American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-02-15
THE FISHING CREEK FIGHT.


ASsS"Ss suo ~ sowtoS Auutuouai par I
ticulars Of the Fishing Creek fight:
We have conversed with genslem an
Who left Gen. Crittenden's forces lat
Friday. who gives the following details
Of the battle and falling back of our
forces. His statement may be relied on. |
As he had every opportunity of knowing
the facts:
I The attack made upon the Federals
ct Fishing creek was determined upon in
. council Of war. at which all the iesi
metal commanders were present, and
was approved by ali. 49,
| Al one time during the fight, We had
every reason TO believe that the day was
ours. aud our subsequent defeat may be
attributed 10 the mi>iaking q regiment of
the enemy for the Is h Mississippi. and a
consequent order from Gen. Zollcoffer
TO cease firing. Gen. Z,licofrr riding
forward towards the enemy. was shot and
fell mortalIy wounded. throwing the regi-
ment immediately around him into some
1 confusion. which. as is always the case
with imperfectiy drilled troops. WAS diff
IAcult TO suppress. The gallant z 'llicof-
: fer. in the very hour Of death. did not
heard TO utter as he fell from his horse,"l
,Oos naistokea they are the enemy charge
them" Had his command been heard by
his men and they had charged. We probA-
bly, would have had victory instead of
defeat t. chronicle Our men continued
from this time to tall bach. The enemy
who were in superior force pressing their
advantage until further attempts to rally
we're useless, and our brave little army
, was ordered to make their way back to
, camp. keeping in the woods a. much As
, possible 10 prevent the artillery from
: dana ing US. The fight ragged nearly
D three hours without any cessation. a con-
sinual firing having been kept up by both
armies. .ag#s& ess&EA asg8EsM
Gen. Crittenden and staff were. during
. the greater part of the fight. immedia!e-
ly in the rear Of the attacking force and
in front Of the reserve, ard deported
himself as brave and gallant soldier.
He it was, in person. who conveyed TO
Col Cummings, of the 18Th Tennessee
regiment. in the heat OF the fight. the
news Of General Zpllicoffer's fall. and
> that as senior Colonel the command Of
the brigade fell upon him.
I led and 800 wounded and taken prison
I ers. Drs. Gilt. Morton and Dulaney
: volunteered TO remain in the hospital with
> the wounded.
d The enemy appearing in greater force
: in front Of our works on the afternoon. .
# council OF war was again assembled, aud
it was determined to abandon a position
e il were madness to attempt 10 defend.
: The forces having crossed during the
!, night we took up our line of march for
9 Monticello. where the army .was halted
until Tuesday morning. when order wa.
|, in \ measure again restored. and the
mach continued on in the direction oi
:. Carthage, on the Cumberland river. s
: Il is but just to say that all of the diff
ferent field and staff officers Conducted
g themselves with grea, bravery. and cheer
: fully suffered all the privations their com
: mands were called upon to endure. To
; mention any individual cases or particu-
= iarIzs regiments who are entitled 10 praise
: we're wrong. for ali dil what they be
ieved to be their duty. The grestesi
= loss fell upon the 18Th Mississippi and the
: left wing OF Col. Battles 23,h Tennessee
) regime ut. they being in more exposed
J, position than some Of the other req
: ments.
!, The loss Of property is great. bu. doe,
: not reach the exaggerated reports frsi
brought IN. aud In Il few weeks the army
will again be ready for the field sd &
I. A participant IN the battle, connected
with Capt kuiledy-'s artillery company
: furnishes the following account Of tn,
! fight: .ooftcM s'zs8 ax1siwimhA
o Gen. Cri,tenden's forces left Tthei,
{ brea., works At Mill Springs l2 O'Clock
] Saturday night to attack the enemy =,
S Fishing Creek commenced driving in
o pickrts ~ dawn Sunday morning. one Of
e our skirmishefs being wounded the f,.,
q ERE. Colonies Battles and Statham'.
n regiments being in the advance made the
;. attack on the enemy. supported by Col-.
J Newman and Wood. about o'clock IN.
{ engagement became general and the vol
e ihss OF musketry and the booming OF
cannon most terrible. Col. S,siham'
regiment was on the right. Battles in the
center. and Stanton on the left, Powell.
y and Cummings being the reserve. After
few rounds Of musketry had passed.
Z four guns Of Capt. Rutl-dge's artillery
opened fire on the enemy and moved
them down By the wholesale in .hr
Z me anime. the Mis~is-ippisregiment Col
Statham) made i've successive charges.
J. the goth Tennessee Cal. Ba,le) fosr.
9 and Col. Newman's three. the latte,
Z lighting the enemy through the fence
with bay onets, or pelsing the coward-
over the head with the butts of their
81 guns, as brilisn. charges as we're ever
made by Southern troops. The enemy
y being four to one on The leit-againsi
stanton, the artillery .(our Of Capt
I Rn,lsdse's piece~) we're ordered down to
! support. him being distant from the
~nrmy's brrsstwo,ks only So or 90 yards
2 There the grape and canister mad. sad
!. havoc, among the Yankees - go. Z s