Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-08-21
utland 4(malt.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 2l.
> PATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.

,ba 10th inst, which contain full details OF
battle fought on the 5th inst, between
hoo rebels under Gen. Breckinridge and
| Union troops. The attack was made
Nv in the day by parts of two regiments
the enemy, and after fight of about four
,rs duration and of uncommon severity,
enemy were repulsed. During the battle
forces we're obliged to retire about quar-
Of mile from their original position, and
enemy were thus enabled to occupy tenn
rarly the camps of the 2lst Indiana, 9TH
,rmopt. and 14th Maine Regiments, and
Idestroy much Of the baggage and camp
ipDage. They were, however, driven out,
our numbers being much lessened by
5ress and the men much exhausted by fa-
h. and heat, the enemy was not pursued.
II rebels retired several miles, and the COM
hrdant of the fort reports that they were
1 retiring on the 9Th. Our force engaged
less than $500, while that of the enemy
5000 at least, with twelve or fourteen
h pieces and some cavalry. The Ram
Kansas approached within six miles when
j grounded, and the next day she was at
ekei by the iron clad Essex and destroyed.
il hundred prisoners were taken, seventy
saom were wounded.
~ find the following account of the battle
Fan eye witness in the Della of the 10th
espondencs of the New Orleans Delta.
BATON ROUGE, La, Aug. Z, 1862.
Dear CAPT. CLARK:
3hough just from the field Of battle, | can
kay that the smoke or glory can attach
to my skirts for, though whatever my
ng propensit;es may be, 1t was not my
q fortune either to take part in the repulse
D. Camp Moore army, or Ia the the deStruc'
of the Arkansas. The latter | will dis
Of t'Outrance, by stating that it was a
standup, knock down and scratch gravel
between the two iron clad monde scripts
&e Union Essex and the Rebel Ark ansas.
batter what the rebels may say, it was a
ire fight. The Arkansas took the posi-
Of her choice, in a deep bend of the
where sic tied up, but with her star
N. and port broadsides sweeping the river
snd down, and her bow raking across, at
Isame time ready to dash across and
be her bow into any vessel attempt
10 pass in front of her. Porter, of the
hex, with seaman's instinct, saw this plan
ihe enemy, and wisely laid below, but not
le than three hundred yards distant
1nce she plunged solid nine inch shot into
Arkansas, till, a favorable breach being
)e in her bow, Just under her ports, ar
ndiary she'll was exploded in the breach
ontly setting the Arkansas on fire. Hel
where the she'll burst, being the wind.
end, in few moments the Navy who
so fortunate as to be present at this las
conflict of the two iron clads bad the
Faction of seeing the crew of the rebe
fling on shore, while the flames wert
ling out on every side. Be itunderstooC
8 ecorded, all this time the Arkansas wa
b. her battery, till her fast burning off
oaIed into the middle OF the river, where
Mlilte while she blew up. Let no credu-
b. unbelieving rebel fatter his soul tha
Ewas not the Arkansas that was sunk anC
3oved. So much for the naval part 0
atfair-important, as enabling the gun
to act without impediment with tn
forces. ... j. H.....
be battle of Baton Rouge may be char
fized as one of the most soldierlike, skill
planned fights of the war. Gen. VIII
;, with his we'll known abilities as
fer, scorned to rally behind houses an
es, and taking in with one glance tn
of the enemy's attack, made his prepa
pns to resist and oppose them.
Two highways run out of Baten Rouge
above and one below, on each side of th
about mile and half out roa
these two roads at right angles, whil
ndng from road to road is large GENE
facing towards the city and lookin
eily into the camps of the Indiana, Ma
uset's and Connecticut Regiments. 1h
of the cemetery is fenced with paling
e the cemetery is thickly strewn wit
& tombs and overgrown with high ran
(ds. This was the position of the reb'
ter. Our center was composed OF tt
lana 2lst, the Massachusetts and Comes
drawn up on the opposite side of Il
ds, and not more than forty-fve rods di
The rebel right approached, fhrous
helds and over rolling country, a
led with great impetuosity the l4th Me
Pp, and drove them out, burning and p
ng the camp in few minutes. The IA
me rallied, and supported by the Mass
'etts and Minis Battery, returned to L
ck and drove the enemy back with gre
ghter' The fercest part of the conf
DIS tide of the battle occurred before al
IN house which the rebels obstinate
mined to get possession OF. The mt
plouous of the rebels at this place was
negro, armed and equipped with kna
musket and uniform be led the rebe
met his death at the hands of one of O
Pressed back by our left, and @
nu regained, the battle ragged
with desperate ferceness. So
dld the rebels approach, a
vel were they concealed, that th
IN the cemetery and drawn up n b
S.lay' u without our knowing it. Will
81 'n5y rushed up to the fence, dashed th