Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1861-11-01

that" Soon there was Ss,dse seen, =, etc.
We infer that the balance of the harness is
! to be of domestic manufacture. We hope il
may prove good fit when put together. Fl
The Fight at Edwards Ferry.
We give the following extract from the de-
tailed account of the fight at Edwards Ferry,
in which the heroic BAKER was killed, and
where our handful of troops fought with such
determined bravery ten thousand rebels:
When our skirmishing companies had
reached the edge Of the woods, suddenly the
enemy, hitherto concealed, rose with yell
and fired a vollcy; then began firing in the
ley then loading and firing at will for a few
giving another yell and, and so on, pouring
a murderous volley into our little band for
the space of half an hour. The whole woods
artillery and no cavalry Our Rhode Island
but Colonel Baker, Lieutenant Colonel Wis
tar, Colonel Coggswell, and Adjutant Harvey
manned the battery, and fired the guns
themselves, aided by Company G, LIST Cali
fornia, led by the gallant Captain Beiral.-
(The latter was conspicuous for bravery
throughout the action he is wounded, but
not dangerously, and is now safe on Mary
land ground.)
We kept up both musketry and cannon
fire as well as we could, but half the time we
could not see the enemy, and his cowardly
discharges were thinning our ranks still
most Of tho men stood their ground and acted
bravely. The eneny's volleys and yells in
creased in loudness, and it was evident that
reinforcements were pouring in to his aid.
Captain Stewart General Stones adjutant,
came on the field with the cheering statement
that Gen. German would shortly support US
At ST p. N. we held a council of war, and re-
solved to stand our ground, Gen. Baker or
dered me to 60 for reinforcemcnts. BY this
time Coggswell was wounded-W istar had
fallen. The enemy were growing more dar.
ing, rushing out of the woods, taking some
prisoners, and firing hotly.
Just then a rebel officer riding white
horse, came out of the woods and bcckoncd
to us to come forward. Gen. Baker thought
it was Gen. Johnston, and that the enemy
would meet us in open fight. Part of our
column charged, Baker cheering us on, when
a tremendous Oyset was made by the rebels
One man rode forward, presented revolver
. at Baker, and fired all its charges at him.
Our gallant leader fell, and at the same mo-
mcnt all our lines were driven back by the
overwhelming force opposed to them. But
Capt Beiral, with his company, fought his
way back to Col. Bakers body, rescued it,
brought 1t along to me, and then general
retreat commenced.
1t was saure qui peut! I got the Coloncl's
body to the island before the worst of the
ront, and then, looking to the Virginia shore,
saw such Il spectacle as no tongue can de-
scribe. Our entire forces were rctreating,
tumbling, rolling, lcaping down the steep
nights, the enemy following them. murder
ing and taking prisoners. Col. Dcvcns left
his command and swan the river OH horse
back COL Coggswcll, after unavailable bra
very, had ordered the retreat himself, but
being wounded, was taken. The one boat
in the Virginia channel was speedily filed
and sunk. a thousand men thronged the
further bank. Muskets, coats and every
thing were thrown aside, and all were des-
perately trying to escape. Hundreds plunged
into the rapid current, and the shrieks of the
drowning added to the horror of sounds
and sights. The enemy kept up their fire
from the cliff above. All was terror, confu-
sion and dismay. A captain of the Fifteenth
Massachusetts at one moment charged gal
lan:ly up the hill, leading two companies,
who still had their arms, against the pursu-
ing foe. A moment later, and the same Off
Ger. perceiving the hopelessness of the stu
alton, waved white handkerchief, and sur
rendered the main body of his regiment
Other portions of the columns surrendered !;
but the rebels kept up their fire upon those
who tried to cross, and many not drowned
IN the river were shot in the act Of swimming
Night came on At 8 p. NJ all of our
band whose fortune it was to return had
landed on Harrison Island, and the firing
from the Virginia heights had ceased
The rebels took all our guns but one
When left yesterday, they had shouted to
us, telling us to come over and take away
our dead sons Of b---s under flag Of truce !;
had also mounted our own guns on the
heights, and warned US to leave the island in
four hours. +-. H"#
The cause of this sad havoc was that we
had no proper means Of transit and retreat.
TIE Quincy Herald in speaking of the
Iowa Third at Camp Wood says:
1.-TWO or three companies of the Third
Iowa Regiment have been in Camp Wood
during the past ten days, whose arrival
was noticed at the time The remainder
Of the regiment came over about / o'clock
on Saturday night. On yesterday after
noon the regiment marched through the
principal streets Of the city in their deep
blue uniform, with their muskcts, made
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