Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-14
Private letters descriptive OF the battle
oRelmOnt.D

Private Letters Descriptive OF the lszrrae
t3BelmOnt.n
The following private letters descriptive Of the
battle opposite Columbus have beenhsnded to US:
CoLUxBus, XIV, Nov. 18th 1911 received your
letter yesterday and hasten to let you a know that
amt "hurtD. You have slready, suppose through
the papers, had an account Of the desperate and
bloody, battle that occurred here on the opposite
sils Of the river on Thursday last. Seven thouss
and of the enemy from Cairo, at ten o'clock in the
morning attacked Col. TAFPAN'5 command Of fifteen
Hundred stationed on the opposite side of the river
from this place Our forces were drawn up in line
of battle IN corn>held. About seventy~fve
yards in front, running parallel with the lines, was
heavy forest thick set with underground. Under
cover of this timber the enemy almost unseen OPEN
ed deadly fire upon our lines. Our forces imme>
diatey returned the fire and were ordered to fall
back so as to draw the enemy out from the woods.
The enemy would not follow, and our boys, under
destructive fire were ordered to charge the ene>
my. They did SO and drove Them far back into the
woods. The enemy being vastly superior in nuns
bers recovered and began to flank our right and
left We were then under the necessity of falling
back, which was done in good order for awhile;
but our ammunition giving out, we were driven
under the banks of the river to the waters edge, in
utter confusion At this juncture nearly one whole
company on our left wing were taken prisoners.
Our boys would not follow the Leesburg example
BY jumping into the river, but stood firm while the
enemy were engaged in plundering and burning the
encamr mant Fortunately at this time our big gun
from the opposite side began to play upon them
with shot and she'll This Immediately dislodged
and drove them back under cover Of the trees. At
this moment, four regiments under General Pillow
arrived from the opposite shore. They were quiek>
" formed into line and with the ohpped forces uns
der the river bank, drove the enemy slowly and
inch by inch into the timber Pillow then ordered
one general charge, and eour boys" with one wild
shout routed the enemy in terrible confusion.
They were pursued four miles up the
river, their dead being strewn along the
whole rout. In the fight we had one battery,
and the enemy took it. but it recovered in the
final charge from our side. Our spoils were seve-
raj hundred stands of arms, trunks with tho officers
clothing knapsacks, haversacks several horses and
good quantity of ammunition. We took about
two hundred prisoners, among them several dis
tinguished officers.
The loss on each side has not been accurately as
certained, but suppose ours amounts to about four
hundred killed and wounded. 1t is impossible to
tell how many of the enemy were killed and wound
ed, as great many were carried away during the
battle. Two hundred of their dead were found ly-
ing on the field. and many of their wounded which
is much less than great many estimated it at. Col
JOHN V. WRIGHT, commander of the 18th Tennessee
Regiment, who participated in the battle, received
q letter from Cairo from fellow Congressman
who also participated in the battle, saying thai
their loss-the enemy-amounts to 1000 killed
wounded and missing.
All of our officers did credit to themselves. Gen
Pillow was in the thickest of the fight, fearlessly
cheering on his men. The battle ragged, without
cessation, five hours. Although we were arhippeC
at first by being overwhelmed by superior numbers
we finally came out with one of the most briIlisn
victories that has yet given glory to Southern arms
The enemy numbered seven thousand of their bes
soldiers yet brought upon the field. They had Sc
lected that force, not by regiments, or by comps
nies but by men, and put them together for the &C
cssion. There were no Dutch or Irish among them
1t all stout and sturdy yeomanry of the West. Ou
forces numbered about forty-lVe hundred. Sine
the battle we have been expecting attack on thi
side. They were in nine miles of here yesterda!
10 FORGE of twenty thousand. We learned lat
yesterday evening that they had gone back toward
Paducah. AL is quiet and still here now. Tn
enemy can not make another advance rnovemen
ia the Mississippi valley until they get this place
But when they choose to come, just let them come
and we will whip them, if they are three times GU
number.
l will write again first opportunity. ToBs.