The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-12-27

amount Of cavalry, we're started upon forced
march for the contemplated scene Of action.
The cavalry reached Gen. Blunt's camp about
midnight, and bivousced for few hours. At
A. H., Of the 7th, boots and saddles were SCUM
ded, and every cavalry-man was to his horse
and ready for action. At daylight We took po-
sltion in line, expecting every moment to hear
the booming Of cannon and rattle Of musketry
but we waited q short time and no enemy ap-
pesred In forcs. Skirmishing with our advance
was ill that could be heard of them. But the
well.planned and promptly executed manoeuvers
of the rebels bad not escaped the vigilance OF
Gen. Blunt, who soon ascertained that their
mair force had moved in the night, around to
bis rear by distant and circuitous route, and
were endesvoring to intercept Gen. Heron, and
cut him Of before he made junction With him
they leaving one division 10 bis 'front.' to keep
up the appearance Of an attack from that quar-
ter, in order to prevent bis discovering their
real object
Not moments time was to be lost-a large
and valuable train must be saved-assistance
must be sent to Gen. Heron at once, or both of
the little comparatively armies, separated and
overwhelmed by force four times a. large as
either of them, must inevitably fall an easy prey
to the enemy. Gen. Blunt's force was too small
to be separated and accomplish either object
To an ordinary mind the accomplishment Of
both would have been considered impossible; but
not so With Gen. Blunt. A determined will and
energetic action, will cause difficulties that
loom up like mountains, to vanish like snow
drops before the MONDAY sun. His energetic
mind seemed di6used into every man in his COM
msnd, and two hours time saw train and ar
my moving off rapidly, yet steadily together,
that it would ordinarily have required full day
to put in motion.
IAN. we reached Rays Mill, where the
train was left upon a large open plain, and Iowa
let, Ohio 10th, and Missouri 9Th cavalry, accom-.
panied BY three howitzers, we're sent forward
upon the Fayetteville road, to ascertain the po-
sition of Gen. Heron, and also of the enemy,
With orders to report any information they
might gather, of the whereabouts of either ar.
my. We had proceeded about two miles, when
as We passed over a rise of ground, we heard
the booming of cannon and saw the smoke ris-
ing up out of a valley about two miles ahead of
Us. A messenger was Immediately dispatched
to Gen. Blunt, and we moved forward. About
one mile further on, we came upon about four
thousand of the enemy moving round under
cover of heavy piece Of timber thanking Gen.
Heron upon the right. Col. Wickersham, then
in command of the detachment, put the cagAlfy
into position and brought his howitzers forward
and opened FIRE upon the rebels, determined to
hold them in check, if possible, until General
Blunt came up with bis infantry and artillery.
But few shots had been fred, when the enemy
charged upon and took possession of one of our
little pieces, in charge of the Ohio 10th, but it
was almost Immediately retaken by small de-
tacnment of the Iowa lst and the enemy COM
PEELED to fall back. -..r
Companies A, L and N, of the let Iowa, we're
thrown out as accommodating parties, -Compa-
MES B, 9, D and K, put into position immediate
y in front Of the enemyis advancing columns,
not with the expectation Of repelling them, or
even cdsekiny their advance, had they advanced
rapidly upon US for we we're on thickly timber.
ed ground, where cavalry could do but little
against infantry, covered by thick brush and
large trees As they advanced upon US. The OBJ
ject was to gain time by making as great sAov
as possible, and thus COMPEL them at least to
move slowly and cautiously forward. This ma
noeuvre had the desired effect The artillery
and infantry came up just as the enemy's line
had got within eighty PAGES of our right, when
We were moved out of the woods into an open
field in front, to support Rob's Battery that was
put into position, and three regiments of infant
~ were sent into the woods to take the plsce
We had left. By this time the enemy had brought
up battery and put it into position upon the
bill side and had opened fire upon our Infantry.
Now commenced the most. deadly conflict that
it is often the fortune of old warriors to witness
The constant roar of cannon and rattle of mus
kerry was almost deafening for the space of
half an hour, when the epemy's battery was 81
fenced and they were compelled to fall back
One of their artillery men, captured by our men,
admitted that the first three shots from our bat.
terry killed one hundred of their men. Their
dead were piled up upon the ground in every
direction; while our loss did not exceed twenty
men. The lst Iowa Cavalry escaped wonderful.
iy, considering the position they occupied be.
fore the Artillery came up. For the space of
half an hour the balls few around US like hail.
cutting the limos from the trees over our heads
and all around Us; and yet but two men of the
Regiment were wounded. Capt. Chase. of Co.
G, had two ball holes in his coat; Orderly Ser
geant VIM. A. Clark, who was at the right, BY
the side of Capt Chase, had his horses hin cut
with musket ball, and private Wilson, of the
same Company, had ball put through his hat
with these exceptions We came out of the battle
uuscathed.
Many Of your readers would have felt proud
nf khos, Nh1 >v1l A.~k