The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1862-05-10

operators m norsAsrn Al6baana.
BsIpas1oar Ala, April 30, 1854
Gen. NitcAsll has 6niehed his eampaisA ~
forces OF 0sn. n Kirby Smith, Is this Place,
yestsfday afternoon, and which you have doubt
less had By telegraph. Ilsft the force Of Gen.
Turehin evacuating Decatur. aud came 70 Ste
venson, knowing that important movements
wsts In contemplation In these quarters
found that Col. Sill had on Sunday managed
to cross Widow Greek, and was marching on
Bridgeport on Monday. On the latter day his
brigade was Joined BY she Sd. Ohio, Col Beatty
and II Was understood that Col. Lyttle's brigade
was in the rear, acting as reserve. On Tues
day, the march began. under command Of Gen.
Mitchell, who had como up, and Ne pushed east
ward along the line Of the railroad, dragging two
pieces Of artillery BY hand for distance Of 20
miles, at the least. -
Il Vas about O'Clock in the afternoon Of yes
terday-Sunday-th We came upon the enc
mys pickets, three miles from Bridgeport. They
were stationed on the side Of small stream,
the bridge across it having been burned, and we
soon found they were supported by an infantry
and two cavalry regiments, the former OF which
came up and engaged our advance, the SD Ohio.
This regiment was the only one which appeared
to the sight of the rebels, and after half an
hours work they fell back unpursued. as no
means we're had by the rebels for crossing the
stream.
General Mitchell in the meantime made de.
tour to the left with his whole force, and after
marching mile came upon q road y hich led to
Bridgeport. He Immediately started for this
point, and after an hours weary march ap-
preached the rebel Notifications on the bank Of
the Tennessee. This march was one of incredi-
BILE difficulty and danger. Gen. Mitchell was
placing himself with Eve regiments Of infantry,
two companies Of cavalry and two pieces Of ar
tillery, between two divisions Of an enemy much
stronger combined than himself Had he been
defeated be could not have managed to retreat
lit would have been an utter impossibility.
We halted at 8 o'clock at the foot of hill,
and the cclumn deployed right and left and
formed into line of battle where they stood hid
den from the enemy by the hill. Tho artillery
stood in the centre, the SD and I'd Ohio on the
right, with the 10th Wisconsin and 2lst Ohio on
the left. As soon as formed in line, the whole
column advanced, and reaching the crest of the
hill, looked down upon the eEemy. Again they
came to halt Peering above the top of the
hill, saw the whole of the rebel force below
the hill, in their entertainments The setting
sun glistened on thousands of stacked guns, and
two pieces Of brass cannon. The men had evi-
IDENTIFY been drawn up in line of battle at the
first alarm, but whenit mad ceased they stacked
arms and were now engaged in eating supper
Captain Loomis, when the force halted, stepped
forward, saw the enemy, calculated the distance,
and stepped back undiscovered. In moment
he had given his orders, the cannon were
charged with canister and moved to position
in which they were brought to bear on the main
body This evideatly consisted of four full or
parts of regiments Of infantry. The first warn
ing which the rebels had of their danger, or OF
our near approach, was the discharge Of our ar.
tillery and the launching Of the terrible death
dealing missiles in their very midst. They spraug
instantly to their guns, hundreds, however, flying
in every direction. The main body evidently in
tended standing, but second diagharge added
to the panic, and the whole force fed as our
columns in line marched to the top and began
the descent Of the hill on a charge bayonets.-
They frightened, without q single general dis.
charge, broke for the river and quickly crossed
| the bridge. When we reached the works of the
| rebels they we're deserted, q few dead and
wounded alone remaining The rebels fred
with precipitancy, their speed increasing as they
went, followed by the shells of Capt. Loomis
They managed to fire the bridge and good por
tion of it was destroyed, but the half west Of
the island was saved by Gen. Mitchells personal
exertions Having reached the other shore the
rebels abandoned their camp and stores on that
side, and by the whistling of locomotive,
imagine:.wentloff at railroad speed. Capt. Loomis
continued to throw shells after them for severs
rounds, when by order of Gen. Mitchell he rar
his two pieces down the hill and placed them in
| position to receive the body on the railroad
whom It was anticipated would come to the aid
of their friends now already and completely de
knl al
the works of the rebels, and we awaited for the
rest of the rebels to attack US.
We had not long to wait. In short time VI
saw the infantry on double.quick, coming
through the woods along the line of the railroad
and the cavalry right and left They came into
the open fields and forward in splendid line O
battle. The cavalry looked magnificent anf
came dashing along in splendid style. They 60
within 800 yards OF us before they discovered
their mistake, and then the artillery told them
it. The canister was poured into them and away
they went in every imaginable drectiOn-in
fantry and cavalry mixed in one conglomeratet
mass Of frightened and flying humanity. Tn,
cavalry was sent in pursuit when they had 90
out of artillery range, and the prisoners wer,
being sent in every hour until laid down to try
to sleep.
This morning find we have killed and wound
ed 72 and taken $50 prisoners and two piece
Of artillery.
General Mitchell has entire possession of th,
railroads from Bridgeport, ten miles east Of Ste
venson, west to Huntsville, thence south to De
catur, north to Athens, and in month will hav,
the railroad lines running to Nashville via Col
umbia from Decatur and via Murfreesboro from
Stevenson.
EnANcrpArIoN IN MIssouRI-FIRr IN THE REAR
The emotions Of the Hard shell Locofoco pol
iticans, in view of the proposed agitation o
the Emancipation question in Missouri, may b.
imagined from the following from the ST. Loui