The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1861-11-19

rejoicing in the enemy's camp, heavy re-
Inducements crossed the river and sur
rounded us. Then the terrible slaugh,
ter commenced anew, for all were deter
mined to die rather than surrender. Lee
onidas like, they cut their way, and al
though many brave ones were made to
bite the dust, yet the remnant got thro'
with the prisoners they had taken. The
tide Of war was then set against our for
ces, and all were commanded to retire TO
the boats The cannon could not be
brought off,
Our forces retired in tolerably good or
der, considering the nature of the ground.
Although the enemy were reinforced by
fresh troops from the other side of the
river, they did not seem disposed to fol-
low us until our forces were mostly on
board The boats. A reserve force had
been kept to guard the boats, but they
were destined to have a share in the fight,
for about the time the last of our artill-
cry and men were getting aboard, the ad-
vance Of the enemy came up and com
menced firing upon us, the boats still ly
ing ashore, but they were unhorsed as
fast as they came up, The whole fleet
was covered with men, and a constant
stream Of fire from all the decks was
seen to flow. Meanwhile the gunboats
got in position and the batteries on board
the transports commenced the most ter
rible cannonading the sight was most
sublime ard awful, as the white smoke
rolled up in columns, the declining sun
throwing his Redeemed rays upon us as if
colored by the incense that day offered to
the god of war The smoke seemed to
act as n mirror, rejecting the rays OF
light upon the hills of Columbus, reveal
ing the position of all her batteries in
manner that could not have been seen
before with the best glass. The bursting
of shells on the land, as we foated out
on the river, was SO terrible that we often
thought the enemy had brought artill-
cry after us. As we moved off up the
river, the fire continued on shore and
from boats for distance Of two or three
miles alter which all was quiet. The
gunboais landed about four miles up and
took on board mos; of the eth Illinois,
who had become detached and kept
around in the rear of the enemy, gaining
a position above them without their
knowledge.
So ends an imperfect sketch Of our
bloody days work 1t cannot be STYLED
defeat, but retirement from a posi-
tion that any General, yes, any private,
ought to have known we could not pos
sibly have held when taken 1t is com
pletey under the heavy batteries OF CO.
lumbus
/ just learn that the loss Of the Iowa
7lh is equal to all the others combined
Thus the gallant 7th has taught imbecile
political Generals and the world that they
can fight and die by the wholesale even
when we knew the whole thing must end
in disaster and ruin. Among the wild
cxolamalions Of grief by Lieut.. Col
Wentz's amiable lady, when she heard
of his death, was one that struck me with
peculiar force. Why, oh why is it
that they lead men into certain slaugh-
ter"
When we arrived into camp, we were
just in time to hear of the removal. Of the
most efficient man in the West, General
Fremont Wearied, wounded and sore,
from the excessive toll of the day, our
men were not in humor TO hear such
news.