The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-10-16


ATTACK UPON JACKsoN's DIVISION. 59
But the attack which began upon Jack
sons division, about twenty minutes after
that upon Rousseau s, was more success
full.
Here the infamous Buckner brought
z an immaAse force TO bear against the
two brigades of which Jackson division
is composed-the 33d, commanded BY
Gen. Terrell, and the 34th, by Col Web
ster, Of the 98th, Ohio. A strip of woods
lay between the open ground in front of
this division and that in front of Gen.
Rousseau's, and extends very nearly
back to the woods upon the left of Per-
ryville, where the rebels had their force
posted in the morning. This strip Of
timber formed a covered way by which
the rebels stealthily advanced until they
were near our lines, when, suddenly de-
ploying to the left, they occupied the
whole space in front of ,Jackson's divi-
sion, and rushed upon it with demoniac
yells. -.,, s .,.tt-s
The soldiers of the Union fought with
courage never surpassed, and again and
again were the advancing rebels checked
and thrown into confusion. Regiment
wed with regiment, and man with man,
to see who should longest sustain the re-
peated and terrible assaults of the foe.
Occasionally portions of the line would
waver little under the murderous. fire
4 which the enemy in overwhelming num-
bers poured upon it, but even while
their comrades were falling thickly
around them, the men would rally, re-
form, and again drive their bullets in
the faces of their desperate enemies.
- = Harris's 5, Stones, and Parson ybat.
teries ceased firing she'll and round shot,
and hurled into the very bosom of the
advancing host storm of grape and
cannnister, until the ground was lite.
rally covered with dead and mangled
rebels. d
But with ever-incressing strength the
enemy continued the assault. He placed
several lines upon sioping ground, in
such a way that the whole could fire at
once, and although this arrangement en-
abled our batteries to operate with more
E deadly effect, it created such havoc in
our single line of battle as no soldiers
could endure A portion of the 2lst
Wisconsin, supporting Stones battery
broke and fled. The greatly superioi
numbers of the assailants enabled them
to outhank our line; and from both front
and flank they rushed upon us, deliver
ing their fire within a few feet of ouI
lines, and charging up to the very muz
zles of the guns.
The 60th Illinois and 105th Ohio gave
way before this mad onset, leaving Capt
Parsons battery exposed. The artillery
men at once abandoned their hitherto
nobly defended pieces, and all but sin
gle gun fell into the hands of the enemy
Four of Capt Harris guns were also lefi
upon the field, but the rebels had not
time to carry them off, and think they
were all recovered to-da51C g.
Our line being thus broken, the entire
division retreated, perhaps ,aquarter o.
a mile, where it halted, ard held its
ground until the battle ceased. But il
retreated only after its division comman
der, General jackson, and one brigade
commander, General Terrell, were killed
and the other, Colonel Webster, was
/ mortally wounded. Not suspicion viii
! ever be cast upon the yalor of these no
bic men; and ifit be not true, as some
declare, that two companies Of the 2lst
Wisconsin,, posted near Stones battery
broke and ran away with unseemly haste
then all the troops of General jackson
division viii hereafter be classed among
the veterans of the Union army j.
The partial success of the rebels upon
this division, encouraged them to recon.