Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-10-20

satisfied with HE former reception, and
did not make his appearances.
Soon after orders arrived for % to
retreat 10 town, which We did, taking
position behind tho 9Th Ohio battery,
which vas posted on N eminence to
the right Of Fort Phillip. While in
line, Gen. Rosecrans came riding past
With bis staff. The usual emile was on
his countenance; his face was - vel
known to every one in the regiment a.
that of brother, and instantaneously
every hat was swung in the air, and we
gave him six hearty cheers. He is the
man for the Western army. lie ad-
dressed few words of encouragement,
aud galloped of to restore affairs to or.
der, AMID the Ioudest cheers. We slept
that night without blankets, and awoke
refreshed, ready for the days slaughter.
At the earliest dawn the ball was OPEN
ed BY the rebels who began to shell the
town, but our siege guts soon stopped
that proceeding. For awhile the thun-
der was deafening, but it finally subsid-
ed, and nothing was heard bnt the occa.
sional shots Of sharpshooters. On the
hill opposite our regiment was lot Of
cut timber, behind which tho rebel
sharpshoo,ers secreted themselves, and
as soon as man stood up lie was greet
ed with the hiss of bullet. This was
very annoying. The battery finally
opened on the woods. but as soon as it
ceased, the rebels began again. Com.
pany A was detailed to ekirmish with
them, and limited number Of volun-
tcers were called for from the remainder
OF the regiment, who took post in the
ruins of an old house. Ten Of us were
placed behind au oak log, where we had
y full view Of the rebels. They we're
very bold. One fellow who stood be.
hind tree by the road side, would &C.
casionally step out into the road, swing
his hat, hurrab, and then jump back to
escape the bullets which were fired at
him. We could ascertain their exact
position by the smoke of their rifles,
but we were much annoyed by the shots
Of some unseen one, the smoke Of whose
gun we could never see. He was final
~ discovered in sap!ing, and volley
was fired at him. The distance was too
far for close shooting, but venture to
say that he descended that tree in
quicker style than he climbed it. Capt.
Smith, Of company A, called our atten-
ton to chap holder than the rest, and
drawing lead on him, he fired. The
rebel threw his arms widely 10 the air
and fell over backwards, whether dead
or wounded, we could not tell. At
about noon We observed the rebels busy
in cutting timber, and the matter was
duly reported to the commander OF Fort
Phillips, who opened on them with his
heavy siege guns. Their echo seemed
like the noise Of the falling heavens, and
a few minutes sufiiced to clear the woods
Of rebels. Later in the day they plant.
ed two held pieces and fired two volleys
OF grape into our regiment, doing no
damage, however. The 9Th Ohio bat.
terry opened on them and in less than
two minutes knocked one OF the can.
mons oft its wheels, and drove the reb.
els with the other one. From our po-
sition we saw the famous charge Of the
rebels on the Fort north Of town. It
was magnificent spectacle At the first,
but our cannons soon turned it to hor.
riblc one. Let no one impeach the cour.
age of the rebels. In this instance it
approached sublimity. The roar of the
artillery was terrible, but how much
more 90 were the missiles which it scat.
tered among the advancing ranks. It
seemed as though nothing could stop the
advancing foe, nor did they stop until
death had wiped out their leaders and
thinned out their once invincible ranks.
That ended the battle Of Corinth, and
the cheers which went up from those
Forts and batteries will long be rcmem-
bercd by those who heard them. That
night Rosencrans visited every regiment
and battery, congratulatin.. them on the
achievement Of such glorious victory.
lie told US TO take good sleep and be
ready to pursue the enemy in the morn.
Jog. At dawn we left Cotinth in hot
pursuit of the foe. But am weary and
fear have wearied your readers With
this too long letter. Our brigade fol-
lowed as far as Ripley, when we were
ordered back to guard a train. We
marched from Ripley to the Hatches
nnder heavy rain, and crossed that
stream at about IL o'clock the first
night, making twenty.eight mics for
that day. The mex. day we marched
twenty miles, and reached Corintb, hun
CRY, ragged, frozen, and worn out. We
arc short of officers, and much more 80
of men. Yours,
| C,,ErnN Dapr,,rcc-