Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-04-24
THE 18TH AT PIT-TSBURG LAND
1904 ING.

The following interesting letter was rsceiv-
cd by Mr.. Isaac Askew, from his son, Capt.
Frank Askew, of Go. Z, 18th Regiment.
Companies d, +, and X Of this Regiment
wofe III. from this county.
fyrnsrrs LASpfso, Q miles above Savannah,
3 April u. isoa
DEAR FATHER I write this on tho ferry
boat on my way to Savannah from ths
landing where l 20 10 express money
You have heard ere this Of the terrible
battle fought here On the 9th and 7th inst.
On Sunday morning 1.-THE 6thl we were en-
camped sixteen miles from Savannah. on
the road between there and Columbia, Ten
nesseo. We quietly struck our tents, pack
cd our baggage, and started IN our march
to Savannah. We had gone but . short
distance. when we heard the distant firing
of cannon. We marched on for some time,
the cannon still sounding, and the discharges
becoming moro frequent and louder. Final
~ We halted; our teams were allowed to
come up, and we were ordered to leave our
kuapsacks with the teams, taking our blan-
ksts and three days rations and our amuni-
ton, which we did, and started in quick
tlme. Wd Ionchou pbNuunuu opout ~
O'Clock that night. Shortly after we ar.
rived violent hail and thunder storm came
up, which we stood and took the best way
street, built FIRE out or the fences, and re-.
NAMED there until morning. We got some
hot coffee in the morning, and got on q
steamboat about Q o'clock and started for
the scene of action. During the night OF
Sunday We could hear the discharge Of can.
non at short intervals, said to be fired by
the gunboats to harrass the rebels ; but al
daylight they all commenced again, and
there was an almost constant roar. We
reached tho Landing in about an hour, our
whole Brigade being on the boat, with one
battery Of artillery. The whole river bank
and bluff were crowded with wounded and
.~stragslcrs. We dissmbarked and started
for the fold in double quick time, the roar
Of the cannon and tho rattle Of the musketry
Keeping up an internal din. We reached
y the field, passing over the scene Of the bat
i lie on Sunday, our men having driven the
rebels back early Monday morning from the
position they had driven our men from on
Although We had but little time TO look
around, tho scene wa truly horrible. The
srouud Was thickly strewn with dead men,
dssd horses, killed In almost every con.
oeiyable way. We formed IN line Of battle
Ia the near Of Ronean's Brigade Of our
diyiiop, who had been engaging the enemy
"a their part Of the field since early in the
morniug. We had been there but Q short
time when Q shsll came whixsing through
the tops Of the trees, and lit about ten fees
10 front Of our company, throwing the dir
in our faces, but fortunately doing no inju.
~. We were soon ordered to advance Sni
relieve Rousseau Brigade, whose amuni
= tiou was about exhausted. We advanced
lsisuroly, Rousseau falling to tho rear
The scens ofthe sction was in . woods. w,
soou got within near range Of the rebels, o
the ballsts whistling about our heads 70.
plainly tod. Joe Hewetson was Wounds
ksye. ] think hefbrs 10 got aehsnce 10 Ar
> s6ot, the balrentsrin6 near the stomach
We we're then oydsrsd . le down and com
espas a.iss, vhjsh ". dig, pouring int
III. rsbsls mos. tsv!las arsss which Va
we'll responded toby thsn. We kept "
tAe airing Tor ~ hosf and Ahalf, or mcrs
almost necessarily when our cartridges bein
toest nOrs ammunition md 70 allow our baI
q tsfy 70 tsks Z positiss. We fell back sbor
6venty- I've yArdn, spt s.psW supply Of smms
~ asIs h. ffoDs Il odt company., ]
pcured inEe the rebsls and their batter
soyeral rounds Of grape and canister, VII,
Il 4 became evident thst the snen
were retiring. Which, they did over the brr
~ ! ANAL bid out d reach Of our batter
then vhesAedints oelumnby eompanil
fled past our battery, Jsndt weve, brought
fo line aesip beyopd our battery, al
gbSah vns eyecufed with! elmost = mn
prsGsion ~ II We I'D bssn on bsttalli
din. We were again ordered to sdvsu'