, 1862-03-11

thesf4ta n A4a&E and! TO }e3pfess my Tears
thak my III aahfk IL would Sc ecompletely furh-
g pnless as1akesaeats aaoal4; b sRasaly=i
forcements we're within reach, -and General
McCernand having left me to my discretion if
found my Position untenable, and seelng
that the enemy steadily advanced on my right |
tank and was speedily gaining my rear, many t
ton, gave orders to move tile whole brigade. /
to the rear up the road, with view Of forming /
a new line Of battle. Before this order was /
given all orr troops on the right of my /
brigade had fatlen back except the 31st u1i-
left Of Col. Oglesby's brigade. Immediately |
adjoining the. 31gf, and on the right Of my !
line, Wss the 11th Illinois. Lieut.. Col T. z. G. |
Ransom commandiug. When the order to re- |
Tire WIS given. it failed to reach Lieut.. Col !
CALAMITY supporting the 31st against q fierce
onslaught on their right: Rapidly as the gaps
were opened in the ranks by the enemy, they
were as promptly closed to the right, and the
shortway point alone showed the destructive
nition having failed, retired, and the nth-took
their place, changing front to the rear under
a most CALLING fire With all the GOODNESS and
precision Of veterans.
In the meantime the order to retire was be-
ments 81 the brigade. The character Of tie
ground rendered 1t impossible for me to sec
the whole line at once, When the 1lth chang
ed their front they we're exposed to fire in
front and On both tanks, and the enemy's
cavalry charging upon their flank, they were
steadlly and in commandment GOOD order.
After falling back some half q mile, I
halted tke brigade, and as rapidly as possible
procured supply Of ammunition and formed
second line OF battle. At this point Colonel
Ross, Of the 18th Illinois, arrived on the field
and took Command of he inn ana 49th regi-
ments, -sal We were reinforced by so1,e
troops Of Gen. Lew, Wallace's division. and
with their aid and the assistance of T,v1or's
Battery and some pieces Of Dresser's. and
was checked, and be WITS driven withiu his en-
trenchments, leaving large number of his
dead and wounded on the field.
At night my brigade WAS Withdrawn to q
hill between the valleys, So as to be within
easy supporting distance Of either wing, where
the 10th came the news that the enemy had
surrendered. The whole brigade was Instant
II formed and marched doWH the valley into
the center Of the enemy's works, where we
hoisted the: Union flag upon the inner en-
trenchment Of the field, and fred Federal
saIutc from Taylor's Battery. Dickey's caval
~ were 60 disposed as to cover al the an
p1oaches and prevent the escape Of prisoners,
and rendered very effective service in securins
and bringing In prisoners during the day,
Would that nT task could end here with the
record of the enduTance. hrayery anii heroism
signal euccess. The loss of my brigade has
been heavy: and the ANNEXED list IF Ei1led.
wounded and missing will shoH. Tie ripht
of nv line vas more heavily engaged on fhe
18th than any other portion, though ali were
uni1er heayy IRE far hImrs The I'M regiment
were posted on the rieht of nv line and sui.
| fered more than any other regiment, having
| 50 killed on the field. The 3Dth reeimenf
which stood next to the 11th, was the next
| heaviest sufferers having is killed on the field
| The 48th, 18th, 49th and nth each suffered q
loss in The operation Of the 1sths Lieut.. Col.
| VIM. ErWin. Of tic goth reeimant white nobIy
animatipg lis men and addinr new lanrcls
| to those 6e so noblv won at Buena Vista. was
t struck down by cannon shot IRON the eoemy's
battery. Lieut.. Colonel Thos. q. Smith, 45th
! Ill, had distinguished himself in The gallant
| attack Of Tic 18Th, be being in command Of his
regiment On that occasion. Col. Hayn}e. As
se1ior colonel, being in command Of the
whole force detached on that service. Early
in tie engagement of the 18th, Ieut CoIone]
Smith. willie leu6ing his men mn the hilI ia
meet The enemy. received mortal wound o,
which he died in about one hour. Iieut. Col
f<Rarsrm. cpmmana;no the 11th Dlinnis w1s
struck il, the shoulder by MIME bali. Merely
ealing Major Ntvins to The comTnaniI unti{ his
wound could be temporarily dressed, he re-
/ E1fnP1 command renamed
ron;menf thronphont ,he ilay. Ticnf Co1onc
TIA Na}thy II the 45th repi7nent while rn
| connaoing. ind animatinr liis men was sbo
thrc1,yh fhe thigh and severely. thouoh trus
o1,,' fafal1r. wnHnded.
tannnf find words in which f7tt;nr1v tn cx
hear fo fhe officers Sommnn5,inS corrs Il,
fhe nromnt fasr1ess and coo1 manner n Hx,,,;ci
| mr. ior,mani3s wcrf. carried out in ercrr in
sfsnce. 1excent one. md t1at resn1fed fron
thc stnnS5itv Il me or3er1r9 nv o-ieTs wer
perfectly n1:dersfood and carrjed iut1 cffec
Viii piomptness % md W perfect order. @ I T l1ay
! : already s1oken Of the part borne by the iii
IlIinoiS. nnf3er Jjent, Fo5 Ransnrn Rn+, h
.. .. ard Minor Ncvjns ara deserving of thc atter
fion Of lie Denartnent III & {? Afar.h i.~ n
t},e ofth Ti1;pnts erhih;fed thc ntnooat co1r1rs
eooiness % and seif:nossession M IN % the. t;eld g.
courarinr h;s Tnnr viii III t1e or3er ~ nar,d i.
Mainr Richards ~ The a1rh oIsn ectag 1ri.
crcat brarcrv ~, H,Snio' an5 neior az; "a.
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