Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-10-03
4ailgS lltFlIigeufer
TEE BATTLE OF IUKA.
Acomplste and Graphic Description
.br ef the Flight
esg. =. CAMP NEAR IuKA,
September 2Ist. 1852. :

( . 4aA September 2lst 1852.
Editors MfSouTi Demoerat: i. Z
Another battle, surpassing in fierceness
any that has been fought In the Southwest,
has Just come OF, and the heroes of New
Madrid Island Teu and Shiloh, baYe prov
ed themselves as eRer,.vict5Fious. Price
has been met and utterly routed by Aiforce
far inferior TO his owu.and compellei.to TO
beat a precipitate retreat, leaving his dead
and wounded on the field, Rumors to the
effect that the enemy intended making an
stack on US had been in circulation for
some time, as Price, with heavy force was
advancing northward threatening our line
of defences ON the Mobile and Ohio Rail-
eSacuate lnka. on the 17th inst, the
third division, nnder command of Brjg
Gee. O. s. Hamilton, left Jacinto and NOV
ed in an easiwardly directfonIonSthe main 4
Iuka road. TIE second brigade, composed
ot2the 4th Minnesota, 9th Iowa. 26th Mis-
| souri,, and Sands flth Ohio battery, had
| arrived at what is known as Whites farm
on the 18Th inst, Continued skirmishing
had been going on between the euemy's
advanced piekets aud our caSalry, which
comprised the I'd Iowa and the Sd Michi-
gan, with another battalion, the name of
which forget. The whole Of our effective
/ WV ~ AhtS COulu u0t uhN6 UGGu EuOT6
thAd9 i've Thousand, and they successfully
engaged aud repulsed tho enemy with
Overwhelming loss as the sequeE will show.
! From Whites farm to the field Of battle
the enemyis pickets became more frequent
and daring, firing upon us from every spot
that would afford concealment, and con-
testing every inch of ground. The country
over which our route lay was uneven and
billy, with numerous ravines, the sides of
which were thickly- wooded, aud now, and
then large clearings that gave the rebels
Glance to hnrrass and annoy our move
ments. The 9th Iowa having the extreme
advance, companies 2 and D,Yere depIoyed
as irmishers-company E taking the
right aud D the LEFT ofthe road, while COM
pany, g acted as a reserye, The skirmish-
ing force WAS commanded by Liept-C Colonel
Sampson, of the 5th Iowa, who was ably
| seconded by Captain Lee and BAubury and
Lieut.. Lamper. Forward pushed the gall
liant boys, over fences, fields, woods, swampi
and impeLetrable morasses7 where they
sank TO their knees in mud every step
But unfalteringly they crowded on, driving
the enemy steadily before them. At p.
n. they were relieved by two companies
of the 26th Missouri, Lieut.. Brown. The
main column wound slowly along the
road, halting frequently for the skirmish-
ed ia every nook and corner. Two of
them were killed, and quite "a number Sc
| verely wounded. Towards night the skir.
mish firing luIled, aud many were led to be.
lieve that tho enemy would make no stand
at all, when just as the head OF the column
was rounding "a neck of the woods, q tre-
meudous yolley was poured into them on
the front by an unseen foe. The skirmish-
eFs. who were about two hundred yards in
advance of the main body, were thrown into
confusion for few moments, but. soon raj
lied and returned the fire. with kiEor. Ut
soon became evident that the enemy had at
last chosen his battle-ground, aud whatev-
er preparations We had to make must be
done on the spur of the moment. The en-
emy had every advantage over us. in re-
gard to position; their main infantry force
which consisted of two divisions, being
posted ,on the right and left efl the road
which wound along a high ridge extending
east. On either side were rayines aud deep
depressions of ground, covered with under
brush, which, etfectually sGreened them
from observation, while the high ridge at
their, front covered them from our fire.
The battle-ground was situated mile and
a half west of Iuka, and the line of the op-
posing forces extended at first north aud
south. Our right was protected inpart by
the ridgelof which spoke, while our left
was strongly posted behind thick belt of
timber. immediately in our rear was an
open field cut up with old gullieG and wa
tercourses, on which was placed our re-.
serves, mainly composed of Ohio, Indiana
aud Missouri troops. The line of bat
tie rs thds formed was arranged in the
following manner. The 9TH Iowa was
placed on the right of the road, and drawn
up behindG a small comb, of the ridge
in the extreme advance, to their left
was planted the 1lth Ohio battery, the 4sth
Indiana acting, while to their right stood
Tthe 4th Minnesota, 18th Iowa and s0th
Ohio. The formation Of the ground would
not permit the engaging of our whole force
at the same time, and on these troops the
enemy's FIRE was principally concentrated,
they seeking to break the center aud turn
our right flank. BY the time that all the
various preparations were completed It was
6 P. M. The sun was fast sinking behind
some heavy clouds, stinging them with a
significant hue of fiery red. Generals, and
all were quite confident that the troops
would merely lay on their arms that night,
and commence the contest on the morrow.
Let the reader take into consideration the
4 fact that the troops bad marched quito u
distance over rough aud dusty roads, and
that the advance had been skirmishing
with the enemy all the afternoon, while
no one had even a chance to make a cup of
coffee, and, he will readily perceive that
they were not eAactlyt in the trim for fight
ing. but their devotion, bravery aud discip-
line otercame all obstacle aud rewarded
them With, the blessed fruits of victory.'s
The 18th Ohio battery having got into
position commenced pluDgiDg few shots
in among the enemy TO ascertain bis loca.
tion, but failed to elicit any reply. An
Ominous silence reigned along the lines,
broken only by the heavy trampof infantry
and rumble Of artillery. z solel6se were We
to the rebels that we could .distictly hear
/ them forming in iiue and distinguish the
i command of the officers Although iha ridge