Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-10-24

to that place. At noon of the goth, the 9th
Kansas. with two six pounIor howitzers, &C.
companlcd by four companies of the 9th Wis.
Inf, and one company Of the Sd Ind. regt.
proceeded in the direction Of Newtonia to re-
,onoitre the enemy s position with instruction
to fail hack if attacked This force, with Fer
haps moro courage than discretion, made an
attack upon the town itself, and the conse-
quence was the 9th Wis. was surrounded and
cut to pieces, aud the 9th Kansas severely
handled.
Oft tho four companies of Germans, number
ing about $50 men, but 40 escaped. Early
in the morning of the 30th, all Of our available
forcel at Sarcoxe, abont 34OO men, marched
for the scene of action, and dispatches were
also sent to Mt. Vernon to hurry up the Mo.
regiments at that place. Ths Kan. 9th with
two howitzers arrived FIRST up, On the field, and
inc Infantry with Aliens and Stockton's bat
terics were seven miles back when we heard
their firing.
Owing to the roughness of the road we did
not get up until three o'clock in the afternoon.
Aliens battery, supported by the 10th, opened
the ball from the right, folio we'd by Stockton
On the left. For two hours a constant fire
vas kept ~ from both bstter;es. ....-..
Tn, rebels replied with vigor, and made
our position quite uncomfortable by the rap
idity Of their firing. Their shells seemed de.
fective, none of them reached US, but the round
shot fell around and among us altogether too
close to be amusing to Us, and caused fire.
quent shifting of position. On the right no CO.
portonity was offered us t. try the effect of
our rifles, but on our loft the Gherokces were
pushed forward to close r,Ac dis ance, and I'D
good execution. The rebels were stationed in
cornfields and in some brushy ravip,s. They
had large force Of Indians, mostly Osages,
armed with shot guns and squirrel rifles, and
some also were there VIII, hal been armed
aud equipped by Uncle SAM AMI had desert
Cd to the reoels while in the Indian country.
At five o'clock Gen. Soloman ord red re.
treat, and our whole force was Withdrawn and
fell back into tho timber in the direction Of
Sarcoxie. r
We had not retired more than two miles,
when Gen. Brown, commander of the lst
Arkansas, and three Missouri regiments Of
Cavalry and the LIST Mo. battery, came Up in
fine style and eager for fight. The Arkansi
ans particularly were wild with excitement
and tie wish to try their hands with those
who had driven them from their homes.
Just as night closed in, their battery began
the work bu. Gen. Soloman being in command,
again ordered a retreat and our entire force
retired, and next morning at daylight We re-
gained our camp at Sa:coxie. Our loss was
small, in the afternoon fight, Capt. Weber,
one Of the best Indian officers, and two other
| Indians killed, and several wounded Major
Fireman, 81 Indian, was wounded early in the
action. On the right the only casualty was
enc Artillery man wounded.
On the Sd Gen. Blunt, with Col. Clouds
brigade, came in from Fort Scott, and Gen.
Scofie!d camped within five mites of US with
several regiments of Infantry, among them
the 18th and 10th Iowa regiments, and at
8 o'clock that evening oar forces again moved
for Newionia by three different routes
Bluat with Weec's AMI Soloman's forces,
took the CRANKY road, 10 come in upon the
west. Cloud too> the direct road ing in
by the north and Settled by road for the
east
Gen. Blunt arrived first upon the ground
and PLANTED the howitzers Of the 9th and 9th
kansas upon the point occupied by Aliens
battery in the previous engagement and be-
gan Smelling the town, followed by Aliens
battery on the lift. When we arrived in
sight of he town, the enemy was formed in
Inc of LATHE on the prairie beyond the town:
Our regiment was on the same ground held
by the Cherokees on the 3Oth, from whence
full view of the whole field could be obtain
ed. We had scarcely gained our position be.
fore the enemy pickets came dashing in from
the east, followed closely by Scofeld's Cavalry.
In ten minutes our batteries were playing in
upon them from three directions, and the
whole rebel line broke and fed, scattering over
the low prairie to the south of the town like
sheep. They Only fred two shots in reply,
one ofwLich burst high in the air over Aliens
battery. The 9th and 9th Kansas were first
in town, followed by the 10th, Companies c
and D skirmishing the ccrnfelds and ravnes.
A few prisoners were taken. They were fol-
lowed into the timber beyond the town ard
thi,ty.seven Of the Germans, MORALLY wound
ed, were recaptured, AMI portion of their
train destroyed. Considerable damage lad
been done to buildings in town, and citizens |
said their loss in the first days fight was SCI
we're. Dae ~ @
A large brick house belonging to Union
man, and occupied by the family at the time,
bad seven shots through it; one went in at
The front door, passed through and killed a
rebel at the well in the rear of the house.
The rebels had planted their flag upon the
mousse during the first day s fight. E
The different regiments bivouacked in ana
bout the town, and next morning the train
anne up AMI after INDUCING in hearty break.
asst, began the march in thedirection Of Pine:
lille and Cross Hollow. The Kansas rtoops
nd part Of the Missouri are now on Indian 3
;reek, fifteen miles from Newtonia. The Iowa