The New York herald., 1862-09-14
Desperate Engagement and Brilliant
Union Victory. svFr7a.t
Six Hundred Union Troops Defeat
" Five Thousand Rebels. 't
The Unionists Commanded by COL Dennis and
the Rebels by Gen. Armstrong. \
400 Wounded Union Loss Killed, SO
Wounded and ~ Prisoners,
! As., i &C., &s. ! 4
Correspondence OF the Chicago Times.l

kes, & kcss 49," Zee = E :
Correspondence OF the Chicago Times]
y JACKSON. Tenn, Sept. g. 1867
Your readers have been informed by telegraph tho
raids OF immense forces Of rebe que ss along
whole line at dnerent points, their repuse and of
cavalry and the forces under Colonel Denis consisting Of
the iwen.ieth and Thrtieh Illinois infantry, battery
Of articry and company Of cavalry, in which
rebels we're driven back but this does tell the te,
but fesyes an Impression that q was but ordinary
ferccst and m si brilliant little battles yet recorded
this fearful struggle for constitutional liberty.
This fight took place at 0 place known Brtnn's
Lane swesney's school house. twelve miles south.
west from jackson and four miles south Of the village o
Denmark. 8M @7
AS the nature and extent of the engagement
was noiscd about availed myself Of the first cpportu-
nifty Of visiting tie battle ground BY accompanying Can't
with force Of cavalry and ambulances to gather up and
bring in our wounded. -so .yytrerss--a.rA
raE SITUATION AND BATTLE GROUND
we we're apirised oil our close proximity to the battle
field by the dreadful stencil arising from the Of
carcasses of dead horses that lay the field Brton's
Lane runs north and SOUTH and takes its from that
of planter whose residence is situated at It's southern
terminus. The immediate vicinity the action
known Sweoncy's school House The country here
abouts is very broken in places snd again diversified by
land throughout this country. corn, which course
vas designed for the support of the rebel army Tho i'm
mediate ground which the battle was fought very
broken, which proved an immense advantage to our
fcrces Where the battle ragged Gercest the LETT
of the Lane is large open cornfeld; while to the
also ali that land which is not under state cultivation,
am among enterprising comm unity there might bo
yards to the south of where the engagement
menced this lane makes short turn to the east and de-
scrEds qutc slope for about fifty yards and then breaks
of again TO the south, aud runs about half milo,
where it iatersects the Clover creek road. -
THE APPROACH AND rKKrAkArros FOR ATTACK
Colonel Dennis cc:amand, which consisted Of the
mains of tho lhir.i h Illinois infant commanded by
MAYOR Shedd, and rwent ,th illinois infantry commanded
by Captain Frsbc, portions Of two companies OF the
Ohio cavalry, commanded by Captain Foster. and two
pieces of Schwartzs battery six FOUNDERS James rifle
we,s stationed at Fs,alaua Ferry twenty miles from
JACK son on the atchic river to guard the ford or cross
ing. Expecting that they would bo attacked by large
force & me enemy on sanday morning Last Colonel law
Dennis Immediately to up line OF march, and reached
pont -four miles east OF enmark b. evening where his
T. counermarch to Medon station via Denmark and Clover
cre,k road THY at once resumed their march and
went as tar as Denmark, and lay their the
western outskirts Of the town over night.
Next morning at daylight, they again resumed their
linz Of march on the Clover creek road n the GLOWING
twentieth iiLois infantry, In advance Of artillery ana
baggage and provision train and Thirtieth Illinois in
fintry in the rear. After this march was taken up,
another order received 70 advance to Clover creek
and cndoavor to intercept and cut OF large force Of
rebel cavalry which had been engaging our troops at
Medon Station early that morning and was then retreat
ing towards Clovcr creek BY OF their
woods 70 Rrons Lane The train had become somewhat
scntiercd by this time, the advance halted In hollow
THE RATTLE.
