu with
coats. jackets, shot guns, etc., thrown away
by the rebels in their fight, and after hav.
ing passed over a distance Of half mile,
at an angle Of the road, came once more
In sight Of our game. Go. T. was in adj
vance and fred upon them, but they were
50 far distant frum US that we had little
hope Of reaching them. Arriving. how>
ever. at the spot where they were last seen
~e found one poor fellow stretched beneath
tree, tullet through his brain, tie last
victim Of the hattie. At this point white
flag approached US; il was borne by one
pur?uriing to he surgeon. sent by JEFF.
10 look after bis wounded T; Of course be
was allowed free passage. Here. to, We
we're overtaken by messenger from Col.
Piummer bearing an order for Us 10 return
which we did
Here properly ended the account Of the
battle, but l wish to make resume show
ing distinctly what force on our side was
actually engaged.
The two pieces Of Taylor's batterr OPEN
ed tie ball, and had fred a number Of
rounds befure any part Of Scho6eld's bat
tery came up-one "a pound H0wtizer and
enc six FOUNDER Of the latter battery took
later part in the engagement The only
cavalry that rendered effective service were
Stewards and Langden's companies com
manded by Can't. Stewart. OF the infantry
rhe Eth and 10Th Illinois, a portion Of the
llth Mo-, and come two companies Of the
18th III did the fighting. That the force
from IroDton was aoxious 20 take band in.
no one can doubt, but the blind godd. O, de-
eided in our favor on that day, and we did
the rork. although this is the frst attempt
at talking that we have made.
For the general correctness Of the details
which have given refer to Col Plum
mer's ofic;al report and am perfectly will.
ing TO stand OF fall by ".
In conclusion quote from letter re-
eieved by Cd- Marsh from Brigader Gen.
eral Grant on our return to this place. "It
was your privilege 10 be among the fore-
most Of that gallant band who raised our
dropping banner and embiaIoned it with
victory.
The importauce Of your success cannot