, 1862-10-14
i-h assumed tic proportions Of bloody

TlEDu 410 kA[ NAFAANC4 Ill NEA HAQEt4 $HAfo1 |
Rousscan's and Jackson's divisions having
previously advanced By way Of Tay1oEsvi1lee, !
a1d formed il order Of battle; Jackson's |
division somewhat to the rear OF kousse4n's.
and forming the extreme 1sft Of our line Dur
irg Tho night the ssta brigade, commanded by |
Col. Dan. McCook of the sd Ohio, and form !
irg portion Of Gen. Sheridan's division, |
wss also ordered up By Gen. Buell., and was |
directed to oceury some high ground. the
bigb.et perhaps upon the whole field. This
F!lc, (G!lbert's corps being upon the lefD and
wttn occupied, placed Col. McCook's bri-
Sa6e inme diately to the right Of the 17th bri-
Cade-Col. Lytle's-which formed the right
VII E Of Gen. Rousseau's division. The Seth
b.iesde is composed Of the SD Ohio and Ssh,
but Gen. Bue1l Is eaid to have expressed the
greatest, confidence in them-cortdence
which their So bst quent couductfu1y Justified.
At 2 O'Clock on We dnesday morning, Col.
McCook began to move forward with bis brig
adc, accompanu by Bafnet's battery from
Illinois. It was nearly dawn when they ar-
riyeG within sight Of the position they ~ere
to occupy, bEt the neon was still shining
brightly, 1nd as they approached the bottom
OF Tie Ei1i they could distinctly see the rebel
The 85tn Il;co OILS, Col Moore, wss imuedi-
ate]y deployed upon the right Of the road, the
f.cEt aud flank co<cred By sk4rmishers, ard
the 5ed Ohio, Lieut. Col CowAn comm md
irg. vas similarly dtp1oyed upon the LETT. The
l-5th Illinois, Col. Harmon, was posted as q
1.serye leo PAGES In the rear. The SG-h lll-
nois had previously been detailed on picket
cu'x-l
THE BRILLIANT ACTION WITH WHICH THE DAT
OPENED
Our skirnlishcrs Lad scarcely taken Intervals
tafule the eLcmyfs p;cketB opened sharp
ire, especially UPON the S5th Illinois Al
Though tie 1irs[ tight in whsch 1l.cT had ever
sf
| t!.c word Ct cnmu:auo, and cont: ued to ad-
vance firI;y sud Ste ltiy ul The I'LL until 1hey
| hue driven the rebels from the crest. in1l1ctlOs
| upG1l item loss SO Severe that in their lfrl-
| 1:,;ion th.y determined ut all hazards to re-
| ctItr tie pctitIon.
Tic ,;cac, ful moonlight vas still slumbering
| ulon i;,c lll when the rebels appeared bo-n
upon The right aud lett in great numbers,
?,laIttd battery ia trenr, and commenced
u.uri1.g shower q sh5ap.u upon the ::o5+l.
| Fer Il hoCr the shot went WhizziES overhead
4rG Grabbing throug b tae trees, but no: man
| 1iacAtd }roin his io-t-
as soon is the position Of the rebel battery
! was asce1taintd, section Of Capt Basne's
artillery, consisting Of two To- peunder Par.
rotts, was brought to the top Of the hi'l. and
| vas silenced. But the rebel artillersmen were
again rallitd around their guns, again opened
tire, ard again were driven off BY the two for.
1idahle PARROTS. A second TINE they re-
s:ame fate, and then the firing from the rebel
battery ctasrd entirely.
Meanwhile the right wing Of the l25'h I'LL
| utis had bten oTdefed up TO snt port the bat
tery. and performed their duty handsomely
TIE eiiencipg the rebel battery seemed tt
: check the arcor Of the butternuts. and the,
retired into woods fronting the position. 1ht
10Th remaining in undispu.ed Possession ii
the contested ground.
, Btisadier- General Gay, Inspector Of cayal-s
upon General Buell's s'a1. came up after t.!
citmy lad ceastt their ltIo1ts to dialodge th,
.6sb b1itade, and advancing with 4 cayalr.
force in the direction the cpe11'y had taken
was soon fu1iouEly attacked. 4 Aba.talion Q
the Cd Michigan cavalry, Col. A. 2. Canp,el'
was at once dismounted, while the other t~
dismountet battalion advanced upon the ent
- my, assisted by the skirmisbers OF the S.
Ohio, and after q 6hap skirnlish, drove thc1
1sosA the wo"ds- Tney soon rallied, ho we've
aud. nce1:irg some reinforccmet:ts, the
z | forced our kklrmi6hers and cavalr5 to retlE
coutehting every inch Of ground.
