The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-01
kerry and the booming of cannon awoke
the surrounding erboas

.iiO SURROUNDING SOHoCo'
The enemy were losing ground. They
rallied and fell with redoubled force on
our heroic band, two hundred Of whom
had already proved their patriotism with
their blood.
The combat was hand to hand. Horse
men were dismounted, and struggled
with the infantry, while officers were
sometimes seen defending themselves
against the advancing bayonets Of the
common soldiers.
A superhuman effort on the part of
the enemy, and third time the FEEDER
alists were surrounded.
Firmer and firmer were the rebels
closing round the five or six hundred
braves, who were evidently going to the
wall
The sun of Hope seemed sinking,
though that of Nature was shining clear
from out the quiet sky.
Sigel saw the smile Of Heaven, only,
and would not despond. His eye fash
ed, and his form expanded, as the shouts
of the enemy rose above the din of the
struggle. Only one.way was left:
"Follow me - thundered Sigel, and
his proud steed trampled an approach
ing rebel under his naughty feet.
A deep, strong, earnest cry from tie
Unionists, and they met the foe with the
rush of determination and the energy of
despair.
The Secession line could not endure
the shock. 1t recoiled, was thrown into
confusion, and retired from a position
that was as immovable as an Alpine
rock.
And Sigel was victorious, with the
sun still beaming clearly out of the sky.
The train was saved The first day
was won.
The prestige of success was establish
ed, and the future looked blue with hope
as the violets of the early year.
THE SECOND DAYS BATTLE.
The enemy, during the night and ear
ly in the morning, poured in from the
Bentonville road, and gathered in heavy
force to our rear, sweeping round to the
right, and occupying both sides of the
keitsvllle road, a position from which it
was absolutely necessary to dslodge
them, or surrender all hope Of success.
Truly, before the second days engage
ment began, the prospect was very
dark.
Defeat seemed to stare us in the face,
and the sole thing possible appeared a
strugg le to prevent too disastrous a dis
comtiture.
The way TO Missouri was defended by
thirty thousand of the enemy and we
had little more than one-third the mum.
ber 10 dispute the perilous passage. On
the South were the Boston Mountains.
To the East or West we could not 90.
Were we not hemmed in by Nature and
the enemy
Could we longer resist? Could we
say we were contending only tor victory
when the shadows were lengthening and
deepening on our hearts
Gen. Carr's division was sent by Gen.
Curtis to force the enemy from their po-
sition, and about ten O'Clock in tho NOR
ming the battle was renewed with increas-
ed ardor, and soon the batteries from
both sides were replying to each other
with thdealing voices. The main
action in the morning was TO the right
of our encampment, and for seven hours
the field was holly contested.
Gen. Carr made a spirited and heavy
charge upon the enemy under McCul.
loch and Price. The musket and rifle
firing was very sharp, aud every few sec
onds the boom of the batteries burst
across the country, and the iron hail
swept down the stream of life, and filed
the surging and noisy waves with spec.
trail corpses.
The rebels reeled rs we went against
them, but their column did not break.
The charge was repeated. Still the foe
stood firm, opening a CALLING fire from
two batteries whose presence had not be.
| fore been known. Our troops were thrown
into confusion, and three companies Of
infantry and Col. Ellis Cavalry were or
dered to silence the destructive guns.
Like lightning our men leaped forth,
prompt 10 the word, and ragged about the
rebel batteries as ravenous wolves around
sheep-fold
Everywhere the strife roared every
where the smoke crept; everywhere the
ground shook
The sunbeams glanced off from the
swords and bayonets but they ceased
to shine for many eyes on that blood.
stained day.
Carr's column advanced and fell back
and advanced again, and beyond them,
up the hill, the cavalry and infantry were
struggling to capture the detested guns
The regiment which protected the bat
teries met them fairly aud freely. and,
for half an hour the two combatants
were 50 commingled that they almost
failed TO recognize one another.
Our men have the batteries" was
announced, and the Federals rent tho
welkin with their huzzas.
Yes, il was so
Through the blue curling vapors our
men could be seen dragging the guns
after them. Ere they had gone hun.
dred yards. the rebels were behind them
struggling like Hercules for the reposes-
sion Of The pieces.
Blood streamed anew, and shouts, and
groans, aud prayers and curses went up
with the gigantic forms of smoke into