The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-02-26

est they had S5tr seen. 0o6medese Foose.
' no is - chichn. says - 6ritg vas TIE nsss
srrific - had oQer seed. 81
Among We most NAKED Of ~ easnAkies O.
BOARD was the bursting of riaed cannon on the
,aro06s2ee
-HE LAND FcRCr ENGAGEMENTS ON SATURDAY.
The army made no movement on Friday Of
consequence, but waited any demonstrates the
rebels might make. They we're elated uith the
repulse OF the gunboats. and undoubtedly con-
Guided thar they would either repuisc the army,
Or il not that they would cut their way through
and escape - GAINESVILLE. 5ifft
Prepared to do either, A. circumstances might
decide, at six O'Clock on Saturday morning they
appeared in solid column upon the road. which
seems partly parallel 70 the creek, At AcCIer-
hands right Ii was q few minutes past six
when our pickets exchanged shots with their
skirmishers.s - EEOUE =
A portion of McClernand's force Vas on the
right hand side Of the road, portion east Of it,
and some troops in it and hen the enemy ad-
vanced they were just as they bad been lying
in their blankets in the open air, or getting
ready for breakfast. lmme diately the whole
division v& as:r, waiting for what might turn up.
As the rebels neared our forces they depioyed
and formed in line Of battle, making the most
furious attack upon the right also sending their
Mississippi sharp shooters one of the Captains,
now a prisoner, informed me, Ia the left to throw
the llth and Goth regiments into confusion.
Ii was about seven O'Clock when the 6ring
began on the right. and in . fev minutes is va
running like train Of powder % . 6osr. along
the entire line The rebels advanced With de-
rcrmination-not in . regular line, but in the
guerrilla mode-availing thenselves Of the treel
and the undulations of the ground. Their de
sign was to cut the division At the center. TURF
the regiments on the right composing Oglesby'
brigade up against the creek and capture them
But their movements 70 that end were fooled
The regiments at the centre being pressed, afte'
standing hot Ere, begun gradually 70 fall back
which rendered it necessary for Oglesbv to d
the same "a he separated from the division. ans
the entire right wing Of the division accordingly
swung back, slowly at 6rst Dresser's ant
Schwartz's batteries were brought into poeitio'
As soon a. possible, and for q while there was
very heavy fire, accompanied BY continued roll
| 81 musketry.
And now occurred one Of those blundcrs com
mon in warfare. The enemy pressing hard upoI
orr forces. Gen. McCieruand sent Major Bray
man for achievements. He rode rapidly to tn,
rear and came upon Col. Crufts brigade, wh,
moved forward, crossed the road, and can,
in rear Of the 30th and sls1 Thss,
regiments were lying down and firing owe
the crest of ridge. As Col. CruH came in rea
OF them they rose to their feet, not knowing
whether the force in their rear was friend or foe
The 25th Kentucky, supposing them to be reb
els, poured in a vo.ley which did terrible execu
ton. Ii is not possible to ascertain how MANI
fell under the fire, but il sufficient to throw
| the entire division into disorder, and at ono,
there was almost panic. Some men took u
| to their heels. threw down their guns and equip
ments, and fed to the rear crying "All is Lost
We are cut to pieces! !" and similar expressions
Some of them even fed to Fort Henry, twelv,
miles distant, and immediately the woods wer.
filed with stragglers.
The enemy improved the opportunity. sns
advanced upon Dresser's and Schwari1's batter
les, capturing five guns, taking possession Q
Gen. McClernand's headquarters. and driving
our forces nearly a nile and half. They has
opened the gap and not 'only that, bat had Il
the joust driven US. captured Ave guns, and hat
reason To feel that the day was theirs.
| Bot now they committed fatal mistake. In
stead Of adhering to the original plan to escape
they resolved to follow up their advantage b.
pursuit, cut us up and capture the entire army
| The fight had lasted nearly four hours, an,
| Netherlands division Was exhausted, beside
| they were out Of ammunition.
At this juncture General Wallace's divisio,
was thrown in front They took up q position
on a ridge, with Captain Taylor's battery in tn,
center at the road, commanding il down tn
ridge 70 the boetOm Of q rAyins. McC1ornand'
division was making up its scsttersd ranks, read,
to support Wallace. It was nov nearly on,
o'clock. The rebels formed upon the ridg,
which General McClernand bad occupied through
the night. They were flushed with success and
decended the ridge with the expectation of rout
ing the Yankees. As they came in range, Tay
Tor opened sPon them with shell grape and can
lister. They qusiled before il, advanced at
slow pace, came - a halt, and q the infantry
opened, began to fall back. Wallace improves
the moment, moved on. drove them before hin
regainsd the lost ground, recovered hcClsrnaud'l
tent and occupied the old ground
This 10 only brief note-cOnvsying q gene
raj idea. | cannot speak of the proves OF the
troops, Of instances of individual bravery, a.
though it is generally admitted that Taylor bat.
terry saved the day.
The rebels might have escaped when Wallace
was diving them back, but BY sosns faulty they
neglected the opportunity and were again boxed
up. This made two distinct fights, but the day
vas not thus to close. There was to be q sec
ond display OF coOlncss, daring and determined
bravery of Union troops, fighting under the Stars
and Stripes, resulting in signal victory
The Iowa and Indiana boys composing Lau-
man. brigade OF Smiths division, we're ready 70
do their part in crushing out rebellion, and Gen.
Grant decided that they should have an oppor
tunty to show their valor Directly west of
Fort Dones Oe, and beyond the breasts orks there
was second ridge Of land running parallel -
that on which the breastwosks we're erected
The distance across from ridge 70 ridge, a near
as ! could Judge by . somewhat minute survey,
Is about forty rods On this outer ridge were
ten rifle pits, made Of logs. with q shallow ditch
behind, and the excavated earth thrown Up in
front. The western slope Of the ridge vs. quite
steep. The distance to the bose vas thirty reds,
as Judged, Opening upon q cornfeld. The slope
had been forest, but the rebels had used their
axes aud cut down the trees, forming an abatsis
not impossible, becasse the foreet vas not dead,
but serious obstruction to the advance Of an
army. Ii was desirable that the rebels should
be driven out Of their pits, fs they in part CON-
manded Fort DOnelson, lying about sixty reds
farther east.
The pits were defended BY one Mississippi.
one Kentucky. and one Tennessee rerimsnt.
while other regiments we're 10 position in the
rear to support them. a. -
Col. Lauman formed his brigade in the meadow.
in plain sight Of the enemy, inst beyoad muskss
range, and advanced
The I'd Kentucky held the centsr Colonel
Heads Tennessee regiment he rebel right,
and the l4th Mississippi the left flank The
kentucky regoens was one of the largest, best
drilled and disciplined in the rebel army.