The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-02-27

he saw that some immediate action on
our part was necessary to retrieve the
day. q !.
He Immediately gave order to his
Generals of divisions to prepare for an
immediate and general attack along
the entire lines. The regiments which
had suffered most severely in the morn
ing were withdrawn. Gen. Lew.
Wallace was given division composed
of two regiments of his own brigade,
(the Eighth. Missouri and Eleventh
Indiana,) and several other regiments
whose loss in the action had been but
slight, and was given the job of clearing
the ground we had lost in the morning.
while Gen. Smith, commanding the
left received orders to storm the works
under which his division was lying.
General Smiths ASSAULT.
Gen. Smith is, cmphatically fighting
man, and as may be imagined, the
events of the morning had tended to
decrease i'm no measure his pugnacity.
When he received his long desired
orders for an assault Of the encmy's
works, his eyes glistened with FIRE
which could it have been seen by his
maligners, would have left them in no
doubt IS to his private feelings in re-
gard to the present contest. All the
arrangements were complete by three
o'clock, and his column was put in
motion soon after. The force under
his command was as follows:
Col. Cooks Brigadc-7th Illinois,
Soth do, 18th Iowa, 18th Missouri,
SID Indiana. l,E.,..,..,ae. ......-
Col. Lauman's Brigade-2d Iowa,
9TH do, l4th do, 25th Indiana, seth 10.
Under cover of Capt. Stones Mis-
souri, battery, this force began the
assault. 1t was formidable UNDER
taking, which, under less brave and
skillful commander than General Smith,
might have proved disastrous failure
The hills at this point are among the
most precipitous of those upon which
the enemy were posted. Selecting the
Second and Seventh Iowa, and Fifty
second Indiana for the storming party,
Gen. Smith detected the main portion
of his division to the right, and having
succeeded in engaging the attention of
the enemy at that point, himself headed
the storning and partly advanced upon
bis works from his extreme left. It.was
most magnificent sight. Unappaled
by the perfect stom of bullets which
rained about him, the General on horse
back, and with his hat on the point of
his sword, preceded his troops, and in
Bpired them with furOre there was no
withstanding. ssa,e
Steadily, with unbroken line, the
gallant Hawkeyes and Indianians adj
vanced. The enemy's grape and can
lister came blowing through their ranks,
but not shot was fired in return.
Closing up the ranks as one after anoth.
er of the brave fellows dropped to the
earth, and animated by the fearless ex-
ample of their undaunted leader, they
pressed steadily on. The works gained,
one tremendous volley was poured into
the astonished enemy, and, with fixed
bayonets, charge was made into their
ranks whicf1 there was no withstanding.
They fled in confusion over the hills,
and at last we had penetrated the rebel
Sebastopol, and the misfortunes of the
morning were retrieved. Capt. Stones
battery, which, in the meantime, had
been doing tremendous execution il
the rebel ranks, was promptly advanced
to the position gained, and instantly
supported by the remainder of his
division, the point was secured against
any force the enemy could bring te
bear against it.
General Le,c. TVallace's Attack on tn,
Right. ..s.. -.
In the meantime, General Lew
Wallace had completed his prepare
tons for an attack OH the enemy oc
cupying the position he had wresies
from us in the morning, some two IN LEI
and half to the right. Just as hi
column was being put in motion, a mes
senger came with the joyful tiding
that Smith was inside of the intrench
ments. r8 .. ss
With a cheer that resounded far an'
near, the irresistible Eighth Missouri
and Eleventh Indiana, which occupie,
the front advanced on the double quicl
into the encounter they had so lon:
been seeking. The two regiments
from their superiority in drill and fight
ing capacities, have been considered
"crack corps" and most nobly ali,
they uphold to the letter their enviabl
reputation.
They did not tarry long to bottle
with powder and ball, but with shout
of itself terrific enough to appal thci
foes, gave them the cold steel with
will which will long be remembered
Shell and round shot, grape and CAMS
ter were hurled at them in vain. Sti
onward they pressed, and regiment al
ter regiment fed before them. Valli
antly supported by the First Nebraska
Thirteenth Missouri, and other regi
ments of Col. Thayer's and Crafts
brigades steady advance was made
until by dusk the ground which ha,
been so holly contested in the morning
was ours again, and once more the rel
els were forced to seek the protectin
shadow of the earthworks.
The effect of these successes upo
the army was electrical-six hours be
fore, with gunboats disabled, and tn
enemy in possession of our ground, I'll
position Of affairs was gloomy, indeed
But now all was changed. Elated wit
victory. and the knowledge that at las
they had obtained foothold in tn