The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-03-06
BATTLE OF It. DONELSON
OGGicial Esepors og Col. Laa,aneIa.
List NoxsbEsgg LEO An usys.oUN gEis
as irEEG sdssNDf Tsh IOWA.
urApov lnrrRs4 rrBnte. % DIN. us. Al

IlonoWlnE movements OF the ftn DFlgai!t, ZHu
Division
We left Fort Henry on the morning of the
18th inst, arriving near Fort Donels0n the
same evening. immediately on our arrival,
received your order tosnlave the.1fi a,ma
| Infantry to the front to support battery of
Major Cayender,s 207pounder Rife Parrot
guns, which were placed in a position to
command portion of the rebel works I
obtained permission from YOU TO- associate
the Regiment Of Briggs Sharp Shooters in
the movement, and placed the two regiments
in position where they remained during the
night. 'HE sfe sast.71 F2N 'si.3'ta t'.F1 '.h
In accordance with order, on the morning
! ofThursday, the 18th inst, moved the left
wing Of my Brigade, consisting of the 14lh
Iowa, Col Shaw, and 25th Indiana, Col
| Veatch, from their cncampment towards the
enemy, who were entrenchcd about mile
distant thcreirom. Fe45 s. RS, ylss ssi5es'
| The advance was made steadily and in rs
good order as the nature Of the ground would
admit or until We reached the ravine at the
/ base Of the hill on which were the eneiny's
Notifications. Here we halted until the line
could be formed, when the 25th Indiana,
under Col Vcatch, mo led steadily UP the
hill and towards the entertainments, under
a nmst CALLING fire Of muske,ry, and grape.
until their onward progress was INSTRUCTED
by the fallen timber and br,lshwood Having,
however, succeeded in obtaining an adyanta-
geotis position, they held Il unilinchingiy
flor more than two hours and until ordered
TO fall back out of the range of the eneny's
/ fire; The loss Of this regiment in killed and
wounded was very severe The 14th Iowa
advanced at the same time, and took posi-.
ttion on the right and across rayine, and
did good execution. Whilst those two regi
ments were, talSing the above positions, the
7th Iowa Infantry under Lieut.. Col Parrot,
came up III fire style and took position in
the centre, between the 25th Indiana and
the 14th Iowa. l.r ssi -t.,t sy.ezt
l. The lst Regiment Sharp Shooters, West
ern Division, Lieut.. Col. B. s. Compton,
were posted on the hin to the extreme right,
1iexccpt detachment Of about sixty, who
were ideployed asaskirmishers, and rendered
most effective service in that capacity, and
proving By their deadly aim that they are
a mSst valuable arm Of the service I'VE
held this position until night, when we fell
irback to, the position occupied in the morn.
! ing. On. the following day we remained in
camp skirmishing wifi the rebels during the
i tlay and njphtl F ,42ssI ~! ';e a}3. IT. ~ ~
T. On Saturday the 18th inst, at about two
O'Clock, received yeur. order to advance
! With my whole Brigade, and assault the
heights on the left OF the position attacked
! by us on the previous Thursday Tho Brig
'ade was promptly in motion insthe following
l. The Second Iowa, Col. Tuttlo, led the adj
vance followed by the 52nd Indiana, ITEM
porariy attached to my Brigade, who were
I ordered TO support them. This regiment
wa, followed closely by the Gath Indiana
1.-The 7tftIowa and sthe I4ih Iowa, The Sharp
| Shooters we're previously deployed as skirm
Fishers On our extreme right and left COL
futile led the left wing of his regiment in
Inc Of b,ttle upithe hill, supported sby the
right wing advancing at a distance OF about
one hundred and fifty yards in the rear
So;soon as he cams within range Of the enc
iny's Are, he led his men forward without
firing gun up 10 and charged the rebel
works, drying the ,enemY before him and
planting his coloys ON their fortificationa.-
| He was closely followed by the other rcgi-
ments in the order ofadyanectbefore named.
The enemy were closely pursuedland driven
i behind their inner works. Night coming
on, we held the position we had gained, IN
Tending at tho dawn OF day ia! re-conriicnce
the attack. In this engagement the 2nd
tIowa suffered terribly Captains, Siaynla-
ker and Cleutman fell just as they entered
the eneiny's Notifications Cloutman was
instantly killed and Slaymaker died CALAMITY
shouting to his men to go forward and con-
sumate the work. j. Itf-fnssss.7Esra - zs-
In the morning, as day dawned, we were
attracted to the inner fortificatlons by the
sound ola bugle. and saw the rebels display
| ing white flag. instantly. dispatched
Lcut.-Col Parrot to ascertain the intent OF
it, who reported that an officer wished tossce
me. repaired TO the spot and received
from him offers of capitulation, which | at
once forwarded to you-the result is well
! known h2Ss i1 FotR tasR GaiS 'fiie.es d1i /"
ItwouiJl afford me mnoh pleasure to par
ticularize the various, Instances, Of personal
bravery displayed on the occasion by officers
.Funder my command, bntt When al Behaved
so well, II would beihvilio,ist to par,icuiaisae,
4 butt cannot refrain 1droms anetitteping, In
this connection, the bravery OF, Col. I uttie,
Lieut., Col. Baker. and Major Chipmau, twho
received severe wound IN Gle 'tiiigYl of the
/ Iowa Second s'Coi. Neatch aAd I3eutg Coll
Morgan, of the Indiana; 2oths anslsj oL Snnw,
of the Iowa l4,h !; also, Lieut.. Col, Parsott
and Major Rice, who led the Iowa 7th, AMI
to WHOM return my warincst ackh iwIedgt!
Elnents for the gallant manner in which they
lied tlieir regiment in the engagsment.onl the
18th and 18th. " They didall that imen pos
silly could do, and well sustained the repn,
ltation Of the iowa 7th' - '44" ,'s@R7i
T. For the kindness, attention and skin mani.
tested by the Surgeons and Assistant Sur
geons towards the unfortunate wounded, for
SO mrany consecutive hours, ! return my
4. The total loss in killed and wounded, is
as follows: tE ~ yEm Gsrfk 53,yEa4 "a 8
Second Regimcatlo,oa hatamtry Volunteers.
Killed, .g4l
4 nouhdeN,sa,r it-s--srn' .s.t s,' '..ri'ls' iof
1 ,.aih q GIud iau sIee !aaE--
j Iotai, ....r....,..,.... l9o
Is5M Tfe5't.' 'haaiaaa I4Jtfantry HoloKteers.
Nl'led, ....'...... -. IL
I Wountaed, ~. ..... ....... !:.. 80. lOl
b. .akda ssaY g7ag~'s -
! ., lotal,...J ............ ll5
SsrenM Rcg't. -Iooa- Lata.try Eolmteers
Killed.. ..i t...li.... z. 81.
Wounded. .i.'..l.. ~. ..S....'.sas 81
| ms e, .,Zg!a - sH1rga rali'U u ,s--
] b Iota1,.- ..-r i.s.. -. .,,,,h .r.l.af32
It'll Regimeat Iona lgfaatry :Kslpaieers
Killed: >, .,t. ..i1.,.....s. .r.F.,s 2
y 0"a''TS s'islt' 'diatlii lsisfs 70 .'',,r = e
/ g4a Total E! go. ....e.!. 9..ai 2s
s7 B;rgve's Sharp ,sF5otsrs. ~ y.f'
j'ya,y, sEd Fs5f4a "a SEt1sE5E2 lSast 81 u,