The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-11-27
For the Otsamwn Courier
THE Battle Of Belmont.

folasnuch as many have taken IN hand
to set forth in order declaration Of those
things which are most surely believed among
us, even as they delivered them unto us,
which. from the beginning were eyewitnesses,
and ministers Of The lead and steel 1t seems
good to me also, having-had perfect under.
standing of all things from the very first, t.
| write unto thee, in order that thou highest
know the truth of those things wherein thou
hast been instructed"
On the evening Of the 9th Nov, the 9TH
Iowa. 22l 9th, 30th and 3lst Illinois Reg,
together with Da'aao's Cavalry, and Taylor's
Battery, were under marching orders. and
embarked on the steamers Montgomery,
Alex Scott, Chancellor. Keystone and Mem
phis. Being preceded by the gunboats
Tyler and Lexington, dropped down under
cover of night, to within a few miles Of Co.
umbus and hauled up on the Kentucky
side, until Inc dawn Of the 7th; then at a
given signal all showed out and glided quiet
" down to Lucas Bend (some three miles
from Columbus and disemharked, formed
in bait lion, marched out half mile. halted.
detailed five companies and sent them back
ms boat guards The cavalry were sent out
to rcconnoitre in the vicinity of the enemy's
supposed whereabouts, and soon engaged
their pickets. When the firing commenced,
the command was given by the Colonies of
the several Regiments, Battalion, forward,
march When within two miles Of the enc
my's camp halt was called, number OF
companies deployed as skirrnishers and sent
ont to reconnoire the enemy's whereabouts.
position, &c. and TO attack and if possible.
draw them out In'the mean time four OF
Taylor's guns were planted, hospital prepa-
rations made. and the several regiments as
sigrcdstheir particular places in division or
wing. The 18th Iowa and ODD II inois were
assigned the left division, the 7th being the
right and the 22d the left wing of this divis-
ion. All were drawn up in line of battle,
ready for instant defense sr for flank move.
IneHt upon tne eteInS.
The day was clear, calm and beautiful !;
scarcely zephyr famed the forest leaves,
all vas still and quiet as the awful calm just
preceding the fierce and terrible hurricane,
with only an occasional shot at intervals
from our gunboats, and the column batteries,
analogous to the lurid glare of the heavens,
and the pealing, rolling thunder Some be-
gan to dcspond of having fight. but all of
sudden there burst upon our cars the most
deafening crack of firearms and roar of can.
non, we had ever heard. Said our Colonel,
(Lauman) there's fighting boys and in an
instant the command was given. Battalion,
forward, double-qu,ck, march, which CON-
mand was obeyed with spirit that even
astoni>hed ourselves When near the ene-
my. our Colonel commanded. down and
crawl, boys cannon and musket balls the
while were whizzing over us, and limbs.
splinters, chips and bark from the trees
above us. were showering around and over
us. When near enough to fire with delibe.
rate aim and execution, the command was
up boys, and fire, which we did with will.
then loaded and fired at wiU. The enemy's
batteries were directly in front Of the 1th.
over which we had to pass. or, coward like,
shrink and fall back, but this can never be
said ofthc 18th, so we moved frward with a
slow, hut firm tread the enemy seeming to
contest every inch Of ground, ard here the
crack Arkansas and Tennessee Regiments
were most desperately cnt up, and were com
pele to falter and fall back, and with one
bold, desperate charge. the colors of the 7th
were first placed on their batteries. and the
blue jackets astride their guns : but on on !
went the 18th like fierce tigers at the scent
Of blood, the traitor devils faltering at every
backward step, until within their camp,
where they rallied and made a last desperate
stand, and the battle ragged with appalling
fury, when Col Lauman commanded to fall
to the ground boys and let the battery play
over you, after which, the devils were soon
seen SIX daddling down the river banks, and
with second charge, the nth were the first
to plant the stars and stripes in their camp,
and capture their rebel flag. Here Colonel
Lauman was wounded in cheering on his
brave boys, rs he calls them. The 22d
stuck to our left and fought like spartans.-
We saw nothing of the other regiments until
after we were in the enemy's camp, and
then saw them string,ng in upon our rear.
After burning their tents and stores, spi.
king the enemy's guns that we could not
bring off A retreat was ordered. The
9th, 30th and 3lst had taken their timely
leave of absence, and had passed around the
fast gathering columns of the enemy in safe
ty. The 7th and 22d had not proceeded ia,
until they found the victory was contested
and the battle had to be fought over again
They had, as they supposed, surrounded
and entirely cut off the retreat of those twt
regiments. But the 7th and 22d stood
shoulder to shoulder to each other, bravet
and breasted the enemy's CALLING fire, and
fought more like Infatuated tigers or incar.
nate devils than anything we could compare
them TO, and lit down upon the overwhelm
ing secesh forces like an alpine avalanche
or the thunder-bolts riven from Heaven
Never since the history of the world did
men fight with more daring and desperation.
Here fell our gallant Lieut.. Col Wentz. who