The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-02-01

r. Sd h4ss Aokttc0Sssks S.ATAl AkvAAFAEN1L
January 90, 1ss2.
Here sit In cedar log cabin, inside the In
trenchments Of the wonderful position Of Ole
..zolly,n TO write yon . letter, on contrabanl
paper, with contraband pen and contrabant
Ink. Where shall begin-what shall writ.
frst: there are incidents enough, II I'll recount
ed, 70 fll Z volume things that took place il
this, the most complsts victory, and the mos,
overwhelming, total overthrow the Secession
army has yet met With in this rebellion. TO be-
gin at the beginning, and tell the story straight:
Just at day break on Sunday morning, the
10th Of January, sharp 6riLg commenced with
the pickess In the same spot where ths firing
was last Friday night; the long roll beat in The
Indiana 10th, ami they formed instantly and
marched to the support Of their pickets. The
10th and Kinneys battery were close together,
and half . mile in advance Of ofeverything. The
battery got ready for action on the instant and
awaited orders. By the way, Stannard's battery
and Wetmore's four gun battery were both In
park, one on each side Of Nnneyis battery. The
lst Tennessee was about quarter of a mile in
the rear Of these batteries, in the woods. The
4th Kentucky, Col Fry, was the next regiment
on the road, half q mile In the rear of the bat
teries; It was forqing as I ran past, getting to
my own regimehtI (for slept in Enneys bat
teryG the I'd Tennessee another quarter of .
mile in the rear Of the 4th Kentucky. BY this
time the cavalry were running their horses all
over tho country, in every direction-except 70.
wards the firing, which still continued at inter.
vals. The I'd was just getting breakfast, and
supposing it to be only picket fight, kept on
cooking and eating, though very few had eaten
anything when the column Of our forces appear.
ed coming on In our rear. Lieutenant Colonel
Trewhit promptly got us into line and double
quicked US into the road ahead of the advancing
column the 4th Kentucky had gone when We
reached their encampment. The firing still con-
tinued, and very briskly We kept on at double
quick, all hoping and believing that we would
have chance to smell burnt powder. But
when opposite the encampment Of the 10th In
diana, up rode the Colonel, and halted US for
further orders; we al thought-if We didn't say
it-d-n further orders. -
The 10th Indiana went into the woods about
quarter of mile in advance of their tents,
to the support of their pickets: and bravely did
they support them, too, for over half On hour,
against the whole force led against them; and
never retreated step, nor gave an inch Of
ground, until nearly surrounded BY overwhelm-
ing numbers; then, to save themselves from be.
Ing entirely surrounded, they unwillingIy gave
way. Here was crisis; and yell on yell went
up from the lantern,jawed Secessionists; they
thought the day was all their own. But hap
PLY, any disastrous consequence was prevented
BY the arrival Of the 4th Kentucky and 9th Ohio
to the support of the gallant 10th. Again our
men made stand; now there was fighting in
good earnest. and the I'd Minnesota Joined in
With the 10th aud the 4th and the 9th Ohio =
volley after volley ratified in quick succession,
and sometimes it seemed as though there was
only one continuous volley, interrupted now and
then by the growing of the ''yellow pups"
which had been brought to bear on the enemy;
and when they once commenced, they distribu-
ted their fayors freely in oil directions, in the
shape of shot and shell; and, gentlemen, excuse
me from being the recipient of such favors-
There we're only two or three shots from cannon
fred by the enemy, and they were either badly
aimed or the pieces were out Of range, for the
shot did not disturb anybody. Once they threw
shell into the air which burst when some four
or Ave hundred feet bigh. No damage vas done
by It and their artillery seemed to be of no use
to them whatever, while, on the contrary, ours
seemed to be Of immense use to US; and was
most ably and effectively handled. After a lit
tie more than two hours of hard fighting, most
tremendous volley Of musketry followed by q
ringing shout from our side, seemed to have de-
cided the battle In our favor, fer from that
time, although firing was kept up at intervals,
the secessionists, whipped and cowed, began
their retreat, which In about twenty miputes
more became total rout; and from the indica.
tions along the road which We afterwards passed
over, the flight appeared to have been regu.
lar race from that point back to their intrench.
ments, to see who could get there first, and the
devil take tho hindmost
All the credit and honor of this battle is due
to the 10th Indiana, the 9th Ohio, the 4th Ken
tucky and I'd Minnesota. For they did all the
fighting, q It were, single-hAnded, with the ex.
ception OF what support they received from the
artillery. They oil fought nobly, and judging
from the sound Of the musketry, they never wa
vered from fixed determination to gain the
victory, and they did gain it. The combatants
were SO near to each other at one time, that the
gowder burned their faces in the discharge of
their pieces; but the underbrush was 80 thick
that bayonets were of but little use, and
charge could hardly have been made
The most important event Of the day was the
death of Zollicoffer. Col. Fry, of the 4th Ken
tucky, charged up hill by himself upon group
Of mounted officers, and fred at the one he con.
ceived to be the chief among them; he fred two
shots; both of them took effect, and Zollicoffer,
one of the master spirits of the rebellion, fell of
his horse dead. Col. Fry was, luckily unhurt,
but his horse was shot through the body, the
bullet entering only few inches behind the Col
All the homes the secess;on;s,s h.d for ~
from this momen. hco,n the retr tres.. "a az ~.
" did our forces nus5 mon them th.s ATT thev - rers
obi;oed n Leave their ;n.t,;ou. lo.ds. - hs
fell. nv the aide of tho road w ".e'o ''e
What we're the Fat Tennesse.na doing dur,no
all this enu.oement v;th thei, hoastsd h.sr.-.s
The la Reriment I knov hut i;ttIe .bou. ~.
cent that Il marched towards the EDGE of the
-noas = vh;oh .hs s.;n" ~. .";r, ses 80 ~ ~.
snneared from s;Oht "A !. re0imsnt .hs, Ala d;d
MT are . onn mi I;anten.nt'C 'Coiore, cc...s ~
-ho /. !. vhola te.r, end = ho-.o - i.s ss.,s
v.v cot in ahead ~ h;s man and -hsr. ~ s.h. o
inc vas he shot : fev times v;th liz rsvoiear
and turned round "a Zee vhsre III. men 'v.ss rs.e
vhen he nerce;ved IN osscer IN h.t~as,, h;n, ~
vhsre ia rae;ment onoht ~ hs ",;d.r.ir -" ~
inc 10 cut him III Rus the ofyiccrS .u-nsd
ont 10 he Lieutensnt.C Colonel Csrter-"v.ted M, mn
the vrone nassenoer vhen ha cot .,.., ars.. - -
and the tsbles vere turned. for ;nstesd of cnt'
tinc Col snears ofF the Coionel tooE hin, NJ; !.
oner and brouobt him bsok into the re.;ment
The I'd Tennessee vent through various and ann
drv eyolutions. thav we're m,rched and Counter.
marched; .rieht obliuued and left-oblioded: richt
faced and left-faced and brourht nm An stsnd;oo
In brier patch. i = y -
~ ivn.u EN-. f..-s 4. ue