The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-10-13

e, policy was, of course, to draw the enem
r, back to within range of our siege gun
/ and Notifications around the town. Tn
e enemy seemed very willing to fellow on
q which they did, but stopped outside 0
: the range of the guns upon the fortified
tions. We fell back in town somewhere
9 about half past o'clock. The firing nov
pretty much ceased. Towards evening il
was reported that flag of truce had been
sent in with demand for US to surrender
or remove all the women and children,
and sick and wounded out of town, as
they would commence Smelling the town at
half past three o'clock in the morning -
The proposition to surrender of course
was not entertained for moment. The
sick and wounded were removed to the
eastern limits of the town, the non-com-
batants and what few women and children
there were, retired in the same direction.
Promptly at the time the confident rebels
opened their batteries, which were imme-
diatsly replied to on our part. The can
nonading was kept up until after day
light when the enemy ceased. the shots
from our batteries being too hot for them
Their Smelling did but little damage to the
town. One she'll struck the Tishomingo
Hotel, but did no great amount of dam
age A few other houses were struck, but
none of our men killed that | could hear
of. After We found the enemy had ceas-
ed firing We knew they were either re-
treating or preparing to storm the forts
aud batteries. We did not wait very long
when We discovered that they were chang.
ing their position and were endeavorinc
to reach point further to the right and
East of the Mobile g. Ohio Railroad. A
battalion of Sharp-Shooters were put for
ward as skirmishers and our regiment fol.
lowed them for support. We had not ad-
vanced far when We were ordered back to
our post near battery. We we're just
fairly in position again when the rebels
came forward in great force, marching
straight up toward the cannon, in four
different places at once, they came in sight,
so fast and in such large numbers that we
could not cut them all down until some of
them got into two Of the forts. Our
Brigade charged upon them, calamity
supported by others to our right, and
drove them back with great slaughter
They attempted, and partially succeeded
in rallying. but the fortunes of war were
against them. They were shot down and
driven back very rapidly. Flesh and
blood could not withstand the charge that
was made upon them. and the rout be-
came general. la this final charge the
18th Iowa came nobly and CALAMITY up to
the work, supporting the I'd and 7th in
fine style. In this second days battle
Col. Parrot, Lieut.. Gale, Lieut.. Bennett
and Serg't Maj. Cameron, were wounded,
und Capt. Smith, of Oskaloosa, q young
man of great promise was killed. OF my |
company Serg't Nathaniel Read, serg'tC.
Hart, Corp. Geo L. Humphrey, Private ]
Mccormick were wounded. Lieut.. Bess
and Mccormick both had narrow escapes
One had his canteen shot through, and
the other his haversack cut off by bullet
The loss of either side is not known vet
only thus far, that our loss counts by
hundreds, while that Of the enemy will
have to count by thousands. This is not
! victory made by Official or any other
kind of reports, bat by hard fighting, in
which the valor of the Iowa troops was as
conspicuous as it has become proverbial.
as We are still lying out without tents,
camp equipage or anything else except
hard bread, coffee and ammunition, wait
ing for another attack from force said TO
b. advancing from the east Ny accommo-
dations for writing are rather limited. and
! must close
We had 3l5 officers and privates in the
action, l2O OF whom are killed, wounded
or missing. C. r. CoNs
Cen. MITCHELL TO his Officers.
Shortly after his arrival at Port ROYAL
South Carolina, and assuming his no..