Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1861-10-03

W iiaNc joined us at Liberty. lie Hau
four pieces Of artillery and could have
helped us vastly. We had one six
FOUNDER. At about eleven o'clock q
messenger came to Col. Scott, and told
! him the most Of the enemy had cross
cd the river, leaving behind q small
force. Almost Immediately we were
ordered to " fall in," and leave every
thing that could cncumbcru us with the
baggage, in charge of ten men select
ed from each company to guard the
sick and the wagons.
We had left for duty $50 of the
Iowa Sd and $50 Home Guards. With
this number VIC set out to attack the
small force (as we expected) Of rebels
near the river. We marched on and
shortly came across four of our scouts
lying dead by the roadside They
had been shot by the enemy. The
road led through thick wood, on the
Missouri bottom. Two companies
were sent forward as skirmishcrs, and
they kept up continual firing on the
enemy's scouts. We marched to with
in mile of the river, when on turn
ing curve in the road we received a
most terrific volley from behind nat
ural brcastwork, made by tho wash
ing of the bank of the river and fall
len trees. We had been deceived
Gen. Patton was there in ambush,
with 5000 men, and had allowed us to
come up within pistol shot. Our men
fell fast. We took to the brush and
gave them vollcy. As they gather
Cd around to mark the effect of their
shot, our cannon, heavily charged
with canister, was fired into them,
moving them down as when sheaycs
of grain are struck by \ whirlwind !
Tho enemy throw shell among the
artillcrists, killing four men, wound
ing three, and killing six horses. The
cannonccrs hurried away with their
cannon, but left their ammunition wag-
on. The rebels saw the wagon, and
with loud cheers and cries of "give
it TO the Lincoln sons of bitches" they
made q desperate charge for it. Our
men met them and the struggle was
awful The wagon was saved. The
cannon was tried again, but it was of
no uso. The men would have left the
cannon as we'll as wagon, had not
Cat. Trumbull seized it, and, waving
his sword, ordered his men to help
him haul it of. Col Scott was as
brave as lion. He was at the head
| of the column in the thickcst of the
fight. HIS horse received five shots.
Finally, seeing how the men were suf-
fcring from heat and thirst, and that
they stood no chance with such heavy
odds, Col. Scott ordered us to fall back.
AS we did so, the cncmy's cavalry, q
splendid body, came out and bore
down upon US. As they approached,
every man grasped his gun the more
firmly. Col. Scott exclaimed : Now,
my brave boys, be firm and obey or
dcrs. Right-about-facc and give them
hell /" The order was promptly
obcyed, and our shot told fcarfully up
on the rebel horsemen, causing those
who survived to turn back i'm coniu-
sion. We fell back to Liberty, and a
flag of truce was sent in to bring of
our killed and wounded.
Our loss was II killed and 81 woun-
ded, including Home Guards. Among
the wounded were Lieutcnants Tullis,
Knight, Hobbs and Anderson, the lat
ter mortally, being shot through the
head. Captains Willct and Warren
were wounded. Major Stone was
wounded in the head Company I lost
3 killed and 81 wounded. They were
at the head Of the column.
AS Company X were better known
to the Floyd and Cedar Falls people, l
will give you their loss, which was
Killed, none mortally wounded, j. II.
Brownell, Of Grundy county, shot
through the stomach with mimic ball;
badly wounded, Il. w. Davenport OF
Cedar Falls, shot in the wrist; VIM.
Tattler of Floyd, slightly wounded
by a buck-shot in the leg Corporal
Walter Wood Of Waverly, slightly
wounded by buck-shot in the shoulder
This is all of Company X that were
hurt. We were in the rear Of the col
umn, yet went ahead and lay in the
brush and picked them off.
Thus was fought the Battle of Blue
Mills Landing, September 18th, 1861.
in which about 500 men met 5000 reb.
els and stood them for an hour and a
half, and the rebels say we "fought
like devils"
i Col. Smith did not join us till in the
night. We took the sick and wound
Cd and came on to Macon, whilc the
remainder started for Lexington, but
as our forces there have surrendered