The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-10-24


The SOth Illinois and 105th Ohio gave
way before this mad onset, leaving Capt
Parsons battery exposed The artillery
men at once abandoned their hitherto no
bly, defended pieces, and all but single
gun fell into the hands of the enemy.
-Four of Captain Harris guns were also
left upon the field, but the rebels had not
time to carry them off, and | think they
were all recovered to-day.
Our line being thus broken, the entire
division retreated, perhaps Il quarter of Il
mile, where it halted and held it. ground
until the battle ceased. But it retreated
only after It's division commander, General
jackson, and one brigade commander.
General Terrell. We're killed, and the other,
Colonel Webster, was mortally wounded.
Not suspicion viii ever be cast upon the
valor of these noble men; and if it be not
true, as some declare, that two companies
of the 21st Wisconsin, posted near Stones
| battery, broke and ran away in unseemly
haste, then all the troops Of General Jack
sons division will hereafter be classed
among the veterans of the Union army.
The partial success of the rebels upon
this division encouraged them to recon-
mence the attack upon Rousseau, and now
began one of the bloodiest passages at arms
which has occurred during the war | wit
| messed it from beginning to end, and gazed
upon it with an Understandable horror which
took away all sense of danger. Those
whom have longest known and best loved
in the whole Union army, here fought and
fell In scores before my eyes, and died i'll
every terrible form Of death. may be-
hold great battles hereafter, and my heart
may become somewhat callous to their
bloody scenes but never shall | forget
what saw at that time, nor will the i'm
preston made thereby ever pass away.
THE ATTACK on LYTIE's COMMAND.
The 18th brigade, (Col. W. II. Lyle Of
the 10th Ohio, commanding formed, as /
have said, the right of ROsecran's division,
and it was against this that the rebel lead
ers directed their fiercest assault. Emerg-
ing from the shelter to which they had re-
tired after their first repulse from this por-
ton of the lines, they advanced in heavy
masses towards our position. Their APP
pearance, as regiment after regiment, and
mass after mass came forth from beneath
the woods and advanced down the slopes
of the hills, was imposing in the extreme.
Distance concealed the rags composing
their uniform; the bright sunbeams glanc-
ing from their bayonets flashed like light
ming over the field; and the blue flag with
a single star waved all along their lines, as
proudly as though it were not the emblem
of treason, slavery and death At their
head advance General mounted upon a
white horse, surrounded by numerous
staff all having horses of the same color.
However one might hate these traitors, he
could not but admire this conspicuous and
daring valor, for each one of these ''pale
horse riders instantly became mark for
a shower of bullets, several of which sped
not upon their way in vain. Near the foot
of the slope Of hills, the wooded crests of
which had formed their original position,
they planted dozen pieces of artillery,
raking the Sd Ohio and 42d Indiana, which
now advanced to the summit of the hill
(upon which LoOmis and SimOnton's bat
teries were posted at the beginning of the
action in order that they might meet the
dense masses of the enemy's infantry.
which We're advancing under cover of the
fire from their artillery. AS soon as these
two gallant regiments appeared upon the
crest, they were saluted with tempest of
bullets from the muzzles of at least 1000
muskets, at the same time that the cannon
of the enemy Numbered upon their front
and flank. The Sd Ohio, Colonel John
Beatty, sustained the heaviest fire, and a.
lsng as it remained upon the hill its ranks
were continually plowed by the terrible
discharges from the enemy's artillery.
But while it remained there, (and it re-
manned until third of the number strewed
the field), it never for an instant ceased to
belch forth a volley of flame into the face
of the foe, nor could the rebel legions, with
charge it. Every officer stood like rock
tohis post, and the gallant Colonel Beatty,
dismounting from his unmanageable horse,
placed himself coolly and calmly in the
centre of his regiment, cheered both by
voice and example his dauntless men, and
seemed totally unconscious that death was
everywhere around and about him
At last shell from the rebel cannon set
fire to pile of straw, the flame OF which
instantly communicated to large barn,
| upon which the right wing of the Sd Ohio
rested. In moment the whole was in Il
blaze the heat became intense and unen-
durable; and though some of the heroes
stood until their faces were blistered rather
than break their ranks, they were compel
led at length to retire in confusion upon the
centre aud left ofthe regiment, which they
also threw into disorder Slowly and re-
luctantly the officers began to follow their
men down the hill, at the foot of which
they Immediately reformed their torn and
bleeding ranks.
During this time the 18th Kentucky,
! (Col. Curran Pope which was in the rear
of the Sd Ohio, and under shelter of the
hill, became intensely anxious to advance,
and more than once sent up to ask the Sd
Ohio to retire, and allow them for time
to face the foe. As soon as the disaster of
the burning barn threw the Sd into disor
der, Col. Pope shouted forward" to his
regiment, and with the utmost alacrity it
rushed up the eminence. No matter that
muskets, rifles, cannons hurled immediate
ly against it every deadly missile of war;
no matter that the roar of musketry and
! artillery which greeted it appearance sound