The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-29
THE BATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.
A Brilliant Victory Over the
Rebels.
DEATH OF TIE REBEL GEN. LOWELL
John G. Breckinridge Badly Wounded.
GEN. WILLIAMS OF MASSACHUSETTS
KILLED.
COLONEL CAHILL's OFFICIAL REPORT.
The New Orleans Delta gives Col. Ca.
hills report of the action as follows:


HEADQUARTERS SECOND REGIMENT
BATON ROUGE, August 6.
CAPTAIN have the honor to report
that an attack was made early yesterday
morning by Confederate force of about
ten regiments, under command of Major
Gen. J. q. Breckenridge, and that after a
fight of four hours duration and of great
severity the enemy were repulsed.
regret to state that Brigadier General
Williams was killed on the field by rife
ball through the chest.
During the battle our forces were oblg.
ed to retire about q quarter of mile from
our original position, and the enemy were
thus able to occupy temporarily the camps
of the 2lst Indiana, Seventh Vermont and
Fourteenth Maine regiments, and to destroy
much of the baggage and camp equipage.
They were, however, driven out but our
numbers being much lessensd by sickness,
and the men on the field being much ex.
hausted by fatigue and heat, it was deemed
inexpedient to pursue.
am unable as yet to give report of
our casualties, which l am sorry to say
are considerable.
The enemy has retired several miles, and
from all l can learn is still retiring. l am
expecting it possible they may receive re-
Inducements. and am disposing my troops
in the strongest positions. Our force en-
gagged numbered less than twenty-five hun
dred the enemy had at least five thousand,
with twelve or fourteen field pieces and some
cavalry.
The ram Arkansas approached with the
intention of engaging our gunboats, but
grounded above the point, at a distance of
about six miles, and today was engaged by
the iron-clad Essex, and destroyed.
Enclosed is a copy of communication
received by flag of trucs from Major Gen.
eral J. c. Breckenridge, and my reply
thereto. You will see by the latter that
Brigadier General Clarke and his aid de
camp have delivered themselves up as pris-
oners Of war.
l have also fully seventy wounded priss
oners, that were left on the field, also about
thirty captured. | would like instructions
as to the disposition you wish made OF them.
Some express wish to be paroled.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
THOS. w. CAHILL,
Colonel Commanding Post.
u. IL. .. JAWS, Assistant AuJutanC Gen-
eral, Department Of the Gulf.
LIEUTENANT wHiTZEL's REPORT.
Lieutenant Whitzel, at the request of
General Butler, paid visit on Wednesday
to the scene of the conflict, and makes the
following report to General Butler
Your troops at this place have won glo-
rious victory. do not consider that there
is the least danger of an attack for the
present, because one of the several re-
cOnnOiterDg parties sent out this morning,
and which has returned, reports FIVE aban-
doned caisons on the Greenwich spring road.
We have sent out to bring them iD. This
indicates hasty retreat on the part of the
enemy. Our forces could not pursue. One
half of the men who left the hospitals to
fight, could not march mile. The attack
was undoubtedly made upon representations
of rebels within our lines that our troops
were nearly all sick and demoralized, and
General Breckenridge undoubtedly expect
ed, in conjunction with the ram Arkansas,
to make successful dash. 1t was com-
plete failure. The ram is blown up. Their
troops were repulsed
General Williams disposed his forces as
follows, viz. The Fourth Wisconsin on the
extreme left, on the right bank of Bayou
Gross, with two pieces of ManniDg's bat
terry in the Arsenal grounds, on the left bank
of Bayou Gross, to sweep the grounds on
the left of the Wisconsin Fourth. The
Ninth Connecticut was posted on the right
OF the Fourth Wisconsin, with two pieces in
rear oil the centre, and two pieces in rear of
the right. Ali of these pieces were of Man.
niDg's battery, and were posted on either
side of the knoll in the government cemetery.
Next came the Fourteenth Maine, posted
in rear of the Bayou Sara road, and to the
lett of the GreeDwell Springs road.
Next came the Twenty-frst Indiana,
posted in the woods in rear OF Magnolia
Cemetery, with four pieces of Everett's bat.
terry (under command of Lieutenant Car.
rutb) on their left, on the Greenwell Springs
road. The Indiana battery of two pieces
came up to the support OF these pieces after
battle commenced. Next came the Sixth
Michigan, posted across the country road,
on the right of Magnolia Cemetery and
across the Clay Cut road, their left support.
ing two pieces of Everett's battery, posted
on the road on the right of Ma nolia
Cemetery.
The Seventh Vermont was posted in rear
of the Twenty.frst Indiana and Sixth
Michigan, on the right to the Catholic
Cemetery. The Thirtieth Massachusetts
came next, forming the right and posted
about one half mile in the rear of the
state house, supporting Nims's battery.
This disposition OF the two forces was
made with the supposition that the enemy
would attack our left flank under the cover
of the ram Arkansas. The right flank de-
pended upon gunboat support. The only
fault of disposition perhaps rendered una
voidable by the formation OF the ground
was that the camps of the Fourteenth Maine
and 2Ist Indiana were placed in front of
their position in line of battle, and conse-
quently came into the possession of the enc
my for short time.