Fosters cavalry, which reconnotered the advance,
entered the lane about ten oc ok A. NJ and discovered
the snemys skirmshcrs posted the corned to the left
Of the road and immediately engaged he and held their
p ston until the TWEEN ieth came up, few minutes
pascd in ho road, as T., command the lane, aad tho
twentieth regiment 70 slppot il; wherenpon line Of
title formed in the timber TO the right OF tho road
occupying favorable ridge
The artillery was sooner posted than they began
play upon the enemy or In the direction indicated by the
Alter our line of battle was formed, Captain Fos
ter, wIth his cavalry, advanced TO discover the
Short distance before they were met and driven
back by the enemy, who advanced desperate
charge four deep and Thousand strong and
afterwards learned, with the expectation Of riding
ocr force They had som out large detachments TO our
ana .hns basying the Whole Command. Though thoys
came tearing up the road ana through the fields dis
charging yoey after volcy, not shot fired from
mea unt they had come up in full view at about
hundrcd yard distance and had nearly all discharged
their pieces, which fortunately overshct orr whom
ebe, ranks such deadly fire that their advance i'm
msdia.eiy checked About hundred saddles wc.s
cmpticd and the rebels fell back in dsmay and dsor.
der They. however, soon rallied again, and a Sec
oai and more sanguinary charge was made on our
whoie line. advancing on cur fink with stronger
force than before similar reception to the lrst was
given 70 them by boys but they knowingly and
better prepared than at irst both our TANKS DIS
pers,e hald 10 hand encounter cusucd. The rebels
rushed Ia ong boys In largely superior
bcs and many Of them prisoners but prisoners
was de, ,srinaed they should not remain their ransom
cold be purchased by desperation and boodshed. Our
fought like pcnt up tigers. and most OF those who
oapted were released by their AIDES, all aght
ing 10 release each otherand mst admirably they
ceeded one captain Of the Twentieth, whose company
was completely surrounded was approached by rebel
captain, vino esentcd pistol at his head and ordered
him T. surrender but hero for him. for
the words had passed from his lips than the
saan, captain Of the Twentieth shot him dead from Oh
his horse.
rhe rcbc succeeded, in this charge, in capturing
cannon and most OF our trans oTation train oni thc
guns had been abandoned short time before and all tho
ammunition destroyed, so that they could not use them
against US
Il was in the hoat Of this desperate conc, that the
Thirtieth regiment (which ever a mile and hif
distant in the at the commencement Of the fght),
led by the gallant Major Shedd, rushing up in a
double qtck with such yea as only the confident can
give Then tie tus OF war THESE Two excml,arv
reg me- IS which have fought together on every hard
ivight as. from Frcderckown TO The last skirmish be
tore Cornth were again side by side each veing with
the other in deeds of rng but neither destined to ex
c TIs eacou,ter lasted about lf an hour when the
rebels were again repulsed and fell back without having
broken our lines except o portion on the TANKS.
In This CHI lrgc the enemy bad fully discovered posi-
ton aud Coune Dennis, having ridden ont In the ad.
vance discovered that the rebels were dsmouotng Tor
demonstration fuo Under these circumstances II
was isabc 10 change position, to prevent
right wing being turned Captain Frsbe accordingly
moved hls regiment to the right, with his right fans
drawn back 10 form crescent horseshoe, with
his right resting down at slope in the timber cavings
gap the point last occupied " be protected BY tho hr
tieth regiment which n little to the left Of the
field. Skinshers we're also thrown out from out from
Tircih into the field ~ the left, 80 as to maks
appear that they were the advance Of another rest
ment.
rTeCltOn taken TO instruct ths men 10 hold the
fire until tho enemy wi.hin short mUsSet range
which relig sy complied with, and for each man tc
take cover behind tree Whenever Was convenient.
Bnt short time elapsed before another charge mad
by the rebels, mounted and on foot AS was aniic atcd
the main body Of the enemy moved on tho position last
held BY men, and owing 10 the dense cloud Of dust
continually arising, unable &c Ascover the change
that had taken place, hrv opened hercr fire the
ground before occupied, killing aud wcunding nobody
while boys poured IN cross Hre them, and,
they advanced along The ltae, dropped the rebels from
,l,cir horses like leaves falling IN an autumn wind.
Tho main body " tho rebels were. before
drvcp back, but they succeeded in gaining lit
tc knoll right, which gave them cousiIc
rabis nd anLltc. CAPTAIN Frlsbic that II
would not Do suffer hold this POSITION 50 he
called for volunteers 10 follow him and drive tho
Nes from tho hiiL The response noble one. Tho
men o che rwontcth nearly all rushed forward, led BY
the dsuntess captain, aud, with yell, opened ro
and nj, prod ut.pn ttair r,nfr