Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-10-09
BelMoat Ghgoniele.
THE BATTLE OF IUKA
A Complete and Graphic Desorip
rf ton OF the Fight.
CANf sSAR iuxA, AMY Of InE MIsissiPPi.
feptpfnntr .ist iJa

Another battle, surpassing in heIcencss
any that has been fought in the Southwest,
has just come oh. aud the heroes ct New
Madrid, Island Ten and Shiloh, have prov
ed themselves as ever, victorious. Piice has
hoen met and utterly routed by force far
inferior TO his,ewn and compelled TO beat
precipitate retieat. .lcsying MS dead & wound
eion the field. Rumors to the effect that the
enemy intended making an attack on Us had
been in circulation Tor some liplo, as Price, |
with heavy force was advancing North /
ward threatening our line of dcfences on
the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. and com.
pclling Gen. Rosecrans TO evacnatc luka. !
On the 18th inst, the third division, under |
command of Brig. Gen. G.. s. Hamilton. !
lsft Jscinto and moved in an Eastwardly !
direction on the main luka road. The see.
ond brigade, composed of the Alb Minnesota,
5th lows, 26th Missouri, and Sands llth
Ohio battery, had arrived at what is known
as Whites farm on the 18th inst. Con
tinued skirmishing had been going on be.
tween the enemy advanced pickets aud our
cavalry, which comprised the ID Iowa and.I
the 81 Michigan, with another battalion,
the name Of which forget. The whole oil
our effective force at this time could not
bave been more than fivo th0uqand, and
they successfully engaged and rcpulsol the
enemy with overwhelming loss US the sequel
will show.
From Whites firm to the field of battle
the enomy's pickots became more frequent
and dariug, firing upon us FROM avery spot
that would afford coucealment. and contest.
Ing every inch Of ground. The country
over which our rOut1 lay was uneven aud
hil,y. with numerous ravines. the sides of
whiah were thiekly wooded, and now and
then large cleariues that gave the rebels
ehauce TO harrass aud annoy our movements.
The 9Th Iowa having the extreme advance,
oompanies.E and D we're deployed MS skirin
ishers-- company L taking tho right aud D
the left OF the road, while company G. aelod
as a reserve. The skirmishing force was
commanded by Lieut.. Colonel Sampson, Of
the 5th Iowa, who was ably seconded by
Captain Lee and Baubnry and Lieut. Lam.
per Forward pushed the gallant boys,
over fences fields, woods. swamps and i'm.
penetrab'e morasses where they sank to their
knees in mud every step But unlaltering.
Iy they crowded ON, driving the enemy
steadily before them. At 3P. NJ they were
relieved by two companies Of the 10Th Mis-
souri, Lieut.. Brown. The main column
wound slowly along the road, kaltiug fro.
quently for the skirmrhers, who found the
corner. Two OF them were killed, and quite
a number severely wounded. Towards night
the skirmish firing lulled, and many were
led TO believe that the enemy would make
no stand at all, when Just as the heal of the
column was rounding u neck of the woods,
n tremendous yOlley was poured into them
on tho front by an unseen foe. The skir.
mishers, who were about two hunircd yards
in advance of tho main body, were thrown
into confusion for few moments, Int soon
rallied and returned the fire with yigor. II
coon became evident that the ny had at
last chosen his battle-ground, aud whatever
preparations We had to make must be done
on the spur OF the moment. Tho enemy
had every advantage over US in regard to
position their main infantry force, which
consisted Of two divisions, being posted on
the right aud left of the road which wound
along high ridge extending East On
either side were ravlnes and deep dapres-
sous of ground, covered with un lerbrush.
which ctfectually screened them from oh.
servation, while the high ridge at their
front covered them from our fire. The bat
tie ground was situated mila and half
West OF Iuka, aud the line of the oppo ing
forces ended at first North and South. Our
right was protected in part by the ridge of
which spoke. while our leit was strongly
posted behind thick belt of timber. In.
modiately in our roar was an open field cut
up with cd gullies and watercour,es, on
which was placed our reserves, mainly com.
posed Of ONO Indiana and Missouri troops.
The line Of battle as thus formed was ar
ranged in tho following manner. The 5th
Iowa was placed on the right of tho road
aud drawn up behind small comb of the
a. .s,t tlNs. Il It = 4
was planted the | lth Ohio battery the 4Sth
the 4th Minnesota, l7th Iowa and SOth
Ohio. The formation Of tho ground would
not permit the engaging OF our whole force
at the sans timo, aud on these troops the
enemy's fire was principally concentrated,
they seeking TO break tho center and turn
our right flank. BY the time that all the
various preparations were completed it was
6P. M. The sun was fast sinking behind
some heavy clouds, tinsing them with q
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 Oh the morrow.
Let The reader take into consideration tho
fact that tho troops had marched quite
distance over rough and dusty roads, and
that the advance had been skirmishinr with
the enemy all the afternoon, while no one
had even chance to make cup OF coffee,
and he will readily perceive that they were
not exactly In the trim for fighting, but their
devotion, bravery and discipline overo ,lne
all obstacles and rewarded them with the
blessed fruits of victory
The llth Ohio battery having got into
position commenced plunging few shots in
among the enemy to ascertain his location,
but failed to elliott any reply. An ominons
silence reigned along the lines, broken only
by the heavy tramp Of infsntry and rumble
Of artillery. So close were We to the rebels
that We could distinctly hear them forming
10 line aud distinguish the command of the
officers, although the ridge hid them from
our view. Pretty quick Major came riding
up to where the 9th Iowa was formed, say.
ing, "i.ook out, boys, the rebel sharpshoot-
ers are coming just over the hill" iIe had
not more than spoke before a broad sheet
Of fame issued from the battery and spread
along the whole line. 1t Seemed as though
oil the iends OF hell were lot loose. the
roar Of artillery, the crash of musk eiry, the
whietling balls and the bursting she'll swell,
ed up in volume Of sound that was deaf.
ening. The battle now ragged furiously ON
the right and center. The gallant 5th, al.
though opposed to two rebel brigades, com.