The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-08

mug ""o piihe'P"iiy SonhhCu w sho
artillerists, who were supported by Gen.
SANKEY'S division. Closer and closer our
lines were drawn, while hotter and more
fierce grew the fire, 1t is strange to
mark that insensibility TO danger which
men will at times exhibit. Our pickets
were stationed to the front and left of the
town, and although ball and shell were
flying over them, making strange music
in the tree tops, after the first momentary
surprise was over they ceased to notice
it entirely, but busted themselves telling
stories, making coffee, and bearing a
hand in the good old game OF seven up.
Evening drew on apace, and with it a
suspension of hoslilities for that day.
On the morning of the 18th inst, Gen.
Hamilton's brigade, composed of the 9th
Iowa and 9th Indiana, 10th Iowa and an
other regiment, the number of which l
do not recollect, moved forward for the
purpose of supporting our battery BY the
lower fort. 1t was three O'Clock in the
morning, with rain falling at intervals,
accompanied by flashes Of lightning, and
low rumbling thunder. Many soldier
left camp feeling, perhaps, that he should
never return again, and we opine that
numerous tender missives were written
to be forwarded in case the writer should
receive his guietus. Occasionally the
flashes Of lightning would reveal groups
of infantry, cavalry and artillery, by The
roadside, silent as statutes, moving slowly
forward through the mud and darkness.
We were now within range of the ene-
my's guns, and every exertion was made
to get us secreted in the rifle pits ere
daylight. These pits were nothing
more than kind Of trench dug at the
base of a declvity retreaIing to the west,
and by the time we arrived there, the
rain had filed them half full Of water.
Here was delightful state Of affairs
To sit th.re twenty four hours in doub
led up posture, was bad enough. but to be
obliged to paddle around like muskrats
in that water all day, was more than the
wonderful patience of the boys could
stand. Get in boys, lay low, shells
will be coming over here directly" thun.
dered the Colonel. And in they tumbled
officers, privales, all together, while be.
hind Orderlys could be seen running of
the horses. while hospital Stewards
were carrying stretchers here and there
10 be in readiness to receive the dead and
wounded. 1t was suggestive Of thoughts
none the most pleasant, and We all wait
ed with the keenest anxiety for the boom
ing of the first gun, which should usher
IN the conflict. Imagine the surprise o.
all, when soldier appeared shouting il
a loud voice: " New Madrid is evacua
ted" We did not, we could not believe
it. He means that New Madrid is evac
uoted," said the Colonel. But il was
true pickets and skirmishers coming in
afterwards confirmed the report. The
rebels in anticipation Of our attack had
fled during the night, and abandoned
all. a cavalry man seized the colors o
the Iowa 5th, and planted it on the bat
terry. Not rebel gunboat or river Graf
of any kind was to be seen, and soon III,
stars and stripes were waving over tn,
deserted breastworks. Such was the
haste of the valiant Southrons that they
had forgotten to takein their pickets, and
three of them were found asleep in
tent. They were little astonished wher
they found that the works had changed
hands. From the official reports which
your readers have doubtless seen, yor
can learn the amount Of property. stores
etc., seized. The rebels left candle:
burning in the tents, biscuit half-baked
In the ovens, clothes, guns, everything
The lower fort mounts fourteen guns
nearly all of the largest calibre, aud mos
perfect finish. Traces were here per
ceptible of hot work on the day before
Dead bodies, which the rebels had no
time to bury, were found. and stains o
blood. One Columbiad was partiall,
dismounIed, while / 2 FOUNDER piece
bad been struck in the side by one o fou,
largest balls, and deeply indented AL
the guns had been spiked. but through
the exertions of Col. Bisse., of the En-
gineer Reg iment, they were in READINGS,
again in an hour. The upper fort mount,
four guns, and is surrounded by n deer
trench. outside OF which, brush are pls
ced to obstruct any charge tha, nigh
be made from storming party OF in
faniry. Inside of these works were found
quantity Of tents, patented after tn
Sibley style, sufficient for a force of thre
thousand men. Half barrels offlour, su