Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-27
rhe 1n1th ReEiment.

We are under many obligations TO our
correspondent with the l05th, for COM
plste list of the killed and wounded at the
battle of Perry7ille, but the letter having |
been delayed uponthe road, it came to hand
after the list had been published in the
LEADER. Of the part which the regiment
took in the battle, the letter says:
DANvIIIR, Oct. 10th, 1852.
uEDIToR LEADER The 105th Regiment
-O.Y.I. has hadits first battle, and bloody
one ii proved for us. Weleft Louisville
Oct. Ist, in light marching order, with the
intention Of following up The retreating
rebel army of Bragg and Buckner, and
cutting off his retreat from the State. We
marched across the country, sometimes
over fields, sometimes on the turnpikes,
and on the 7th, encamped at Mackville,
and early on the morning Of the 9Th, we
started on towards Perryville. Before
noon we heard brisk cannonading in the
advance, on the left. The boys were eager
for the fight, and none struggled, though
the heat was intense, and our supply Of
water was very scanty and of bad quality
besides. As we neared the scene of action,
the cannonading became still hotter, and
we quickened our pace and soon were on
the double-quick on our way through the
woods, just beyond which was our po-
sition. No one person can describe bat
tie. Ones own view is very limited at best,
and few see more tran the movements Of
their own company, or possibly, their regi-
ment. The sum total Of every mans expert
ence could only give complete record. l
saw the 1O5th in position, and there my view
was limited to two or three companies on the
left There was no skirmishing whatever.
We came up to the face Of the enemy be-
fore we had a thought of meeting them
There had been no musketry, nothing but
the quick play of the artillery posted on
our front, answered by the enemy's bat
teries. We were suddenly opened upon by
artillery and musketry, almost before our
guns were loaded, or any preparation
made.
gOur position was on the extreme left,
on the brow Of one Chaplin Hills. On
the east and south was field, bordered on
| three sides by woods, which were occupied
| BY rebel troops on the east and south, and
| by ours on the west. By some mistake
| TerrilTs Brigade was ordered too far to
the front; and when our battery, COM
manded BY Captain Parsons, took position
on the brow Of the hill, the men were ex-
posed to a CALLING fire from the troops in
| the woods, not more than twenty-five rods
| on the left, and one only little further dis
| tant on the right. Our position was be-
hind the battery, as its support Two
companies on the left were filed off to pro-
tect the left flank already threatened by
troops in the woods on the left. The bat
terry was doing good service with grape
| and canister, when we moved steadily to
our position and gave the rebels yolley.
! On the left, in front of Companies and
| F, the woods seemed alive with rebels.
| But now came the time Of peril. As soon
as we had delivered our fire, there rose up
| from the long grass in our front, within a
| few rods Of our lines, a long line Of gleam-
ing bayonets, before concealed. Their line
was perfect, and their colOrs were waved
triumphantly IS they poured Eolley after
| Volley into our ranks. The brave boys fell
by scores, but they stood their ground un-
Waveringly, returning the fire with GER
tain effect, as the bloody field showed. Be-
| fore the two companies on the left
were two regiments of rebels and
one feld-piece, while on the left
was another feld-piece and squad Of cav
| airy. One-half of the men came of safely.
On the right of the regiment the battle
ragged as fiercely and against equally su-
perior numbers. Three times they charged
on the enemy, each time delivering a tell
| ing volley and each time fell back over
J ', iIvar1IrJt ny superior NUMBERS. All the
while the battery was doing frightful work
| in the ranks of the rebels. Where one stand
of their colors were posted thirteen dead
rebels lay piled by charge of grape
| General Terrill himself pointed the guns,
and never were men brayer than those who
! served them. But numbers proved to be
| too much for courage and we were forced
| to fall back The battery was already ruined
| the horses nearly all killed and the
men almost annihilated. The number of
rebels killed as we fell back was greater
than those left on the battle field. Mean
/ time lne ugHb grew nOtlSA oAA tAAS AAEAtJ a.
the tide of battle swept backward on the left.
Reinforcements came up greeted by the
shouts of our men and delivered such tell
ing voIleys that the rebels fell back and
the day was ours. In the morning the reb-
els were gone, leaving their dead on the
field. When the fight was over we began
to feel our loss, and hardly till then. Gen
eral Jackson had fallen in the post OF
greatest danger. General Terrin had re-
! eeived fatal wound while in the fore front
of the battle. Captains Wilson and L. D
Kee had been killed. Captains Edwards
and Riker, wounded. And then came the
long list Of brave boys who had died on
the field of honor, and suffered wounds ii
many cases infinitely worse than death.
"May kind Heaven protect them and hea
their wounds Below is a list Of killed
ard wounded Of our regiment. 1t tells &
sad story, but yet gives proof Of the des'
perate courage with which the brave boy:
fought"
Now for the Death Blow 10 the Rebellion
In the report Of a speech made by Hon