Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-08

impossiblc to do this with nv infsDtrg. again OF
deTed n detschsnenf TO move forward. and placing
myself at their head Continued the piirsuit t. Wits
in two and hat mics of Lexington. wlen. having
learned Tat the enemy were already, within town.
sndit being to late, and my mersatigued By fore
Cd march, and utterly without provisions, halted
foF the night
About day-break the next morning sharp skirn-
Ism HOOK place between our pickets and the enemys
Outposts- This threatened to become general 10
ing unwilling, however, to risk a doubtful ,ngas-
ment, when short delay would make success cen
tain fell back two three M es and
arrival of my infantry and ars-Iery these having
come up, we advanced UPON the u vn ,lrivir- H.
enemy pickets until we came within short DIS
lance of the city itself Here the enemy attempted
to make stand but they were speedily dFfven frum
every position, and for ced to take shelter within
their intrenehments. We then took position within
strongly fortified, and opened upon them 3 brisk
fire from Bledsoes battery which, in the s6sence of
Capt Bledsoe. who had been wounded az Big Dsy
Wood, was calamity commanded by capt. Emmett
Mcdonald, and by Parsons battery, under the skill
full command Of Capt. Guibo-. 80
Finding after sunset that our ammunition the
most Of which had been left behind on the march
from Springfield, was nearly exhausted, aud that
my men, thousands of whom had not eaten bite
in thirsyssix hours. required rest aud food with
drew 20 the Fair Ground and encamped there. Ny
ammunition wagons having been &C last brought up
and large reInfOreements having been received. I
again noved into town on Wednesday the 18th
inst, and began the hual attack on The enemy s
works.
Brig. Gen. Rains' division occupied a strong DO
stion the east and northeast Of the forGcations,
from which an effective csnnonadlng was Kept up
on the enemy by Bledsoe's battery under Command.
except on the last day, by Capt Emmett Mcdonald
and another battery commanded by Capt church
hill Clark Of Sc. Louis. Both these gentlemen and
the men and officers under their command are de-
serVedly counmpndpd IN uDaux raport of
Brig. Gen. Rains.
Gen. Parsons took position southwest Of the
works, whence his battery, under cOmTs1Ld Of
Captain GuibOr, poured steady IRE into the en-
emy. H
Skirmisters aud sharpshOo,srs were also ent
forward from both Of these divisions to harrass snd
fatigue the eaemy and TO cnt them of from the wa
ter on the North East and South of the college and
did inestimable service in the accomplishment Of
| these purposes.
Col CongrSve Jackson's diviaion and = part of
Gen Stems were posted near Gen ls1i-s and Gen
Parsons as a reserve but no occasion occured to
call them into action. They were, however, At all
| times vigilant and ready to rush upon the enenB
Shortly after entering the city on the 18th Col
| RiVes, who commanded the fourth dIyisiun ID the
absence of Gen. Slack, led his regiment and Col
| Hughes's along the river hank to a point immedi-
ately beneath, and west Of the fortifcations, Gen
hcRTide's command, and a portion Of Gen. Harris
! having been ordered TO reinforce him. Col Rives.
9
proceeded dawn the bLLk of the river 20 capture
steamboat which was lying Just under their guns.
Jusr az this moment heavy ARE was opened upon
him from Col AndersoR's large dwelling house on
| the summit of the bluffs which the emmy were
occupying hospital, and upon which white
flag was flying. Several companies OF Gen. Harris
command aud the gallant soldiers of the fourth d.
vision, who have wGn upon so many hattie he dE
the proud distinction Of always being amoag the
braTest Of the brave, Immediately rushed upsn and
took the place. -a.s..- - s--s a-.
