The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-10-23
The Battle of Perryville.
COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF ITS PRO-
-''. GRESS.
The Fierceness Of the Fight, ITS Htroes
and the Results-IHe Second Mich
igan and Loomis' Battery do Noble
WOrk-A CupitH Nurrative.
Special Cor. of the Cincinnati Gazette
BATTLEFIELD OF PERRYvILLE, KY,
l tfA i-H October 8, 1862.

BATTLEFIELD OF PERRYvILLE, KY,
~ si.t N' October 8, 1862.
On the march from Louisville not n
day passed without a skirmish, i'm which
portions of our advance were engaged
with small parties of the enemy's cav
airy, and l am inclined to think tha,
these repeated skirmishes induced our
leaders To believe that they were close
ly pressing the entire rebel army.
THE DISPOSITION OF OUR TROOPS.
On Tuesday afternoon, Gen. Sheri-
dams Division had the advance in
General Gilbert's corps, Rousseau'>
and JacksOn's Division having pre-
vi"uslv advanced by way of Tavlnrs
Vile and formed in order of battle /;
Jackson's Division somewhat to the
rear of Rpusseau's, and forming tine
extreme left of our line.
AT two o'clock OH Wed iesday morn
ing, Col. McCook began to move for
ward with his brigade, accompanied
By Barnett's battery from Illinois. 1t
was nearly dawn when they arrived
within sight of the position they were
tn occupy, but the moon was still shin
ing brightly, and as they approached
the bottom of the hill. they conld dis
tinctly see the rebel pickets upon the
| crest.
THE BRILLIANT ACTION WITH WHICH
THE DAY OPENED.
Onr skirmishers had hardly taken
intervals before the enemy's pickcts
opened sharp fire, especially upon
the 85th Illin"is. Although the first
fight in which they had ever been en-
gagged, the troops moved forward at
the word of command, and continued
to advance firmly and steadily up the
hill until they had driven the rebel.
from the crest, inflicling upon them a
loss SO severe that in their irritation
they determined at all hazards to re
cover the position. The peaceful
moonlight was still slumbering upon
the hill when the rebels appeared both
upon the right and left in great mum
b-rs planted battery in front, anil
commenced pouring IA shower of scrap
mel upon the Thirty sixth. For AN
hour the shot went whizzlng over head
and crashing through the trees, but
not a man tiinched from his post.
As soon as the position of the rebel
battery xas ascertained, section OF
Captain Barnett Artillery, consisting
Ut Two 10 FOUNDER PARROTS, was
brought to the top of the hill, and by a
few we'll directed shots the rebel battle
ry was silenced. The silenclng of the
rebel battery seemed Lo check the ar
dor Of the Jutternuls and they retired
Into the woods fronting the position,
The 36ih remaining III undlsputed pos.
session of the contested ground.
Brig. Gen. Gay, Inspector of cavalry
upon Gen. Buell's staff, came up after
the enemy had ceased their efforts to
dIslodge the Both brigade, and advanc
my with a cavalry Ivice in the dlrec.
tion the enemy had taken, was soon
tu,lously attacked. A battalion of the
2d Michigan cavalry, Col. "A. Z. Camp
bell, Was at once dIsmuunted, while the
other two weIe the other two were
thrown under cover vi the woods.
The dIsinvuuled battalion a lvanced
upon The enemy, assisted by the sklr-
nlshers OF the SID ONO, and after a
sharp skirmish drove them from the
woods. They soon rallied, however,
and receiving Some reInturceinents
they forced our sklrlnislers and caval-
ry To retire, contestlng every inch Of
ground.
The fight now became deeply inter
esting. On caIne the enemy, pouring
heavy volleys into the ranks OF the I'd
Michigan aud other cavalry, and push
ing it gradually back until it occupied
the position from which it first ad