Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-02-25

OS 7HE CUAsxRLAND RIvka,
crAn novrn Tvyw Rsh ~

| EEAR DovHA. lKNN., Feb. II.
M DsAs FA1ncs.-l expect you oil imagine
Am dead BY this time, but thank God AN
here safe, and with but slight iujursa We
left Fort Henry on the 18th OF February.
marched oil day. and encamped three fourths
Of mile from this fort-so near that We dare
not make camp fres for fear OF dra wing hells
from the enemy. We we're up bright and
early on the morning OF the 18th, got our
breakfast Of hard crackers and water, and
awaited orders. About 9 o'clock A. NJ, we
drew up in battle line, loaded our rifles, and
IN few moments we're marching IN full bat.
tie front. through the thicksst woods, and over
the deepest rsvinea We we're halted and put
over the brow Of the hill in froLt Of the enc
my's entertainments. This part OF their fort is
situsted on the top Of high hill. with high
eutrsnchments. and rife pits thrown up all
around. In front Of this sntrenchment 10 .
miserable steep hill. on the side Of which vas
fallen timber ve,y thick. At the bottom was
. rsvine. and then came another hill, thickiy
grown with timber. On the top Of this was
where our regiment was drawn up-we on the
right the 25th Indiana on our left, and the
7th Indiana op the extreme left Of them.
| just previous 10 our moving Col Lauman OF
the 7th ows. senior COL commanding our brig.
ade. detailed me % one Ct his aids. bat allow
ed me the privilege Of being with my regi.
msnt-as much as possible, ~ Col Shaw and
myself were the only officsrs commanding the
| regiment, Our Lieut.. Col. was . men Der OF
the court martial at st. Louis, and could not
bs released. Major Leonard Vas sick ct the
time Of the fight. and could not 60. conss.
qusntly the Colonel and myself we're the only
mounted men in the regiment.
The Colonel gave me the command Of the
left wing Of the battalion, and Vas behind
this part Of the regiment when We moved
down the hill. We had not got down in the
ravine before the enemy fired at our Colonel
and myself. They had thrown out their eharp
shooters as skirmishers. an d they were hid be.
hind fallen trees in cur advance. From this
ooncealment they fired ct us-ons ball coming
80 near my face as to make me gracefully nod
| my head.
We continued our march. and in going up
the hill over little point our regiment was
received with grape. shell. canister. ball and
musketry. Such fire soldiers seldom eucouu.
| ter. They had three concealed batteriee,
which they opened On us. and all their men
we're concealed not one could We see during
the fire-only as they popped their heads over
breastwOrk. and then woe 10 them for we
shot every man we saw. During the fret
charge the regiment directed the right wing
going to the right. to save themselves be-
hind portion Of the hill. The left wing
under my command, instead of giving way,
went on until told them to save thcmselv es
behind trees, which they did by laying close
to the ground. About this time a spent ball
struck my horse. knocking him down and
me with him l Jumped up and follow ed
the boys until the fire became uncomfo, tsbly
| warm | sat down behind . tree, for every
man In the regiment had to do THE to save
himself. but not . man retrested. They seem.
ed to have spotted every officer in the regi.
ment. for their sharp shooters played on us
numerically. could get in no position to
evade the range Of some Of their rifle, | will
venture that fifty shots were fired within one
foot Of my head one passing through nv
hair on the back Of my head The whole reg
iment was under this CALLING fire for three
hours. but by laying close to the ground we
saved ourselves, as they could not get the
range Of their guns low enough. We had
two men killed instantly and IA fell wound
ed. The sharp shooters on our side then
commenced work, and silenced every battery
10 we're exposed to. thus leaving US an oppor-
tunity to get the regiment out OF the fire, and
form in the hollow or ravine below, where We
were secure from their shots In this position.
We remained until after dark, when the
order was given to cautiously move 20 our
quarters Of the night before. The 25th lodi.
ana, on cur left, were obliged to quail as We
did. part Of their regiment ed up the
hill q little further than We. but suddenly the
enemy from behind the entrenc hment opened
fire on them. and they had to run for dear life.
In their retreat to the bottom Of the hill, it
seemed as though two.thirds OF their men
fell but only IA were killed, and so wounded
They unnecessarily exposed themselves, and
euffsred the consequences. The Iowa 7th, In
this action. was cautious to lay low; it lost
only one man that day, and he WAS in our
regiment. or where We were. It is equally as
brave as any regiment yet. The bitter expe.
rience at Belmont. taught them to move eau.
tiously. ! must say, Col. Lsuman is q brave
man, yet think our Colonel is the bravest
man ever saw. He was as cool as human
could be. never mapfesting either fear Tex.
ctement. He remained on his horse during
the whole engagement, and eat there with be
legs thrown across the saddle, lady style. l
was not frightened. until they seemed to direct
their shots particularly at me, and then l felt
as though mere chance would effect my escape.
All the boys yelled and begged of me to move
to save myself. and needed their advice 60
soon Is could. On Friday, the day following.
We did little but to ekirmish and pick the
rebels of where We could. We slept on our
arms st night. out 10 the woods. The greatset
hsrdship l ever endured in my life or ever
expect to. l realized this trip. We lived on
hard crackers and water, and slept on the
ground with only q light blanket. One night
it rained till IL o'clock. and then snoved until
morning. I slept on the damp ground with
my little blanket over me, and in the morning
every particle Of clothing was frozen hard. i
thawed myself out by large camp FIRE in the
morning. On Saturday, the fight became gen
eral. The gun.boats had done all they could,
90 the only thing left tor 10 Vas 10 take the
fortificasion at the point Of the bayonst. The
Iowa Second made the first charge, supported
BY the Iowa 7th. 14th, also the Indians 25tb.
We marched up the bill 10 - heavy fire %
could be. and men fell on every sids Capt.
Slaymaker. Iowa Second. fell just above me.
and / almost stumbled over his body. We
took the first entrenchment and held the geo.
ond In spite Of the fre. We laid under their
entertainments all night. In mud that frcze Us
IN tight. On Sunday morning the rebels
formed In battle line on their entrenchments
without their arms. and under the white flag.
They surrendered Internationally, and the
order came for the Iowa Second to march In.
! side the entertainments first. followed bv the
l4th Iowa and then the 7th. We took the
fort and marched in first. Ours was the 4th
brigade. composed Of the lows ID. 7th and
l4th. also the 25th Indians, and Birees sharp
shooters. all commanded by Col. Laumso.
We all Tough. like devils. and would have
died BY inches rather than retreat. The entire
tight lasted four days. during two of which
We fought oil day. All the regiments here
20 in number-had Sighting 10 DO. and onlv
those Who have ssen,lcan Imagine how bat.
tie field looks. Our loss 10 the 14th. is three
killed and Twenty. one wounded. In al the Iowa
regiments, Al killed and 237 wounded: the
Iowa I'd having 40 Of the killed and 100
wounded ! had my horse knocked from 60