The important position thus secured was " thin
I25 wards of the enemys intrebohmeats. A con-
pany from Col Hus 8 eyiment then to- < poses
sion of the boats Of which was richly freighJed
with valuable stores Gen. AeBride's aud General
| Harris division meanWbi9 CALAMITY storIned and
occupied the bluffs Immediately North Of ApdersOns
house. The possession of these heights enabled our
men to harrsss the enemy greatly that resolving
| to regain them they msde upon the house suc.
cessful assault. and one which would have been
honorable to them had it not bsen accompanied by
| an act Of savage barhaxity-the GoldblOOded and
cowardly n 1rder of three defsrssless men who
had laid down their arms and surrende ed. thea
selves as prisoners The position thus retaken by
/ the enemy Was soon req Iined by the brave men
1 who had been driven from il, and was theneefor-
ward held BY them TO the very end Of the cJntsst,
The nights 10 the left Of Anlersoa's house, which
had been taken, ssbsfore stated Is 2sns. Mcbride
and Harris and eY part Of zen Stems command
/ under Gel lloyd and @sjor Winston, were rudely
4 D U
as well As they could with their slender means 90
the morning OF the 10th inst, caused number %
hemp bales 70 be transported to the river nights
/ where movable breasswerks were speedily con
structed cut 81 them By Gems. Harris and Mcbride,
Col Rivss and Hsiar Wilson and thar respective
comm ands. Capt. Ksly's battery ATTACHED to Gen.
Stems diTisianl ordered as the same tins to
/ the position occupied BY Ges Harris forcs, and
quickly opened very effective fire, IIder the di-
reetion Of iss gallant captain. gpop the ene Ry.-
These demonstratiOns, AID particularly the contia-
usd advance o: the hempen bTeastWOrks, which
were as efficient the COTTON bales New Orleans,
| quickly attracted the attention and excited Che
| alarm Of the enemy, who made many daring az
tCmpts to drive Us back. They were however,
repuued in every instance, by the unftnehing
| courage and fSpd discrimination of cur rnen.
| In these desperate encounters, the veterans Of
McBrdes and Sseks divisions fully Sustained their
| preud reputation while Gel Ma ii Gresn and his
| command, and Col Boyd ana Maj Winston and their
commands proved themselves worthy 70 fyht By
the side of the men who had BY their courage aud
valor won n1peFishahle houoF IN the blOOdy battle
of Springfield. --
After two o'c,ock in the afternoon of the 10Th,
and after ffty two hours continuous firing, white
flag was displayed by the enemy on thst part Of
| shortly afterward another was displayed opposite
to Col. RIYes. / Immediately ordered cessation
Of all firing on cur part. and sent forward one Of
my staf officers to ascertain the sct Of the tg
W II
should be their desire. II was finally, after some
delay, agreed by Col, Marshall and the officers as
ISOLATED with him for that purpose by Col MUligaRs
that the United States forces should lay down their
arms and surrender themselves a. prisoners Of war
to this army. These terms having been made know
ratified By me and Immediately carried into
effect ---.. Vi. %
lOur entire loss in this series OF engagements,
amounts to 25 killed and Y wounded. The enemy
loss was much greater.
The visible fruits Of this almost bloodless Victory
are great--ab1ut 3 500 prisoners, among whom are
Coils. Mulligan Marshall, Peabody White, Groves,
Msj1r Van Horn and us other commissioned OH
GERS FIVE pieces of artillery and two mortars,
600 stand Of infantry arms. large number of sa-
brOs, about $50 horses, many sets of cavalry sqap
ments, wagons, teams. ammunition, more than one
hundred thousand dollars worth of commisssry
stores and large amount of other property. In
addition to all this obtained the restoration Of the
great seal of the State and the public records which
lad been stolen from their proper custodian, and
about 100000 IN money, Of which tie bank al this
place had been robbed, and which have caused to
Be returned to It.
This victory has demonstrated the fitness Of our
citizen sOldisry for the tedious operations of a
sei2S. well as for a flashing charge. They lay
for ffty-tw0 hours in open air, without tents or
covering regardless of the and rain, and in the
very presence of watclful and disparate foe m an
fully rePelng every assault aEd patiently awaiting
my orders to storm the Notifications. No Gene raj
ever commanded Drawer or better army. II Il
composed Of the best blood and the brayest men Of
Mssonri
Where nearly every one, OTHERS and men be
haved well az is known to your EXcellen =. (whO
was present with the army during the whole Pc