The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-12-30

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well manned and discharged as rapidly
as possible, made a tremendous racket
This was kept up until dark, when by
that time green troops who had never
seen cannon before, laid down within a
yard Of a gun and slept, undisturbed by
the firing. We did not lose a single
man throughout the whole day by artill-
cry, though score or two of horses
were killed. Our gunners were much
more skilled and precise in their aim
than the rebels, which was shown by
the result.
Upon the bluff or ridge occupied by
the secesh, were many fine farm houses,
which had been erected upon the eleva.
ton to escape the damps and vapors OF
the plain below. From the rear of three
Of these houses, was kept up well di-
rected fire Of some eight or nine guns
Gen. Heron ordered the whole fire oil
our artillery to be directed upon the one
nearest to US, and ,sienced it in ten min
utes.
The 20th Wisconsin infantry, led by
Lieut.. Col. Bertram, then charged up the
hill and took the battery upon the doub
le quick. They had no sooner gained
possession of the we'll earned prize, than
the rebels arose in myriads from the
bushes in the rear of the garden, con-
tanning the battery in question, and pour
ed a fire into the ranks of our boys that
sent their columns reeling back down
the declivlty again, with great loss Of
life and limb. In this struggle 1877
were reported officially as killed and
wounded
Within twenty minutes afterwards,
the 10Th Iowa with the gallantry charac-
eristic of the soldiers of that State, es-
sayed the vain feat with similar i'll sue.
cess. They performed deeds of valor
almost incredible, and shed their blood
in torrents, but il was all useless. They
retook the battery, and were on the point
of removing it within our lines, when
the rebels poured in upon them in end
less numbers and forced them back with
great slaughter. Lieut.. Col. Mcfarland,
who led this glorious charge. lost his
life, and many privates also were left up
on the field The color bearer rallied
the regiment twice, and led them up to
the very cannon mouth. This battery
was afterwards entirely disabled, the hor-
ses killed, and gun carriages broken to
pieces BY the fire of one Of our batteries,
which hit their mark thus precisely at a
distance Of more than mile, with mis-.
siles discharged from Parrot guns. Five
cassons filed with ammunition were
subsequently captured and brought
away.
The different rebel batteries we're ST..
lenced one by one until the booming of
the cannon bad nearly ceased. The en-
emy perceived that nothing could be ac
complished at long range, so they mass
ed themselves upon our front and both
lanks and commenced moving forward
to capture our batteries. Immense hordes
came out Of the woods on our left and
spread upon the field, looking from a
distance like a nest of ants. Our infant.
ry seemed mere handful in comparison
to this multitude. but they held them in
check while Coles Battery ran up aud
stuck their guns under their very noses
and fred canister into them with such
deadly effect as 10 cause them first to
pause in their career, then lie down, and
finally hastily to retreat. Again they
made their appearance still further on
the left, in number equal, apparently,
to our entire force. Their batteries
again opened fire briskly, and for time
the fortunes Of the battle seemed against
us. The immense and oyerw helminp
odds enabled them to harass and ap.
proach us from three directions. The
greatest disconraging circumstance,
however, was in the fac, that a pew bat.
terry had opened heavy fire at our ex,
treme right, nearly two miles from ouI
center. This was at o'clock in the af.
ternoon. A good portion of our infantry
was fearfully cut up, and nearly dis
/ heartened.
Everything, nearly, pointed to a do
feat of our forces. Murphy's Battery, &
portion Of Backofs and the Peoria Bat,
terry kept pouring CALLING fire into the
opposing forces. The men were again
rallied, and at half-past three. the ilippi
ty-whiz of the shells. the booming of tht
cannon, and the continuous roll of mus
kerry, told US that our boys were deter
mined 10 hold the field if possible Ill!