Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-08-21
THE RATTLE OF BATON ROUGE.

ence of the n. Y. Times They show the
fight to have been one Of the most holly
contested of any Of the war. The federal
troops did noble service:
"To form some idea Of the battle, il is
necessary 10 understand the character Of
the ground Baton Rouge is situated upon
the first high bluff 10 be met with on the
Mississippi River banks from its mouth
Here, some thirty feet above high water, is
plateau that extends back, in more or
less width. 10 the mainland, thereby re-
lieving the town Of the usual surrounding
Of swampy marsh. For this reason it is
easily approached, and, compared with
New Orleans, perfectly defenceless. There
are two roads that approach the town,
both leading from populous communities
one from the direction of Camp Moore, six
" miles distant; the other, the highway
that passes through Trainsville, Woodville
and Natchez, the wealthiest and most pop
ulous part, indeed, of the State of Missis-
sippi. The town itself lies along the bank
of the river, the upper side bounded by the
| United States garrison and arsenal build
I ings; outside of the built-up streets, you
of course keep on the lsvee and unOccu-
pied land, pass the strong buildings occu-
/ pied by the penitentiary, and then come to
a mixture Of open field and groups Of for
est trees. Here, three quarters Of a mile
or more from the village, comes in the road
that leads to Camp Moore. STANCE as it
may appear, neither at the junction Of
| these two roads, or anywhere else, had
been erected the slightest attempt at for
tifcation. Some trees had been cut down
| by our soldiers, to give general view Of
/ the field, but that is kind Of engineer
| ing that is equally advantageous to both
sides.
The night of the fourth was warm and
sultry, and an unusual amount of fog
rested on the andscape-things which
were favorable for a successful attack
About sundown, in anticipation Of an at
tack, the line of battle was formed as fol-
lows:
The Fourth Wisconsin on the extreme
left with two pieces of artillery the Ninth
Connecticut was on theright Of the Fourth
/ Wisconsin with four pieces Of artillery, all
of Manning's Battery; next came the
Fourteenth Maine, then the Twenty-frst
Indiana, posted in the woods near the Mag
nolia Cemetery, with four pieces Of Ever
ett's Battery, under the command Of Lieut..
Coruth. The Indiana Battery of two
pieces came to the support of Lieut. Co
ruth after the battle commenced. Next
came the Sixth Michigan, on the right Of
the Magnolia Cemetery, their left support
ing two pieces Of EYerett's Battery. The
Seventh Vermont was posted in the rear
Of the Indianians, the Thirtieth Massa-
chusetts came next, coming nearest the
town, supporting Minis Battery
In this disposition, with the town in the
rear, our troops remained all night. 1t is
said Gen. Williams chivalrously aban-
doned the advantages Of the houses to save
the innocent women and children, who
would otherwise have been involved in the
horrors of the battle. Knowing of course
that at any time the struggle might COM
mence, the terror-stricken people, in many
instances, fed the town, but the majority
Of the women and children went under the
protection of the banks of the river, and
there remained.
About o'clock in the morning, the fog
resting heavily on thelandscape, the enemy
was heard approaching, not along the road,
but across the fields, in this way avoiding
our scouts, and giving only time for one
] UT LWO VI OuL pANhGl3 ~ uAN DAN AAAS NAANLA
approached at double quick time, and in q
few minutes after the alarm was given the
action became general.
The enemy evidently well maneuvered
and in vastly superior numbers concentra-
ted its fire on our centre, the Indiana
regiment, which regiment nObly contested
every inch of fground, until, with the Four.
teenth Maine, they were forced beyond
their camps a distance of hundred rods
This brought the enemy into not only
these, but that of the Seventh Vermont
which were taken possession of with yells
and instantly plunderod and burnt. In
this repulse our troops lost one piece o.
Everetts Battery. The Sixth Michigan
and its artillery now opened on the Indi
ana camp, occupied by the enemy. In the
meantime the Indianians rallied, and, af
ter a severe and brilliant contest, retOol
their camp and the piece Of artillery
Gen. Willisms, who had been on the field
from the commencement Of the action
everywhere in the thickest Of the fight
headed the charge of the Sixth Michigan
: and TWenty-frst Indiana, remarking thai
he relied upon them to save the day. HI
, saw the enemy retreat, and at that instan
fell from his horse, shot through the breast
As he was being carried off he noticet
| some troops in the rear, when he raised hi
arm, and, though dying, said: "FolloV
the example Of those troops fighting il
front, and the day is ours"
The enemy, after being repulsed at th'
Indiana camp gellantly charged on thi
Sixth Michigan, killing all the horses o
one piece Of the Fourth Battery, which tht
Michiganders defended at the point of tn
bayonet, they fighting the enemy within
, ten or fifteen feet Of each other. The piecu
was finally drawn off by hand, by on
, company of the Michigan. who grounded
arms to accomplish the work, their com
rades guarding these temporarily aban
, doped weapons until their owners returned
which feats were greeted with cheers. A
the piece of artillery was being draw
t of, the enemy attempted to scale higl
1 picket fence to flank our troops. Thi
I movement was for some time contested b.
r Company I, Of the Sixth Michigan, VIII
} deployed along the fence, and in so doing
J actually put their muskets through tn
openings in the pickets, and fired through
5 the enemy returning the fire in the sam
' way. This murderous and close conhic
/ was carried on until the enemy, q Kentuck
regiment tore off the pickets and made tn
FIRE SO warm, the company had to fall bac
a on the regiment, which in turn drove bac
. the Kentuckians.
f In little less than an hour after th
S center was engaged, force Of the enem
5 was discovered approaching the righ
o which was held by Company A and T, sixt
1 Michigan, and two pieces Of artiller!
:, Company being deployed as skirmishel
4 to prevent flank movement Of the enemy
9 As tho enemy approached they were mil
q taken for our own troops, and consequent
f reserved their fire until they were With
t fifty PAGES, when they were discovered
e be two regiments, afterwards known to /