The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-07-04
The Battle of BoonviIIe.--FulI Descrip-
A' tion of the Engagement.
Correspondence of the St. Louis Democ

AHc Dotsie VI bOOnvllies."ru uii DtScIlP
tion Of the Engagement.
4 Correspondence of the st. Louis Democrat.
HEADouARrERs DEPARTMENT OF THE wEsr,
i .Btc1 iu9 BooNynLE, Mo-, June IL. qZ9 !
! The steamers A. Mcdowell; Iatar
and City of Louisiana left. Jefferson
i City yesterday afternoon, at two O'Clock
and reached point mile below Prov
}, idenee last night, where it was thought
best to lay up a few hours. Il This morn
ing we took an early start, and reached
Rochepoint before six o'clock, where
we learned that the enemy were in con
siderable force few miles below this
place, and preparing to make a vigor
GUS defence. Leaving there, and tax
ing the steam ferry boat Paul Wilcoz
with us, we ran up steadily till we had
passed the foot of the Island eight
miles below here, and seeing a battery
on the bluffs, and scouts Fastening to
report our arrival, we fell hack to a
point opposite the foot of the island
and at Z O'clock, A. NJ, disembarked
on the south shore, where the bottom
land between the river and bluffs is
some mile and half wide. No trait
ors were visible there, and the troops
at once took the river road for this city
Following this road somewhat over a
mile and a half to where it ascends the
bluffs, several shots from our scouts an.
nounced the driving in of the enemies
pickets. ,
We continued to ascend gently un.
dulating slope for near half mile,
when the enemy were reported in full
force near the summit of the next swell
of ground, about three hundred yards
from our front. The enemy were ex.
ceedingly well posted, having every
advantage in the selection of their
ground. -i ~ Jos GEO as}34toJ b
Arriving at the brow of the ascent,
Capt. Totten opened the engagement
by throwing few 9 9pounders explo-
sive into their ranks, while the infantry
filed oblique right and left and com.
menced a terrific volley of musketry,
which was for short time well replied
to, the balls flying thick and fast about
our ears, and occasionally wounding a
man on our side, The enemy were
posted in lane running towards the
river, and in brick house on the north
east corner of the junction of the two
roads. A couple of bombs were thrown
through the east wall of that house,
scattering the enemy in all directions.
The well directed fire of the German
infantry, Lieut.. Col Schaeffer on the
right, and Gen. Lyons company OF
regulars and part of COL Blair's regi.
ment on the left of the road, soon com
PEELED the enemy to present an inglori
Gus aspect. They clambered over the
fence into field of wheat and again
formed in line just on the brow of the
hill. They then advanced some TWEEN
ty steps to meet us, and after a short
time the .cannons were worked with
great rapidity and effect. Just at this
time the enemy opened a CALLING fire
from grove just on the left of roul
centre and from shed beyond and
still farther to the left. 1B sas j .ss33sg
The skirmish now assumed the mag
nitude of battle. The commander
Gen. Lyon, exhibited the most remark
able GOODNESS, and preserved through
out, that undisturbed presence of mind
shown by him alike in the camp, in
). private life, and on the field of battle
"Forward on the extreme right
"Give them another shot, Captain Tot
ten," echoed above the roar of mus
kerry, clear and distinct from the lip.
4 of the General, who led the advancing
column. Our force was two thousand
in all, but not over five hundred partic
ipated at any one time in the battle
The enemy, as we have since been re
liably informed, were over four thou
sand strong, and vet twenty minutes
from the time the first gun was freG
the rebels were in full retreat, and oul
troops occupying the ground on which
they first stood in line. The consum
mate cowardice displayed by the Sc
ceshers will be more fully understood
when l add that the spurs of successiv,
elevations now became more abrupt
steep and rugged, the enemy being
, fully acquainted with their ground, anC
, strong positions behind natural defen
ces, orchards and clumbs Of trees offer
ing themselves every few yards. Moth
ing more, however, was seen of the fly
! ing fugitives until about one mile ives
of the house of VIM. M. Adams, wher
, they were first posted. Just there wa
, Camp Vest, and considerable fore
| seemed prepared to defend the ap
proach to it. If Meanwhile, shot fron
, the iron howitzer on5the Mcdowell an
, nounced to us that Capt. Voester, wit
his artillerymen, and Capt. Richard
sons company of infantry, who wer
t left in charge of the boats, were com
mencing operations on the battery owe
a mile below Camp Vest. This bu
e increased the panic among the invinc
bic e? traitors, and Capt. Totten ha
{ to give them but few rounds befor
their heels were again in requis
: uonmuIoYon Io53T adl 10 5s9Tejai ad3 6
I n Leaving Capt. Cole in command {
\ the camp, we pushed on toward Boor
e vile, chasing the, cowardly wretehe.
who ontmanned us two to one. Th
Mcdowell now came along up in tn
rear and off to the right from our troop
and having a more distinct view Of th
enemy from the river, and observin
/ their intention to make another stan