Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-31


eniDg 70 dspu,e the possession Of the village and
that the pczets OF the two armies had met about
daylight. and after short struggle the enemy was
driver back. losing five killed snd eight woanded
while no loss had been sustained 90 our side In a
few mis- utes @e were our saddles and on the
| way to FrediiektnTn at a rapid trot as we an
preached the village, we learned that there were &
least twelve hundred and Fl ty Of the enemy al
though they state their force wss only eight hun.
dred SIX huEdFsd infantry and two hundred cayal
~. Reaching the bridge on the west side of the
village, we we're ordere4 TO charge The cavalry Of
the enemy, who fzd before Is towards IrUnton In
9 few minutes both their infantry and cavalry were
seized with panic and rode and ran so fast that
the fastest horse in our command could not over-ake
them. L Go not know what was the condition OF
our opponents Gfisr tie chase but one thing is
tain, never wish 20 engage in another four mile
heat with sCch little success and so much exhaus-
| ton.
This disgraeeful flight Of 1850, befors only 800
mounted men, is designated in tue St Louis papers
ss JisrCsly contested struggle from which Lnc1lns
/ forces gGNGaty retired Pending t6is movement,
/ the main body Of the army we're Qui2ay rebti3g
themselves in Frederiektswn and vicinity and took
no part in our chase after the foe.
! On Sunday, the 20,h instant our army lgfs Hired,
er cktowH for this place. (Greeuvile) and encanped
that night sone ten miles from the fsrmer village.
/ Some time during the night Intelligence redched
| General ThaEpsOa that the enemy il considerable
/ force, were marching on edsuek5own from Cape
Grsrdeau On Monday morning. the 2lss instant
taking with him eleven hundred and twenty men
he turned back to meet the foe. II sppgOst hing
the town he learned that three thousand Of the enc
my had arrived from Cape Grardsau aud at d still
later hour. he obtained satisfactory and certa in
tegence that at least two thousand more had bined
them from Pilot Knob Or lro1ton. making their
force than FIVE thousand. In tAe face of this
over Whelming combination Of foes, he chau4nged
them TO bStJle, and alter iOag delay their part
il commenced az O'Clock 10 the evening and listed
two hours and forty minutes.
On our part. Col Lowe with ilr0 h1ndrs3 anil ftg
men sustained 81 attack from two regiments df the
enemy for one hour and forty minutes, and did net
fall back until ne had sustained calling fire from
two other regiments who bad our1 Inksd him IN the
left and had poured a raki1g fire on his gallant
command for more than thirty minutes III this
C0ntet he rePu sad the enemy twice with gre loss
on their PAL e. The fight was then CONTINUED by
Lieut. Col Browns battalion. 200 strong whidh mad
been deplGyed Sc point still further to the right
for anolh2r hour repulsing the enemy Ia every
charge he made. Ga our part We used on twelve
FOUNDER and one six poulier while the eneuI EN-
poyed five Tflsd cannon agsi1-t our Tsnks Owing
to the superior numbers OF the foe they had BY 81
in the evening outanked US both on the rig lt and
left when IL became necessary TO withdraw from
the fed, which We did quietly calmly and i4 god
nrder. 10 doing this large part Of the etemy's
cavalry charged our retiring column when they
we're driven back by Col. loves command with
terrible slaughter. The history Of NJ battle Iin an
cient or modern times records = more heroic and
gallant resistance Of little band Of patriots to
overwhelming Numbers than the glorious cortsst ~
FredericktOWn. aud lo"g Missouri point with
honest pride to the Whole achievement per oTmed
by her Unconquersble sons On this proud DC ssion.
Our loss cannot exceed tf y il killed and 9gou1d
ed, while thas Of the enemy mus, extend do two
hundred. though some suppose It must amOhlt 70
four hundred
Being posted on the extreme right with a portion
Of Col. Smiths regiment. TO watch the NOV sments
of the foe, had opportunity to see a larke por
ton Of the fight, aud write Oaiy OF such ev bnts
came uuter my own observation. 1 takd some
pleasure 10 stL-lng tlst before the close of he en-
gagsm- mt some Mississippi pow Ter and buckshut
sent some Of tn PressJrs % their long hO1 mes.
