The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-10-25
From Company F, 7th Iowa.
RIENzr, Miss. Oct H. 1862

Sd and 4th, and have finally brought up a
this place, and arc quartered very comforta
bly, in the houses Of the town. The weather
is now cold and wet, and it is comfort tc
to look at fire and get change # clean
apparel I think the pursuit Of the enemy
is about over, and the troops are returnin 9
to the vicinity of Corinth. The enemy were
totally routed, and after their fight on the
ITatchie River with Hnlhurt, they scattered
/ in all directions. Many prisoners are brought
in every day found struggling through the
woods The rebels saved some Of their ar
tillery, (thoy were intent on keeping that
hut LET everything else lay scattered along
their line Of retreat. 'a
The fight commenced on Friday by our
forces going out about two and a half miles
| from Corinth. The enem- attacked MS usual
in heavy column by brigades, and slowly
drove our forces back by dint Of superior
numbers. BY evening all Of our forces were
under cover of the guns Of the fortifications
around Corinth. Thus matters rested Fri
day night The 2d Division done most OF
the fighting the first day. The rebel loss
was heavy, as our artillery made fearful
havoc with their heavy column at close range
pouring in grape and canister.
was not in the action of Friday. as had
been down with the dyscntery for over a
week, but joined the Regiment Saturday
morning, very weak and hardly able to
walk. Everything was expectation for the
struggle, for this day Saturday was to de-
eide the fate Of Corinth and the Federal slI.
premacy in the Southwest We knew the
enemy outnumbered us, but we were well
protected BY thcfortifcations All the dis
waited anxiously for the attack Of the enemy,
who, encouraged nv the ground gained on
the previous day and confident Of success.
were preparing to attack US. Our Brigade
was on the right centre supporting battery
Of 20-pounders Parrot guns in redoubt on
our right From this position we could see
the whole field of battle, we being on hill
with gradual slope toward the enemy for a
quarter Of mile, and all cleared ground in
front. We did not have to wait long, for
the enemy attacked us in three heavy col
umns on the right. left and centre simulta-
neously., Our artillery of the whole line
opened, in all about 80 guns and siege bat
terry, and moved the enemy down by the
hundreds. but they still pressed on. In an.
other moment their second column ha d
pierced our centre. Our brigade was forced
off the hill back about $50 yards, and the
enemy held the redoubt on our right. The
musketry was now heavy, and men fell fast.
The hill must be retaken or we are lost The
enemy were in possession of our guns. but
could not use them. General and Field off
GERS galloped back and forth steadying the
men. The fire was perfect roar. Directly
there was a move in the line, and then swept
forward at charge like a returning wave
The enemy went down before it, and we re-
took our ground and our battery, the enemy
only holding it about fifteen minutes, Our
battery opened once more on the routed and
shattered column Of the enemy. Their 9TH
err columns Jared about the same way
Their loss was terrific, every shot taking eff.
feet in their closed masses, and they fell in
winrows. Fully one fourth of them were
killed and wounded. .usA.1 4e.,,s-..--.
We were again formed into line to meet
a fresh column that were advancing, and
again our artillery rained the grape into their
massed ranks. The musketry opened at
four hundred yards, but they did not get
our Hill this time, for hardly one of them
were left alive to reach it. They seemed to
melt into the ground. A handful OF them
got back to the woods to tell the fate of the
splendid column that had left there only an
hour before. This ended the battle, and
their beaten forces were in full retreat pur-
sued by our fresh reinforcements which ar.
rived after the fight. Gen. Hulburt attack
ed them on the other side next day, and
completed their iout saas BE- z,E
visited the ground over which the two
columns of the enemy, above mentioned,
passed. and saw nothing at Fort Donelson
or Shiloh that near cqnaled the carnage
here presented They lost over / 900 killed
in the two attacks, and can give no .ide
of the wounded They left two Generals
and number of Colonies on the field where
they fell They have many gallant officers
They were in advance Of their me IN ten and
twenty yards, cheering'them on and the men
followed to the deathi linksolt was of no use
They were moved down as fast, as they
came up. 20 p a" -, aaaGf
| Our regiment lost 100 killed, wounded
and missing ont 325 mes. Company p. 80
men. lost three killed and ten wounded, as
follows: k,1led--A. W. Neighbor, Whitean
I Seaton Woundcd-Rhssell Bartlett. Har-
ness. Hoisington, Vass, and N iris. severely;
Bruten, Doak, Dooltt'e and Saul, slightly
The company behaved well, except few
who you don't know 1T is hard to get a
company in which there are no skulks. :
l don't think there will be any more fight.
ing here for some time. 1 wish the 3eth
Regiment could come down here We need
recruits now worse than eyer 2fOh, why
don't Government fiji up the old regiments
instead ofletting them face the ehamvs re
iments 1000 strong, with 900 or 400 men