Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-03-14

until recently, ever covered by dense
growth Of timber. These bluffs had
been strongly fortified, and, taken in
; connection with the natural strength of
the position, it is the most formidable
fortress ever saw.
/ Our lines extended from the river to
the head of backwatef in the creek, and
were about three miles in extent-eom-
pletely invested the place. A battle
had taken place on Thursday without
any result. When we arrived sharp
skirmishing was going on between
Birge's Sharp-shooters and the rebels.
In the aftefaeoasshs gunsboats opened
a heavy FIRE on the batteries, which
continued about two hours. In the
evening our Regiment was posted on
the extreme left, and we passed very
disagreeable night, without covering or
blankets.
Saturday morning early the ball
opened on our right by heavy body of
the enemy making vigorous attack in
that quarter. Their object was, evi.
dently, to force back our lines and es-
cape, but in this they were disappointed.
The battle ragged furiously, with vary
ing success, until about one o'clock P.
NJ, when there appeared to be tempo
rary lull in the engagement. After an
hour had elapsed Gen Smith appeared,
and after we had hastily formed, told
US that we were to storm the enemy s
Iintrenchments in our trout. He told
us that we must, on no account, FIRE a
shot until we had carried the works,
for if we stopped to fire we were surely
| lost.
He promised to support US promptly
with the whole brigade, if necessary
Without stopping to load our pieces, we
fled out of the timber, left in front, and
the left wing marched steadily in line
of battle toward the intrenchments, i'm =
mediately followed by the right wing.
The works we were approaching were
situated en- the brow of high hill.
The timber which had formerly been
thick and heavy, had been recently
felled, with the tops toward the base of
the hill, forming an obstacle to our ad-
vance of the most formidable character.
The enemy, posted behind the parapet,
were armed with revolving Enfield RI
fes, firing seven balls without reloading.
We marched steadily along until We were
within about one hundred yards, when
We were met by most terrific storm of
balls. Remembering our orders, we
pushed steadily on, stepping over the
dead and wounded, until we reached
the works, which we mounted aud
Flea ped into the midst of our foes. The
two wings of our Regiment then united
and advanced some two hundred yards
to the brow Of the next hill, where we
took our position, which VIC maintained
for an hour and half, when we were
ordered to fall back and form in the
rear of the intrenchments, which we
were to hold until next morning. We
did so, suffering much from cold. Next
morning the enemy sounded parley,
and displayed a flag Of true.
The result was an unconditional sur
|render. s
Capt. Slaymaker, of our company,
fell when near the intrenchments. He
was nephew Of Gen. Persifer F. Smith.
He died heroically, cheering on his men
with his last breath. Raising himself
on his left elbow, he brandished his
sword in the air, and with the words,
scharge! boys, charged" struck furiously
toward the enemy, then fell forward on
his face and expired.
Immediately after the surrender,
Gen. Smith appeared again on the left
wing, and met US as we were taking up
a position, prepsFatory to commencing
anew the battle. He asked, "what
regiment is this" and was answered,
the "Iowa I'd" "Iowa boys" he rejoined,
every man of you is brave" He di-
reeted the column to be halted, and
said, as our charge had decided the fate
of the day, our cclors should be the
first to wave over the captured Fortress.
We marched into the Fort, and our flag,
1alth hou gh badly riddled with balls, was
planted upon the parapet amid deafen
ing cheers of friend ard foes.
Our Brigade is now quartered in the
main Fort, but to morrow we move to-
ward Nashville. On the evening after
the surrender, [ found brother Ernest,
whose regiment had arrived that morn
ing. * Il :
I forgot to state, in the proper place,
that out of ixty-one men of my COM
pany, who entered that battle, twenty
nine were killed and wounded My
aptain was killed, and First Lieuten-
ant severely wounded. l was knocked
down and considerably bruised by !
spent ball. early in the engagement, but
kept the field until after the surrender
1t is late, and | must close.
Direct to Fort Donelson, Tenn, and