Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1862-07-30

Helena, Ark, July l6 1862.

real destination not known, but supposed
To be Des Are, near place called Duball
Bluff. where it was reported there was a
larg force of rebels strongly entrenched.
We moved onward as usual until we got
twenty or thirty miles below Jacksonport,
where we found ali the practical roads
blochaded with fallen timber This caus-
ed us some delay, as it required consider
abe labor to remove it, in order for the
passage OF our artillery and the wagon
trains
On the 2nd Of Jlly detatchments from
the Ilth Wisconsin and the lst Indiana
cavalry zero sent out to raise q blockade,
which they accomplished after having
lively skirmish, killing and wounding
from twenty to thirty OF the rebels Our
loss none 1t was reported that a rebel
Colonel was Killed their force was about
100
Cur brigade reached Augusta on the
White River the Bird of July, passed the
4th there. \ national salute was fred
and speeches made by Gen. Benton and
Colonel Hovey
We left this place on the morning of
9th at ) o clock and marched twelve or tif-
teen miles, and camped in a canebrake on
the banks Of the Cache \ mile below
there was another blockade at which the
same evening 4 smart skirmish occurred
We had one man wounded, rebel loss
or 9 killed The same evening the cane
brake across the river opposite our camp
was shellcd and | was informed since
By deserter conscript that rebel Ark
ansas regiment was put to flight and so
much scattered that it is very improbable
that they will ever organize it again
They were all conscripts and ali ready to
run at the first opportunity.
On the morning of the 7th, four com
panies from the 1t! Wisconsin, and three
from the 80 Illinois, were sent forward
to see il the route was clear These
marched a distance of six miles the ! lth
boys in advance 70 a plantation owned by
one Paley T. Hill, and called Peach Or
chard Dluh, whore they encountered a
force Of >, 800 Texan Rangers BY mis-
take Go. e was not ordered out with
the party. Here one Of the bloodiest en-
gagemcnts Of the war ensued / presume
there Is no account of a battle on record
in which less ammunition was wasted than
by the boys of the lth durin. the fight
The rebels had been appraised OF our ap-
prnach, and knew cur force, and were all
drawn up in battle array TO receive us
The boys loaded, aimed and fred as
though they were squirrels, and moved
them down in heaps. The rebels fought
ike demons, charging up to the points OF
our bayonets. Orr small f &c was at
length forced to fall back, which they did
Ia good order. Here the Rangers had the
advantage. If they had charged at this
juncture, they cocld have cut our small
force to pieces, bat their mistake saved us
and defeated them Three companies OF
the first Indiana cavalry came up with
pieces Of light artillery, enc piece ] for
got to mention was engaged from the be
ginning Of the fight. The cannon opened
fire md the cavalry charged and the reb-
was soon in full retreat The SD Co
poured in few well directed yolleys that
did execution
Our loss was killed and 81 wounded
nearly all from our regiment. CAPTAIN
Chrystic and Lieut.. Doan were wounded.
Two Orderly Sergeants from the Eleventh
were killed on the field Col. Harris was
wounded severely, he reeeivoI a rife bali
through the left Leg, and throug his left
arm lie sat on his horse during the fight
when buckshot and ride-balls few around
like hail. with as much unconcern and cool
ness as if he were on battalion drill in
camp Rindall 1--WE picked m lib do 4
rebels aud buried them We took about
twenty Of INTENTIONALLY wounded. MANY
OF whom died in "a few hours after the en-
Gagement They carried or large num-
bers oi their killed and wounded. Many
no boubt, were left to decay unburied in
the swamps, IS dead bodies were found
all along the road AMI through the woods
as far as We pursued them. WAS told
by desertcr that the rebel loss in killed
wounded and missing would no. fall short
Of 300
Our Company ('E' was then ordered
forward on the road towards Clarendon
IN pursuit of some rebels. and to prevent
them from destroying u bridge across the
Bayou De View We came up with about
200 of them just as they were taking IN
the plank from the bridge We fred upon
them when they fed, leaving two men kill
Ell on the ground, They probably had
quite 4 number wounded The lst Ii. Ii
ana came up with some light howitzcrs.
and threw !. few shells at them as thew
were retreating. Here we camped upon
tl,e ground without blankets and without
food
As soon rs everything could be arran-
god the column moved on to Clarendon
where ne exp 'ctel to meet Il hees Of gun
boats and transports laden with food and
clothing We arrived there on the 10Th