The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-10-25
THE W AR.
From the Potomac.

town Re-occapied-No White Loyalists--
John Broom Associations Gen. Ho,cartl
| Gen. Hooker
Correspondence of The ~ Y. Tribune.
On THR FRONT, ONE MILE sourH OIL
CHARLRsrowS. Va, Thursday night, Oct, 16 1862.
The army's idleness, and the clear, gold
en- days, have gone out together. The
troops are advancing and the Fall storms
have commenced. This morning the col
umn moved to night 5000 of our soldiers,
without tents or shelter, lie here in the
searching, drcnching rain.
Last night there was unwonted stir in
COUGHS corps. One coming from Harper's
Ferry perceived unusual brightness in the
hundreds of camp fires which glowed and
glimmered on Bolivar flights like the lamps
of great city. An advance was ordered
at daylight, and the men were cooking two
days rations
At dawn the regiments were forming At
sunrise they moved out on the Charlestown
road. Gen. Handbook commanded the ex-
petition, which consisted of his own divis.
ion, six or seven regiments Of Gen. How.
ards, under Col. Lee Of the Twelfth Massa-
chusctts, portions ofthe First, Second, Fifth
and Sixth New York, and four batteries
Clark's, Pettits, Tompkins' and another
which cannot recall
The morning was chilly and threatening
but as we passed over the nights the clouds
lifted, revealing the deep green of the noun.
tain tops, half hidden in robes of snow-white
mist
The column moved briskly over the
broad unduating turnpike, through ample
fields rich with shocks of corn, past sold,
stately farm-houses, with sleep shade-tree
and orchards, by gray barns, with plethoric
hay and grain stacks. Through our lines,
over the debatable ground, past the enemy's
picket stations of last night, within two
miles of Charlestovn, and yet no Interrupt
ton. We began to think the Rebels
myth. --...f.....
But suddenly there was gun in front of
us. In a moment, another, and rifled
shot came singing by, cutting through the
tree branches, with sh arp, incisive music
The rising smoke showed it came from the
spot where, last night, Capt Petit pointed
out to me, through his glass, two Rebel field
pieces, four or five miles from his battery.
.i- Clark's guns, commanded by Lieut.. Dick
inson, began to reply vigorously. and Tomp-
kins' battery, also soon in pos tion, Join ed
in the chorus The Rebels were using only
two or three pieces, but they fired very rap
idly. Nearly all their shells struck few
rods to left Of our column. Few exploded,
owing to defective fuses We learned after
ward that the same was true of our own
shells "F 5 aH.s
The cavalry was placed in q safe position
IAN infallible sign of danger infantry
brought up and deployed. From the rear
of our batteries the Rebel cavalry was plain
ly discernible. On their front, far in ad
vance of all others, man on a milk white
horse, in dark, plowed field which threw
him out in strong relief, was conspicuous
temptation to our sharpshooters, Many
shots were aimed at him, but he sat view.
ing the artillery duel compacently and per-
sistently, as if enjoying pantomme. Some
of our men declared they bad seen that
identical steed and rider on the Rebel from
in every fight from Yorktown to .Antietam.
There was but little infantry firing, and
that was confined to the skirmi shers. Our
principal loss arose from a shell which ex-
pioded near one of Dickinson's guns, killing
four horses, wounding one Of his men fatal
ly, and four others slightly. One of the
latter who was struck in the head by frag-
ment of shell, had lost finger and received
bullet in the leg in previous battles, but
seems to be fire-proof, and will soon be
ready for dnty again. The enemy's loss, as
afterward reported to US, was about the
same as ours--one man killed, and six or
sever wounded. al a#s ar=n aga5gs 4nte,
.7fIn two hours the Rebel guns were silenc-
ed and withdrawn At1l O'Clock wemoved
forward cautiously, as the country is well
adapted to amb,scadcs. epassed their
deserted camp, but found only its debms-
tent, two or three huts, cooking stove,
and fryingpan. Ell afs f
Just out Oft village we reached the
residence of Mr Hunter, a member of the
Virginia Sc nate, which Gen. Banks occu-
pied as headquarters last year. 1t is a large
elegant house, with ample grounds. OF
course the owner was not there to welcome
US. But the Rebel guns were planted just
in front. aud our shells cut down palings
and plowed up the ground about it, Mary
Of them fell in the village, cutting roofs and
knocking d,wn chimncys, but injnring
none of the citizens. .h e it.sa
At noon we entered the village, and for
the fifth time during the, war, Cha:lestown
is occupied BY the National troops. But
how different our reception from that given
us in Frederick, Sharpsburg. and other
Maryland towns, Not flag flying, except
the yel!ew index Of the, hospitals. Doors,
blinds, and windows closed, curtains drawn,
! and the few residents visible staring silently
and sullenly at us. They looked even less
kindly than the Rebel wounded, Of whom
we found in the hospitals. | encountered
but one citizens protesting to be loyal, and
| he begged that his name might not be made