Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-03-06

interest Oy MS numeIOus Hienus III shLs
county:
From the Davenport Gszettel Tf
FROM THE Cd IOWA REGIMENT.
We are indebted 10 Mr.. John Nor
rison for the following interesting let
ter received yesterday from his son:
CAIao, Ill, Feb. lS.
DEAR FArHrs.-Fhe battle is over
and the victory IS ours, and thank God
I am still alive te tell the tale. l es-
capped with a slight wound 10 the foot,
which win not lay me up more than
two or three weeks. / viii begin at the
beginning and tell you all l can. We
started from st. Louis on Monday. the
9Th inst, met the feet down at Cairo.
There were l2 boats loaded with
troops, and gunboats.
We arrived at the Fort on Thursday;
laid ont in the snow all that night, ate
hard crackers and raw meat, had no
blankets; so we had to keep awake all
night. Next day we were sent out
skirmishing and the day after we made
the attack on Fort Douelson, at a
charge bayonet. Just imagine a hill
about as steep again as Brady street.
with tree tops felled all over the
ground, and you will have picture oi
what we had to climb over, on the
double quick at that. fell down
three times over the dead bodies Of my
fellow soldiers before ! got over the
breast works. 1 tell you it makes a
fellow feel kind Of ticklish to hear the
bullets vhizzing around him like hail
stones, and his companions falling
around him every minute, but it don't
last long; sfseF the 6rst two or three
vollies he gets perfectly reckless, what
you might call insane at any other
time.
Lieut.. Holmes was struck in the leg
while scaling the breastworks. think
he will have to have it taken of. Our
brave old Colonel (Tuttle) was in the
front Of the battle alb the time until he
got struck with a spent ball. and then
left command to Col. Baker. while he
went to see that his wounded boys
were taken care Of He was one Of
the first over the breastworks. AS
soon as he got over he sung out,
Bully, boys; 90 in" and we did "go
in;" we held their whole brigade at
bay for as much as ten minutes before
we were reinforced. We lost our brave
Captain (SIaymaker) in the engage
ment; he jumped out in front and cried,
"Come on boys, give it to them." and
had hardly got the words out of his
mouth when he was shot dead. Lieut..
Byng then took charge, and led us on;
he was struck with spent bah. We
drove them back inside their fort, and
then retreated to the outer entrench-
ments, where we laid on our arms until
morning. l was not there at that
time; was carried off the field, as l
was getting weak from loss Of blood
/ have no doubt we have all seen
misery in this world, but a man don't
know what it is until he sees a battle
field after the fight is over. The say
ing is true, that man feels more like
running after the battle is over than he
does when it commences.
We took 10000 prisoners, about
1000 mules, and any quantity Of arms;
but l suppose you will see all that in
the papers, and much more than l can
tell you. The wounded were all taken
down to Mound City. 1 came on to
Cairo, and am now staying with Mr..
Sears, who treats me very kindly, but
l guess 1 will go to the hospital to-
morrow. l expect 1 can get a fur
Tough, if 1 can only raise money
enough to get home. Our regiment
was badly cut up; l don't believe we
can muster 200 sound men, but what
is left have the proud satisfaction Of
having done their duty in fighting for
their country.
They are taking the prisoners to st.
Louis and Alton. If we keep on at
this rate we will soon have them all
cleaned out. +#*%
Your son, ]. W. MoRRIsoE.