Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-09-25
From the Louisville Journal
THE ENGAGEMENT AT MUNFoRD
VILE, KENTUCKY.

:. From the Louisville Journal.
?. THE ENGAGEMENT AT MUNFoRI
! a VILE. KENTUCKY.
!. A BRILLIANT FEDERAL VICTORY.
!, THE REBEL LOSS SEVEN HUNDRED
'e By persons arriving last evening
le from MunfordEille. which place they lef
e Sunday night, we have obtained ful
II report OF the battle of Sundry, Tough
i between Col. Wilder's Indiana brigade
. a1d the rebel troops Of the renegade
e Buckner. The following is q eircum'
!, stantial account of the affair:
The intrenchmeats within which our
{ troops fought are situated about one
. mile from Woodsonville. opposite Nun
D fordyille. on the south side OF the river,
2 and are built so as TO protect the Green
, river railroad bridge. Immediately
} south Of the works, and three hundred
, yards from them, strip OF woods
crosses the railroad. A portion of this
, has been felled. and forms an abaIis in
! front Of the intrenchments. Beyond
: the woods is another open space, which
was the scene Of the battle between
Col. Which and Terry in December
last. To the right and left OF the in
trenchments are extensive open fields
OF undulating surface, extending on the
left to Woodsonville and the turnpike
road BY which the rebel approach was
made.
The garrison of the intrenchments on
the morning of the attack consisted of
the brigade of Colonel Wilder, of the
Seventeenth Indiana infantry, which
was composed of the Seventeenth,
Sixty-seventh. and Eighty-third regi-
ments of Indiana troops, and company
g OF the Louisville Provost Guards,
under command OF Lieut.. H. Watson.
The rebel force attacking consisted OF
two brigades Of the first division of
Gen. Bragg's army, under Simon B.
Buckner, but commanded in this attack !
by Brigadier General Duncan, of Mis-
sissippi. The brigades were composed
of Mississippi, Georgia. and Alabama
troops. ..
Our pickets were first fred on about
three o'clock on Sunday morning, but |
the engagement did not become general |
until about FIVE. The pickets at the
house Of Mr.. Lewis, on the right Of the
railroad and beyond the woods, were
first attacked, but they did not fall back
until five O'Clock. 1t is noteworthy
that the rebels made their first attack
at the same point at which they attacked
Colonel .XlLlLish. As soon as it was
Iis sIft enoug % sec .ti5e4rbeis-
pushed forward, confident OF success,
and drove the picket guard through the
woods and into the intrenchments.
Forming IN the edge of the woods
and protecting themselves among the
fallen trees in our front, the rebels kept
up continuous firing. which was re-
piled to no less vigorously by our men
within the works. Col Wilder posted
bis three regiments in an admirable po-
sItion, guarding every approach to the
works. Throughout the whole engage
ment Col. Wilder conducted himself
coolly and deliberately. and effected his
maneuvres with marked skill. The
first attack Of the rebels, made under
cover Of shower of shells thrown from
three pieces Of heavy artillery posted on
the right Of the railroad, was desperate,
and the repulse bloody. The rebels
rushed through the thick abatis with
loud shouts, but retreated before the
terrible fire of the Indianians with
demoniac shouts Of pain and rage
The four pieces of our artillery con-
tinued to pour shot and shell into their
ranks, and the heavier piece on the left n
Of our works succeeded in dismounting
two of the guns posted in the woods. b
Retreating TO the woods the rebels
again formed, and the fight for some
lime was carried on chiefly by the in n
fantry. The rebels moved their artil-
ery and the greater part Of the infant
y to the left, and formed on the Wood
'onville road, preparatory to making le
In assault on the left of the works.
Il was on this part of the works that
he 24-pounder, which did such ter
'ible execution, was posted.
While this disposition Of the rebel V
roops was being made. few of the In
lianians made a venturesome sortis to-
ward the woods, and, while under fire
rom the woods, succeeded in bringing
q several prisoners, among whom was
Major of Mississippi regiment
This officer, in conversation with the
United States officer, stated that on the
'art Of the field on which he had fought,
N the sight Of the railroad, they had 10
eft four hundred killed and wounded.
The second assault was on the right
nd characterized by the same desper- N
tie energy as the first. The rebels 9.
rossed the open fields under heavy ol
ire and only halted under the brow Of
hill, two hundred yards from the >,
Torks. They mounted the bill and d
usbed forward rapidly. They sprang
ver the narrow trenches and mounted
he works. But the gallant Indianians
i'd not quit their places, and many of 70
be rebels, bsyonetted, fell back into the
itches. 1t is stated that many were
hus killed by the bayonet.
After this assault the rebels kept up
desultory FIRE until about eleven
'clock, when they fell back beyond the H