The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-10-04
THE FIRST ATTACK.


ments behind which Col. Mulligan and
his little band lay. The Federal pickets
were driven in, and the rebels planted four
cannon in such manner as to command
the different points Of tho intrenchments,
including the whole semi circle. They
lmmedlntely opened fire, and Mulligan re-
Piled with spirit, using his 6-pounders,
with round shot. Within a very brief
space Of time the enemy's largest gun, a
| l2>pounder, was dismounted, and six
FOUNDER was abandoned in consequence
| of the vigor with which it was assaulted
| Believing this to be q ruse to decoy them
from the intrenchments, Mulligan declined
to make an effort to capture it. The same
shot that di>mounted the 12-pounder
crashed through the powder magazine and
blew it up. It contained all the ammuni,
ton provided for the day, and thirteen
men were killed by the explosion, as was
afterwards ascertainsd The engagement
| closed with cannonading and an inressant
| fire of musketry. The enemy were en-
lirely invisible, being hidden in the corn
fields and the adjacent woods, and the only
means of doing execution among them
was to fire at the localities designated by
the cannon smoke, and sharp shooters
who showed themselves in their efforts to
pick off our men. There we're four men
killed within the Federal intreuchments
that day.
! SUSPENSION OF HosTILITIEs
! The attack Was not commenced he neYt
day, the enemy having Withdrawn to await
improved the opportunity to perfect mis-
Notifications, and to forage for horse feed.
Several houses that the rebel sharpshoot
ers occupied on the day of the engage
ment were burned, and eighty acres of
corn were levelled to the ground, in order
to deprive them of their seltering places
About thrive weeks provisions were stored
within the fort. The men constantly met
| the outposts of the rebel army, and skir-
mishing and sharp,hootng were ceaseless
After the first days engagement, the On
tire force left the tents and after that, they
sept in the trenches entirely.
PRICE DEMANDS A SURRENDER.
On the l7th, four davs after the siege
commenced, Gen. PFce sent in flag OF
truce. That parsonage had arrived and
taken command of the rebel army. which
was now augmented to about 25 600 men.
| He demanded surrender, and offered to
allow the Federal forces to march out un
der arms, taking their property and equi-
page with them. Col. Mulligan, attended
| by his officers. met Gen Price half way
between the lines, and gave him an an
swer which could not be misconstrued,
| He was informed in courteous terms that
the force which was opposed to him was
such as rendered it useless for bim to con
| tend and that thev had no desire to fight
hun for the sake of shedding blood All
| they wanted WAS the position, and he was
| free TO 60 with his men where he chose
| He hravely ans Sered that never, so long
as a drop of blood was left, would he SUR
render the pos:. They parted in friendly
manner, imbued with mutual sense of
regret that the fortunes of war had made
their interests SO deadly antagonistic.
THE SIEGE COMMENCES.
On the morning Of The 18th the men
stood to arms under the call to immediate
action. The enemy appeared in full force
| in every direction around the intrench-
Inent-, and opened fire with thirteen pie>
ces of rrtiIery. including four rified can
| non. Two of these were planted to cut
the garrison off from the river, destroying
| all chances of obtaining water in that di
rectlon. Two more were so placed as to
command the springs outside the intrench
ments, and, as there we're no wells inside.
the water was entirely cut off from that
time. A large quantity of hemp had been
brought over the river on RATS during the
previous night, and their arrangements
| for constructing breastworks were dis
| tinctly visible There were numbers of
houses within fifty or hundred rods, all
of which we're filled with sharp shooters,
who kept up continual fire on the in
lrenchments, picking off every man who
showed himself All who ventured out
for water were instantly killed.
Col. Mulligan reserved his fire. except
At intervals, and no ammunition was vast
ell. but the moment rebel showed his
head he was picked off by onr sharp shoot
ers. This warfare continued during the
| forenoon. At about two o'clock BODY
of several thousand men advanced With
artillery and fired grape shot into the hos
pital, which stood outside Of the intrench
meut on an eminence, With narrow
ravine running between. They followed
up this attack by charge which took the
building. There were hundred wound.
ed soldiers in it at the time. who were in
charge of the Rev. Father Butler and DIR
Winer. Surgeon of the Brigade, both of
whom were taken prisoners
CHARGE OF THE MONTGOMERY GUARD.
Col. Mulligan Immediately brought his
guns TO bear on the building, and ordered
a charge to capture the prisoners and re-
move the wounded. He called on com>
pany of the Thirteenth Missouri Regimen,
to follow him, but they declined He
then sprang upon the earthworks, sword
in hand, and called to the Montgomery
Guards. They swarned over the embark
men, at the first word of command, aad
with terrific shouts dashed after their
Young commander. With rush like thu