The fight row became deeply interesting
On came the enemy, pouring heavy vol1e]
into the ranks Of the ID Michigan and oth'
cavalry, and pushing it gradually back na'
. it occupied the position from Thich it III
WIS critical II the enemy was not immet
ate]y CHECKED, he would advance ~ith i
fresh forces and renewed courage up the hi
aseau]ting once more the gallant 1T
brigade wheh oc2de Lad bssn tS %sdga s1orn; a55
the tine Gen: r. B. Mitchell xith Lis
vision was about getting into lice Of battle
TIE right Of the hill, and it was now Of mo
IS importance than ever that the bill itself shou
be held. As it was iu the very center Of Q
Intended line, ard commanded the ground
great distance upon both sides Of the ro5
ite possession by the enemy might be after
ed with the most serious consequences
It Was just then that the I'd Missouri, Ca
~Lich distinguished itself at Pea Rid,
Id came gallaEtly up to the rescue. and u.
eF drafepiug cheers advanced upon the eueu
by The I'd Michigan cavalry, 1eanimated bs t
ng assis ance advanced as skirmisaers bef
.lY | t:e I'd Missouri, aSd the 18th Missouri ca
S. upon the advancing line mnrderoua tire
he continual e.orn Of leadeu hail ragged rot
is. their ears; the I'd Missouri stcaci1y mo-
ex- forward, until the dismayed and conque
'hd reecis broke and ran like sheep. FOR M
OF than 4 nile the copquercrs purEn7d, :
bly, ouly gave over when they were ordered b
i to their first posirino. Tue I'd Minnes
IT, battery, Captain Hotcnkiss, came up ne:
nd at the SAINT time with the I'd Missouri
a. t:'ntry, and " delivering a vel dire: lire:
:ry, / Ii atcrially in driving them from the wo'
AoSSE-St Hb1sNAAS9 AAS"% ANS AAAAS AS
!ue ACTION
.s W. Thus ended, at about 10 a. m., the prel
~, | Dary battle OF this eyentfui day, aud eve
.,1r that early hour many brave and noble 81
M had taken its departure to another world
;6 Ii brigade bad more than 100 Killed
wounded, while the u Missouri had alone
AL rcar1y 100 more. The I'd Michigan cav
lad also suffer. considerably, and the b.
tied lies engaged had met with some slight
isst But NJ least $40 rebels had bit the aust,
ned We remained masters Of the field.
and The conduct Of Gen. Gay and his sta
G Of spoken Of with 1uuch praise By nil who
OBJ Al The officers Of the Seth brigade beh
Chis go well that it scarcely seems just t3 l
rmy special mention OF any one, although I Il
give possible MT 10 admire the behavior vf {
~, Lei Moore, o. the 81 h Illinois,
as1y Cel. Dan McCosk bore hir.EeN throug
hole the ac:itn with bravery and Ati i:y.
ucll, The I'd Missouri, which SO greatly di
acre yuisAad i:s:lt, forms, with tie 15:h Miss
onld ). prrticn cf tn: :;5'h hrigade. L;cu'e
sirg | Colonel barnard Lafaold OF 1ae I'd, com:
: RS ng. TIT other regiments Of this nrigad
p5- .i,e 18th AID sd Illinois. Colonel LaiGt
had Il lLan who viii A1ways Maia ain the Lr.:C
fny any corps to witch he IDHy he attached
But Ter the preliminary battle was over, be &c
cut = srisss al uneafy, repeatedly decLlr H..
II, it lie "could rut rce* that night without II
hing er bout with the enemy"
lated 4 portion of the 9Th Pennsylvania c.
nent aae also engaged in This action, aud g
aud ! Jamts, commanding it, is, as well is his
dous imcnt, highly spoken OF.
ftnt- From tie close of this combat, our c.
lS to took no further part 10 the afFlirs Of the
ariny +. being posted iu order OF battle to the
then | waiiing for IN opportunity which neyt
delay cured
con This preliminary battle, as have said
ready frned us in the Impression that h+'
body tntn ny was about 10 make grand eff,
ching drive back our army. But as dleisi
[.lon, 1Wo only had arrived, We felt It highl
given prudent to aseaii him al once, aud hen
solved to remain in ordrr of battle with
icki1y forces We hAd, and wait for the ren1aiut
e1ded come up.
Perry But the enemy could not ~sit. The
rings. Of our column had not rushed into th
:arcty which he had set for It; he had alrcad
|, and time in his retryat without 2ccomplishin
llauy | slirg, and in his evaporation he deter
rensth 10 ..esail and ovcr~helm that portion
,posed forces which had arrived, even thoug
+ army wt,c drawn up and ready 10 receive hil
op: OF Al about II o'clock 4 m, artillery
be At commenced.
already .,1r,,r,.x r,c11r n, THE EFT
GrT1rs
begau Upon tbeleft where JacEson's diSisi.
before stationed, was one of our batteries feel
.i'lo, cd the enemy. No response was elected
lc enc ever, Eor did = battery connected
moving MiteAeu's division, which came up aot
; range time and look position upon tie +
zpccted Sherfdan's, meet with any better succe
/ posi- Capt Loomis' Michigan battery, po
our hill Which overlooked the whole sp
awaited | tween our advance bodies and the
or than hills where the eneTny'e Regions lay
known also threw q few shells toward these
+ entire and Capt SImonson 9Th Indiana batt&
ing, and The same. But the enemy gave M Sig
,attIe ut | position pccuracd bv these two bate