Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-02-28

terlcS, capturing HVe guns, taklng possession
of General McClernand's theadquarters.s and
driving our forces nearly mile and a half.
they had opened the gap; and not only that,
guns, and had reason to feel that the day was
theirs.
But now they committed a fatal mistake.
Instead Of adhering to the original plan, to
escape, they resolved to follow up their ad-
vantage by pursuit, cut us up and capture
the entire army.
The fight had lasted nearly four hours, and
McClcrnand's division was exhausted; be,
sides they were out Of ammunition.
At this juncture General Wallacc's division
was thrown in front They took UP po-
sition on n ridge. with Captain Taylor's bat.
terry in the center at the road, commanding
it down the ridge to the bottom of ravinc.
McClcrnand's division was making up its
scattered ranks, ready to support Wnllace!
1t was now just noon--nearly one o'clock.
The rebels formed upon the ridge which
General McClernand had occupied through
the fight They were flushed with success
and descended the ridge with the expectation
Of routing the Yankees. AS they came in
range, Taylor opened upon them with shell,
grape and canister. They quailed before it.
advanced at slow pace, came to halt, and
as the infantry opened, began to fall back
Wallace improved the moment, moved on.
drove them before him, rcganed the lost
ground recovered McClernand's tents and
occupied the old ground. ' ..'. .. .4 "5'
This is only brief note conveying gen
eral idea. cannot speak of the prowess Of
the troops, of instances ofindividuai tlycry,
although il is generally admitted that Tay.
lor's battery saved the day. "
The rebels might have escaped when Wal
lace was driving them back, but by some IA
tui;y neglected the opportunity and were
again boxed up This made two distinct
fights but the day was not thus to close. -.
There was to be second display of coolness.
daring and determined bravery of Union
troops, fighting under the Stars and Stripes,
resulting in signal victory ...'. .t'r'
| The Iowa and Indiana boys COMPOSING
l.auman's brigade Of Smiths division. were
ready to do their part in crushing out rebel
lion, and General Grant decided that they
should have an opportunity to show their
valor. Directly west Of Fort Donelson, and
beyond the bieastworks there was a second
ridge OF land running parallel to that on
which the breastworks were erected. The
distance across from ridge to ridge, as near
as could judge, q somewhat minute survey.
| 10 "'o't WI ious. VII tilIS outer ridge were
ten rifle pits, made of logs, with shallow
ditch behind and the excayated earth thrown
up in front. The western slope of the ridge
was quite steep. The distance to the bas,,
was thirty rods, ! judged opening upon n
meadow and corn field The slope had been
forest, but the rebels had used their axes and
cut down the trees, forming an abbatis, not
impossible because the forest was not dead.
but serious obstruction to the advance OF
an army. 1t was desirable that the rebels
should be driven out of their pits, for thcy in
part commanded Fort Donclson, lying about
sixty rods farther east. "0.I
The pits were defended by one Missssip-
pi, one Kentucky, and one Tennessee reci-
ment while other regiments were in position
in the rear to support them.
Coz. Lauman formed his brigade in the
meadow, in pain sight Of the enemy, Just be-
yond musket range, and advanced.
The "a Kentucky held the centre, Colone!
Heads Tennessee regiment the rebel right,
and the 18th Mississippi the left flank. The
Kentucky regiment was one Of the largest
best disciplined and drilled in the rebel army.
Col. Lauman gave the I'd Icwa the honor
OF leading the charge. They moved across
the meadow through little belt of woods.
came to the base of the hill, and met tho
ieaden rain. But they paused not moment.
Then they encountered the fallen trees. but
T instead of being disheartened they seemed to
feel new life and energy Without firing a
shot without hinching n moment or falter'p
as their ranks were thinned, they rushed up
: the Hill, regardless of the fire in front or on
their flank, jumped upon the rifle pits and
drove the enemy down the eastern slope. -
They escaped into their inner line of defcn-
5 ses. Col. Launan did not deem it prudent
7 to follow. but halted his men and poured a
! deadly fire upon the foe, in force, with four
2 cannon behind the works.
: Then for ten minutes the fire was exceed
ingly severe. | visited the spot on Sunday
afternoon and found the ground thick with
bullets fired by the rebels. The trees were
G SCARED but bore evidence on their limbs that
! the aim OF the rebels had been much too high
{ COL Lauman called his men back to their
: rifle pits, and there they lay down on their
, arms, holding their position through tho
, night, ready with the first flash Of dawn to
) make breach in the line beyond.
"0h the sid charge they inade
- r honor the Lalnan brigade !"
! deemed it perfectly admissible to alter
Iennyson in making this brief note Of bril-
liant achievement. Twenty four hours az.
e.i .he HSHL EiSiteu the spot ara saw ten
r OF the brave ones whose lives had been giyeri
Tor their country lying upon the slope in front
OF the rifle pits. Behind the pits were scye.
raj OF the enemy who had fallen in their at.
tempts to flee. g68
There were numerous pools Of blood upon
the crest OF the hill where the wounded had
fallen, but who had been taken to the hospi-
! tails H4
Col, I.auman was apprised during tho night
that the rebels were about to surrender. by a
negro who escaped to his lines. Soon after
daylight an officer, Major Calsbry, appeared.
bearing white flag and note from Gehctal
buckner to Gen. Grant, proposing cessa.
ton OF hostilitcs and the appointment Of
commissioners. The victory was won. and
Fort Doncson was ours, with it's seventeen
heavy size guns, its forty eight field pieces.
it's fifteen thousand soldiers, its twenty thou.
sand stand of arms, its tents and ammunition
all were Internationally ours.
Wild were the cheers, loud were the sa.
utes from the fleet and from Taylors batter
les when the Stars and Stripes, the glorious
old flag, was flung to the breeze upon the
ramparts Of Fort Donelson.