Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-03-08

city, is Second Lieut.. Of Company D, Of
tho gallant Second Iowa Regiment. He
was in the battle Of Fort Donelson, and in
. letter published in the Des Moine,
Times he relates some Of his experiences
upon the battle field. We make a few
extracts from his letter We landed on
Friday morning the 18th inst, about three
miles below here. marched around 10 the
rear Of the for. through mud aid snow lit
showed all night before) for abou, Ave
miles, when We halted within about half
mile from the secesh lines, forming the left
wing Of our fo.ces. We had no blankets
or tents, or baggage Of any kind no,hing
but our haversacks with two days rations.
We then proceeded to build our fires and
eat our suppers, which consisted Of salt
pork and hard bread. found two Of our
boys without anything t. eat so divided
with them, and when we had finished our
supper, found had one hard cracker
left for my two days rations. We then
threw out our pickets and settled down
for the highland such another night !
never passed. The thermometer stood
about four degrees below zero, and about
10 O'Clock it commenced showing. You
will bear in mind we had no blankets or
tents. and you can imagine how we spent
the night We kept up our fires as we'll IS
We could, considering we had no axes aud
had to pick up our wood as bes. ws could,
and We came near freezing 10 spite Of our
best efforts. In the morning, Saturday
my hard cracker and cup of cold water
composed ny breakfast. About o'clock
the fighting commenced on the right wing
three or four miles from where we were
stationed, which was kept up until noon,
and resulted in heavy loss on both sides.
At 2 o'clock orders came to our Colonel
to attack them on the Left by storming
their Notifications. Their position was on
o hill, about one fourth Of mile from
where we came within range Of their guns
in commencing the attack. They had
felled the timber on the hill side, so that
it Was almost impossible to make an ad
vance; but when the Colonel said come
on, boys" every man started Us though he
was determined to 60 over their fortiica.
tons or die in the attempt, the left wing
Of our army in advance. The secesh held
their fire until our men came so near that
they thought they could sweep US at one
shot then they fired on US, which proved
fatal to many Of our poor fellows, but in,
stead OF falling back, our boys gave one
cheer and wen. ove- their breast works
like so many wild cats. They did lot fire
q shot, ! believe, until they were inside
the Notifications then one hurrah, and
the roar Of muskets, was all tks.. was
heard. The secesh then fell back TO thef
first camp, where they made stand, bu,
were soon forced to tall back across a lit
tie ravins to their second camp, when they
took another stand; but it soon got to be
too hot for them there rs we were stead-
y advancing on them, and they were fore.
ed to retreat to their main fertilization,
where they took another stand, having
received reintorcements about that time,
and poured shot and she'll into us about
as thick As they could we'll come. have
read Of bullets flying like hail, but never
had any idea of it before. We stood there
exposed to their fire, our men falling every
moment, they could not be forced to ad-
vance 10 our support, so We stood and took
It alone. In the thick.st Of the fight, as
was standing by Col futile and Baker,
q ball shocked Bakers cap Off lust then
another struck me in the breast, passing
through my overcoat and struck my cross
strap to my sword belt and stopped it
shocked the wind out of me, but soon
recovered. In q moment more another
struck me on the leg "a spent BALL went
through my coat and dropped to tie
ground, but my leg is very sore the skin
is not broken, but is black and blue about
six inches square. About the same time
poor Do,y fell dead, a bali passing through
his body. BY this time We had not more
than two hundred men 10 the ,hickest Of
the fight and we saw we were not going to
get any support, SO the Col ordered us to
fall back to the Notifications. which was
done in good order, and the lring was KEEP,
up until about dark, when we received or.
ders from the General to hold the for,ifa.
tons until morning, so there was nothing
for us to do but TO stand behind the for,i.
6ca'ions all night w,bou. any supper aud
one OF the coolest nights in Tennessee,
this winter, and il there was ever o tired
and hungry set Of men We were they but
few Of US had had anything to eat since
breakfast, but the excitemen, KEEP, Us up.
We managed to get most of our wound.
ed of the field during the night, Few. re.
NAMED until morning. fraze both of
my great toes during the night and in
the morning felt as though was about
tagged out, having ate nothing since my
cracker for breakfast, the morning before,
and two nights without q wink Of sleep
Soon after daylight, word came that aao.h
or charge was to be made and the Second
Iowa was to lead again; we thought it
rather tough, but made up our minds 10
rade in. We were drawn up in line early
for the charge, when we saw white flag
flying from the secesh camp, and soon
after word ca me that the fort was surren.
dered Internationally, and such another
shout as went up from our boys you never
heard, and it was about the sane from the