The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-05-08

WOuiu GOMEZ ana prayed th0t buell OF
night would come. Night did soon
come and the firing ceased, except that
at intervals of about ten minutes the
gunboats would send great she'll howl
ing among the rebels.
Shortly after dark Co. 3 deployed as
skirmishers, and advanced between the
lines of the two armies-so close to the
rebels that we could hear them giving
commands In low tone, and Charley
Wright, who was on the extreme left as
we wheeled to the right, took prisoner,
who was armed with a splendid Enfield
rife. We then returned to the regi-
ment and all lay in line Of battle during
the night. J went to an unoccupied
tent near by, and Jorro,oed an ovefcoat
apiece for Jo aud me, which kept US
comfortable as we lay together upon a
brush.pile. We both slept sound, not
withstonding the rain and the firing
from the gunboat.
APRIL z, 1862.-At the dawn Of day
we rose from our beds of mud and
brush, put fresh caps on our rifles, and
were ready to meet the foe. We we're
not called into action Immediately, but
stood ready. while Buell's and Wallace's
forces, who had come to our assistance,
advanced against the enemy, feeling
for him in the woods; for there are only
a few small cleared fields in the whole
battle. field, which comprises thousands
Of acres. After the firing had COM
menced, the 81st aud another regiment
advanced on the extreme right, followed
by battery, which threw shells over
our heads into the woods as we advnnc.
ed, but drew forth no reply from the
enemy until we had advanced past where
the desperate fighting was going on in
the centre. Then our battery, having
taken position on ridge in the edge of
a cornfeld, began firing and was answer
ed by a rebel battery, not directly in
front of us. but more to the left. We
lay fat on the ground to the left of our
battery, and for at least half an hour the
batteries kept up most terrific firing
at each other. The shot and shell
whstled and howled over our heads,
and struck the ground behind us.
Our battery at last silenced the ene-
my's guns Co. B. had a comparatively
safe position, being farthest from our
battery and in a small ravine during the
artillery fight. But at one time a rebel
battery farther to tho left began to send
grapcshot whistling directly along the
line of our regiment, but it was
soon compelled to pay its respects to a
} Union battery in the centre, which just
then addressed it in thunder tones
: When our battery ceased firing, we
gathered ourselves up out of the mud
and again advanced, wheeling somewhat
to the left. When we had crossed the
corner of the open field and wero ad.
vancing into the woods, a tremendou.
fire of musketry was poured upon us by
= an unseen foe. We fred in the direc.
tion whence the bullets came, but as
the enemy could not be seen, we were
ordered to cease firing and lie down.
I, with several others, lay behind .
small log. l could hear the balls strike
, the log and see the bark fly from thu
! top rf it. Then battery opened upor
us with grape. They whistled awfully
. near us. Then one of our own bate
rics from behind began to throw shell.
: at the rebels, which struck the trees
G entirely too near us, The Colonel
, (who was acting Brigadior General, :
' seeing all this, ordered us to "fall back.
f We "got up and skedaddled" amid
| a hurricane Of grapeshot and musket
| balls, and 1t seems to me almost mira
$ Gle that mono of us were killed. w,
0 afterward learned that the rebels VIII
r fred on us were behind breastwork o
: logs. Lieut.. Chambeiln said to me a
n we retreated, "Dear! dearl this is bad
!, The right wing of our army brokenl'
v We did not retreat far, however, nor dit
the rebels follow us. We got into
t ravine and again formed into line o
, battle, marched n short distance to tn
J. left, faced toward the enemy, and ad
q vaneed in as good a line as was possibl
{ for a poorly drilled regiment, anon
k trees and stiff hickory and oak bushes
D The Iowa Sd advanced in line with us
:, Suddenly the enemy appeared befor
I" us, fred and fell. We too obeyed tn
Y order to fall-some behind trees an
n logs, others unsheltered. Among tn
o latter we're 10 and I. We lay dow
n whore We were standing, side by sid,
1t The ground between US and the enem
}. was level, so we fired along near til
o ground--the rebels ditto. Our Order
,r ly (Wm. Johnson) was hit on the sid
10 of the head and severely wounded :
g Another of Co. B was wounded sim
,r larly, but more dangerously.
rt When we had fred from 10 to
rs rounds, the rebels began to run. W
lr got up aud took after them pell- mel
t, heller skelter. Co. B, led by Captai
ID Adams and cheered on by Lieutenar
e. Cham berlin, was ahead of all the res
IN We advanced to where the rebels ha
y been when lighting us, drove the
is across a small open field into thic
as woods, and took possession of batter
ly from which we had driven them. Whe
be they got to the woods they rallied an
lg began to fire upon us again. We she
d, tered ourselves as munh as possible b
I'd hind the trees, a pile Of sacks of cor
ot the cannon, &c. AS am near. sighte
y, | got behind the tree nearest the re
er els. Charley Wright was behind Il
nd same tree, and Jo was behind the ca
n non, among the dead horses and rebe
ht We had fought there but few mi
're utes when battery on our left open
all upon us with grape, the rebel oaval
ey began to move across the opon field
ilY get round us on ths ripht. and tha NJ