Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1861-11-14
THE CAIRO EXPEDITION HEARD
FROM.

Desperate Fight at Belmont Missou
ri-Thlrty-Five Hundred Men At
tack 1000 Rebels = The Rebels
Driven Across the River, their Camp
Burned, and Stores, Captured-Ter.
rible Slaughter-The Rebels Rein
forced-The Fight Renewed-our
Men Return to Csiro-The Killed
and Wounded, &e., DC.
CArRo, Nov. THE expedition
which left here a few days since, under
Generals Grant and McClernand landed
at Belmont, Mo-. three miles above
Columbus. KY, this morning.
The Federal troops, numbering g..
500, engaged the rebels, 1000 in mum
Der at IL o'clock.
The battle lasted till sundown, re.
sultiug in the rebels being driven from
their intrenchments across the river,
with great loss. Their camp was
burned, and their stores, with all their
baggage, cannon, horses, mules, and
100 prisoners, taken. ~
The Federals then retired. the reb.
els having received re-enfOrcements
from Columbus.
Both Generals had their horses shot
from under them.
Col. Dougherty Of Illinois was woun'
ded and taken prisoner.
The rebel loss is not known. The
Federal loss is believed to be between
300 and 500.
CHICAGO, Nov. "a special Cairo
dispatch to the Tribune gives the fol-
lowing particulars of the fight at Bel.
mont yesterday: Our force consisted
Of the following Illinois regiments
Twenty-second, Col. Dougherty; Twen'
ty-seventh, Col. Buford; Thirtieth,
Col. Fouke; Thirty-6rst, Col. Logan
Seventh Iowa, Col. Lamar; Taylor's
Chicago Artillery, and DOllen's and
Delano's cavalry.
They left Cairo on the steamers Alex.
Scott, Chancellor, Memphis and Key
stone State, accompanied by the gun
boats Lexington and Tylor. After
landing, they were formed in line oI
battle-Gen. McClernand in command
of the Cairo troops, and Col. Dough
erty in command Of the Birds Point
troops.
They were encountered by the reb'
els, seven thousand strong, and fought
every inch Of the way to the enemy's
camp, making sad havoc in the enemy:
ranks. Col. Buford was the first tc
plant the Stars and Stripes in the enc
my's camp.
Col. Dougherty's regiment captured
the Rebel battery of twelve pieces, TIVE
of which were brought away.
Col. Fouke's men suffered greatly
as they were in front Of the batteries
before they were taken.
After taking possession Of the Reb'
els camp it was discovered that the
Rebels were crossing over from Ken
lucky, for the purpose of attacking US
in the rear. Orders were given to re-
. turn TO the boats, when our men were
attacked bv enforcement Of sever
al thousand from Columbus. Another
severe engagement took place, IN which
our troops suffered severely. The los
ses as far ss ascertained at late houl
last night, are as follows:
Thirtieth Regiment, one hundred and
sixty missing.
Major McClerken was wounded and
taken prisoner. The Twenty-frst had
14O missing. Col. Buford's regiment
returned too late to obtain any partic
ulars. Col. Dougherty is reported t.
have been taken prisoner. Colone
Lamar is reported dangerously woun
ded.
Taylor's battery lost one gun. They
have taken two hundred and fifty pris
oners, number of whom are woun
ded. The rebels killed amounted Il
three hundred. The ground was com
pletely strewn with their dead bodies
The rebel colonel, Wright, of the Thir
teenth Tennessee, was killed. Gen
Cheatham commanded the rebels, Pol
being at Columbus.
1t is stated that Gen. johnson wa
wounded.
The gunboats rendered efficient ser
vice iu covering the retreat, mowini
down the rebels, but killing some c
our own men.
A flag of truce left Cairo this morn
ing for Columbus with forty or fift
wounded rebels.