We Lost one y p1u1isr by accident the horses
having become alarmed, rHl of With the timber.
and Isft the piece on tn fili The gallant Lieut.
Samuel ll4rr.s under a ali g fire from end itcng
foes. ls5o-ed n7oly 10 his favO -ite add after
dragging 1t BY hald some 80 yards, was cohp lied
70 abandon it.
Thus closed brigh. d,yi the annals Of issouri
and long will history, vi it, truthful and impair
tai en- rmmo'tdz Tie mem r Of the patti pts who
fought nd 1ied nobiT IN her defense.
Hoping that you viii excuse this long and hastily
written letter Beg leave tO subscribe Elf
Your fIiend, Ell AcEE
P. S-Whiie OF the extreme right we observed
one of the foe cOmmg along the Cape GiFardean
road, refusing t. surreuds he was mOrtally wound
ed and taken prisoner H proved 20 be d. Q A
Jones, lst Lieutenant Of company K. l7til Illinois
regiment. lie sJaeI that he rad been declined on
the road BY sickness and that three full esiments
with three pecss Of RID ca and one hundred
cavalry. had preceded him 10 FredericktO Iyn from
Cape Guardian.
From another correspondent:
GREENvILLE. No, Oct % ISil.-Gen. Thompson
engaged the enemy near FrsiericktOwn on Mon
day, the 2lst TIey numbered, AZ first, thlee thou
saud infantry sgd 10 " hundred cavalry, u1der Col
Plumber, but were reinforced rom the IT h Noun
rar ,--.f q - .-.,r I
ment Of Indiana cavalry. We fought th I'm with
every chance Of success until they were reinforced
when yFe were compelled to retire with d loss of
forty tFC men During the engagement Col. loves
bA;tslUil, numbering fve hundred men, held t 20
Regiments Of tories in check tor an hour End thea
fell blcz owing to want Of anmu9itio7 TO the
main body. The night previous 70 the attl5 we
retired from Fr5teTI. kt)T IN, having INTERCEPTED
courier csarlug dispatches % the cOmmali at Iron
Mountain, from Col Plummsr. stating thdt be was |
trying to close N upon Gen Thompson, a ID want /
ing them 10 cooperate win him; but we returned /
IN the morIic1S with twelve hundred iniabtry and 1
five hundred m ant q men 60 give PummEr battle, 4
hoping b. the move TO draw him awty from
Freder-cItowH, and tLus save the Inha5it 1uts any
injury
Oar men fought CALAMITY during the viii ls of the .
1 Witnessed many evidences Of great /
personal su-EEe. among whom was Col. Live who I
cheered his men on TO the fight by example until
chance che: struck him IN the forehead, Il ling him
instantly. His battalion suffered more Than any
other, losing about twenty .vs ne,. COlbuel Tom
Brown, Of Mississippi county, cut the Federal cav
airy to pieces; never saw such slaulhts r as they
made an NJ them. The first v.liey from Captain
Wards company om7:ied fo7ty saddles the next
made th= dragons rtrC1t in the greatest e0nfusion
and with severe loss
One underground cannon under the cor imand Of
C0pt Harris did great execution in the beginning,
Disabling enc CT TIE eaemys guCs and killing many
Of their CAeers, but oEGg 90 tie horses icing wild
and EOs drilled they came frightened and run
away with the timber. breaking the tongue and de
-aChing themselves from the piece. before we
could re2sir ihs damage fifteen hundred cavalry
snd two tEoussud infantry came upon uls. and we
we're compelled 10 leave the gun. Il was this time
hat Browns battalion pu. the cavsiry 70 tout. Our
oss altogether, according to the assistant sdjujans
GENERALS report, Is forty two killed and wounded
We received Information from the enemy this morn
~, that their loss Is tjgr HUNDRED and ixty two
pt we suppose It 10 be greater for sag no less
han two hundred KILLED by loves bsrtaI.bn Give
zen. Thompson one more thousand inf5ntry, and
e viii whip them badly. Yours, respectfully,
III. P. P.
ExettguIenI ia Il aoXViiie,
Tizrp Vy4a -syI--4 Han, ,rsr~sr,, on =