, 1861-11-13
GEN, GRANTS REPORT.

port of the Belmont battle: ... r
ton the evening Of the 9th inst, left this n
place with z, $50 men of all arns, to make 3
reconnaissance towards Columbus. The object 6
Of the expedition Was to prevent the enemy 7
from sending out reinforcements to Pdca's ,
army In Missouri, and also from cutting of
columns that had been directed to send out !
from this place and Cape Girardeau, in pursuit !
Of JEFF. Thompson. Knowing that Columbus
was strongly gar1lsoned, asked Gen. Smith,
commanding at Paducah, KY, to make demon
Bttations in lhe Same direction. He did SO By |.
ordering small force to Mayfeld aad another
in the direction Of Columbus, not to approach
ueare,, however, than twelve or fifteen
miles. I also seut small force On the Ken
tucky side with orders not to approach nearer
| than Ellicott's Mil1s, some twelve miles from
| Columbus. The expedition under my imme-
diate command was stopped about nine miles
below here on the Kentucky shore, and re-
msined until morning. AL this served to dis
tract the enemy, and led him to think he was
to De attacked In his strongly fortified posi-
tion. At 1ay light We proceeded down the |
river to pol1t itst- out Of range OF the rebel |
gins, and deharked On the Missouri shore.
From here the troops were marched BY flank
for about one mile towards Belmont, and
+ then drawn up in line Of battle,
battalion also, having been left as re-
serve near the. transports. TTo companies
from each regiment, FIVE skeletons in
, number, were then thrown ont rs
l sgir1niHhers, to ascertain the position
, Of the enemy. It Was but a few minutes
: before We met him, and general engagement
ensued. The balance Of my forces, with the
!. exception Of the reserve, HRS then thrown
+ {orra1d-all as ekirmIshers-and the enemy
+ driven foot by foot and from treeto tree, back
# to their encampnent On the river bank, dis
n tsnce of two miles Here they had strength.
q ened their position by falling the timber for
l. several hundred yards around their camp, and
4 making sort of 4battis. Our men charged
" through this, driving the enemy over the
3r bank into their transports in quick time lea7"
al irg us in possession Of everything not e1-
I'd ceediugIy portable. Belmont is on lon
d. ground, and every foot Ct it is commanded by
d, the guns on the opposite shore, andof course
could not be held for single hour after the
rs enemy became aware OF the withdrawal ol
Oh their troops. Having no wagons, I could no!
ch move any Of the captured property, conse
to euently, ga1e orders for its destruction
1Qc1I ttH1S3 plaAhCtcs Ehe.3 HeA1 5~1 w AAAe
he and We retired, taking their artillery with us
1e- t1o pieces being drawn by hand; and ons
be other drawn By an Inefficient team, We spiked
mp and left in the woods, bringing the two onl.
ba to this place. Before getting fairly underwa:
tes the enemy made his appearance again, ano 81
led tempted to surround us. Our troops wer
be notin the least discouraged hut charged on tn
> Of enemy again and defeated him. Our loss Wa
,m- abouteighty.fou1 killed, one hundred aud fit
t is wounded-many Of them slight1y-andabo1
5iu. an equal number missing. Nearly all tt
ank missing were from the Iowa regiment, VT
lem behaved with great gsllantry, and euffers
egt- more severely than any other troops.
Ions III have not been able to put In the repor
the from eub-commands, but will forward the
Is soon as received. AL the troops behaV
gxte with much gs1lantry, much Of which Is
] re- tributed to the coolnese and presence Of mi
Lteer of the officers. particularly the Colone
t1ter Gep, McClernand was in the midst Of dang
um- throughout the engagement, and displhy
mer- both coolness and Judgment. His horse
was three times shot Ny horse Was also shot .
was der me. To my staff, Capts. Rawlins, Log
cape, and Hillyer, volunteer aids, and to CAP
II off Hatch and Graham, Am much indebted
r1ing the assistance they gave. Col Webster, g
ing chief engineer, also accompanied me, 8
9 On displayed highly soldlsr-like qualities.
!, at Dougherty, Of the 22d I'll. Volunteers, 7
Col. three times wounded and taken prison
kels's sThe 7:h Iowa regiment had their Lteut(
aton, onel killed, and the Colonel and Major were
.hich ys1ely wounded. The reports to be forWar
IL. will detail more fully the particulars Of
re- be- loss. Surgeon Brinton was in the field du'
aough the entire engagement, and displayed
f i'm. ability and efficiency IL providing tor
'od Of wounded and organizing tie medical co
tain1y "The gun boats Tyler and Le1ing
places Capts. Walker and ssemble, q. 8. N, c
would m4rding, conveyed the expedition and
dered most efficient service. 1mmedia
n Vir- upon our landing they engaged the ene'
hand, batteries, and protected our transI
3 largg- throughout.
where "For particulars See accompanying Re
uniting Of Capt Walker.
!, how ~ am, sir, very respectfully,
Union. "Your obedient servant,
r. from fs,ered> "U. 8. GRANT
e main "Bzig. Gen. Commandin
given. --