The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-03-07

thick undergrowth Of brush and blacl
jack, making IL impossible to advance ol
maneuvcr any considerable body o.
troops.
The plan Of attack agreed upon and
directed by Gen. Floyd. to be executed
was, that with the main body of the
forces OF our lett wing, should attack
the right wing OF the enemy, occupying
and resting upon the heights reaching "a
the bank OF The river, accompanied by
Col. Forests brigade Of cavalry; tina,
Brig. Gen. Buekner, with the forces un.
der his command. and defending tire
right Of our line, should strike. the enc
my's encampment and forces on the
Winn's Ferry road; that the forces under
Col. lehman. should hold his position.
and that each command should leave in
the trenches, troops to hold them,
| In this order OF battle il was easy 10 be
seen that il my attack was successful,
and the enemy routed, that his retreat
would be along his line Of investment
toward the Wins Ferry road, and
thence towards his reserve at the gun
boats below. In other words my success
would roll the enemy's force in retreat
over upon Gen. Buckner, when by his
attack in flank and rear. we could cut up
the enemy and put him oompletelE 10
rout. Accordingly dispositions were made
to attack the enemy. At five o'clock
A. NJ, of the 18th, | moved out of my
position 10 engage him. In less than one
half hour our forces were engaged. He
was prepared to meet me in advance of
his encampment, and he did meet me
before had assumed line of battle and
while I was moving against him without
any formation for the engagement. For
the first half hour OF the engagement
was much embarrassed in getting the
command in position properly 10 meet
the foe. Having extricated myself from
the position and fairly engaged him. we
fought him for nearly two hours before
made any decided advance upon him.
He contested this field most stubbornly.
The loss Of both armies ut this portion of
the field was heavy. The enemy's par.
ticularly, as discovered by riding oYer
the field after the battle, with Gen. Floyd.
The enemy having been forced to yield
this portion of the field, retired slowly
towards tho Winn's Ferry road, Buck
ner's point of attack. lie did not re.
treat but fell back fighting us, contcsting
every inch of ground.
The fight was holly and stubbornly
contested on both sides, and it consumed
the day till twelve o'clock to drive him
back as far us the center where Gen.
Buckner's command was 10 flank him.
While my command was advancing and
slowly driving him, | was anxously ex-
pecting to hear Gen. BIckncr's com.
mand open fire in his rear, which not
taking place feared some misapprehcn.
sion of orders, and came from the field
of battle within the works 10 learn what
was the matter. there found the com.
mand Of Gen. Buckner massod behind
the ridge within the work taking shelter
from the enemy'S artillery on the Winn's
Eorps. -aaa, !. I,~>inE ,yea,,. af,,usa Ia pe-a
tire before the battery. as learned from
him Ny force was still slowly adyanc-
ing, driving the enemy towards the bat
terry. | directed Gen. Buckner imme-
diately to move his command round to
the rear of the battery, turning its left,
keeping in the hollow, and attack and
carry it.
Before the movement was executed,
my force forming the attacking party on
the right with Forests regiment (caval-
ry,) CALAMITY charged the battery, sup.
ported by body of infantry, driving il
and forcing the battery to retire, taking
six pieces Of artillery, four brass and two
twenty.four iron guns. In pursuing the
enemy falling back from this position,
Gen. Buckners forces became united
with mine and engaged the enemy in
hot contest of nearly an hour with large
forces of fresh troops that had now met
us. This position of the enemy being
carried by our joint forces, called of
farther pursuit after seven and half
hours of continuous and bloody conflict.
After the troops were called of, orders
were Immediately given TO the different
commands TO form and retire to their
original positions in the intrenchments
The operations Of the day had forced
the entire command Of the enemy around
TO our right wing, and in front OF Gen.
Buckner's position in the intrenchments,
and when his command reached his po-
sition he found the enemy rapidly adj
vancing TO take possession of this por.
tion Of his work. He had n stubborn |
conflict lasting ono and half hours TO !
regain il, and the enemy actually got pos.
session Of the extreme right Of his posi- !
ton, and held il so firmly that he could !
not dslodge him. The position thus
gained by the enemy was most com
manding one, being Immediately IN the
rear Of our river battery and field work |
for its protection. From II he could |
readily turn the intrenched work occu
pied by Gen. Buckner, and attack him in |
reverse or advance under cover OF an
intervening ridge directly upon our bat
terry and field work. While he held this !
position il was manifest we could not
hold the main work or battery. Such !
was the condition Of the armies at night |
fall after nine hours Of conflict on the |
18th inst, in which our loss was severe. |
and leaving not less than 5000 Of the on.
cmy dead and wounded on the field. We
left upon the field nearly all his wound |
ed, because we could not remove them /.
Wo left his dead unburied because We
could not bury them. Such conflict and
courage has perhaps never before occur.
red upon this continent. We took about I
300 prisoners and n large number Of
arms We had fought this battle TO |
open the way for our army and relieve III
from nm investment, which would ncccs.
sarily reduce us and the position by fam
inc. We had occupied The whole day TO
accomplish our object, and before we
could prepare 10 leave, after taking in
tho wounded and the dead, the enemy
had thrown around us again In the night |
an immense force Of fresh troops, and
re occupied his original position in the |
line Of investment, thus again cutting
OFF our retreat. We had only about /