Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-11-12

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Extract from a Private Letter.
CoLuMBus, Nov. 8, 1861.
About half-past eight O'Clock yesterday
morning our regiment was going TO work on the
battery. As we were about to work, Gen. Cheat
hams aid came along at full speed and ordered ul
back to our camp. just as we were drawn up we
heard heavy cannonadlng and q terrible fire OF
musketry on tho other side of the river We were
not in sight st this time There were only two reg
igents on the other side, and Watsons battery aud
the 2lst Tennessee regiment were immediately
thrown across and also Col. Walkers I'd Tennessee
Ia the mean time we were marched down TO the
river. We were delayed there sometime waiting
the boats. At this time two cannon opened On us
from the left the other side, where the Federals
got temporary footing. The shells were thrown
too high, and we easily lodged then. One howev-
er came near Capt. Magevney and myself, which
made US open our eyes. Several shots struck near
us IN the water, and two Of the boats were struck
but not seriously damaged. At this time our heavy
rified gun, called the LADY Polk" opened on the
battery hat speak Of and silenced it in few
rounds.
We embarked and formed on the opposite bank
Just as we were drawn up, the dead and wounded
were coming down to the bank of the river every
moment. These were passed over on the boats IS
fast as they arrived. Gems. Cheatham and Pillow
rode up, and Cheatham hallooed out /" Here comes
my 154th )" and off we started aud to our surprise
the Lincolnites were in full retreat. The other
regiments were tired and pursued them only in
squads. We followed them and caught up with
them after q six mile run. They were en-
barking on their gunboats. We got into eornfield
on he bank within few yards of their boats, and
We opened terrible fire on them. One boat lost
two pilots in our sight, and from reliable accounts
their decks we're covered with dead. The gunboats,
six in number hauled off into the river, as their
guns were two low down to hurt US. They then
commenced desperate fire on us with SHE'LL grape
and canister, which bursted among US, but our boys
were not scared, and We loaded and fred On our
knees and ON our backs, under shelter of q rail
fence. Coils. Smith and Wright and Gen. Cheatha N.
himself were with US, and seeing that we could not
reach them with our muskets, we were ordered to
fall back the shell plong up the field in every di>
recton and we lodged them behind the trees and still
kept retiring One shell threw lot of sticks and dust
in my face, and / escaped by throwing myself on
my back moment before it bursted. One piece
of it, however, carried away the left leg of Mic
Clsyton's pantaloons. He shouted to me, and
thought he was wounded, but he was not The
LiBcolnites knew direction and their range was
very accurate. The roar and bursting Of shells
was terrific, and we were annoyed very much by
falling branches This continued for a mile and q
half, until we got beyond their reach At this time
Tom. Carney was struck in the knee with round
shot, and re left him behind in a house, but went
after him when the boats left. he Is now in camp
and comfortable. He will not loose his ! e. Eight
of the light Guards were wounded-two dangerous
ly-Gnd several in the other companies. We es-
capped remarkably well-thsRks to Ced. We were
the only regiment that followed their boats We
captured good many prisoners, blankets, over
coats (of which I have splendid one,) knspsscks
muskets, und our boys were loaded with them
coming back.
As we came back, the sight along! their line of
retreat was awful. The dead and wounded were
ct every tree. Some crawled into the creeks to
get water and died there, and such sight /, of
course, never saw before. Most of them were the
enemy and we rendered them all the assistance in
nur DoUer We saw Cantain ArmstronO living dead
Poor fellow! he fought bravely. We must have pass
ed over two hundred dead and dying broken guns
aud cannon carriages. It was q hard battle, the
most wicked since the war began, for the numbers
engaged. They had flag of truce on the battle
field to-day burying their dead. All our dead are
buried and the wounded in our hospitals are doing
we'll We have a great many of their wounded.
Our doctors attend them regularly. There are
about twenty five splendid overcoats among our
company. j. u.