Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-09-12
F-eu IL, 2oth Regiment.

Extract from a letter written by an officer
of the 20lh o. v. since the fight at Bolivar,
Tenn.
About O'Clock a. NJ, Saturday 3oth
inst. our Picket Officers received intelligence
that a small force of Rebel cavalry we're
lowering near onr lines. The Colonel ordered
Company B and ID out to reconnoitre. We
threw out siirmishcrs, and in less than two
miles met the encmy's skirmishcrs- All of
both companies then deploycd, and lighting
them at all points, drove them tLree miles,
company D. being deployed on the left Of the
road, while company "D7 was on the right
Frem some reason company "B7 got too far
away, and company I'D" was obliged to occu-
py both sides Of the road. We had brisk
lighting, and kaew the rebels suffer ed severe
ly as my boys were very cool and deliberate in
aim. The rebel skirmisheFs continued TO fall
back until they came 10 their main body, I3
Regiments strong, when they threw out rein
Torcemenis TO their line, ard as we we're over
powered, were ordered to fall back We did
SO III order, having rallied upon our centre
then in the road.
The heOt was perfectly awful, ard the dust
{ very deep. Some five or six men fell from
Ean stroke; but believe all have recovered
| After ne hsd first seen the rebels, and learned
from the negroes that they were in force below
US, we sent for assistance. The Goth and 18th
| with two pieces Of artillery were sent out as
support. Two companits OF the 20;h, &C"
and K" were sent Oh another road to the
right Of the one we we're fighting upon. with
two companies of the 18th 10 support them
A large body of cavalry charged upon our
Two companies, and as the two companies of
the 18th did not support them, the enemy
charged right over cur boys and getting into
| the ear Of them, took thrm prisoners. The
loss to the goth is US follows: Company "B"
3 men missing; company ID" james j. Her
ron, xii ed, JGhn Mveay wounded, shot through
the hand, wound doing well. James Z. Snod-
grass and Edward Roberts, missing company
C. l wounded, Lieut.. Melick aud Is men
missing company II" wounded company
*" Capt. Kuza, Lieut.. Hale and Lieut..
Rineheart. sergeants and 33 men missing;
company "G" AID ks missing are known
to be in the hands Of the rebels. The other
missing may hare strpyed olf, but are most
likely prisoners. A citizen upon whom IS
rebel officers billted themselves on Sunday to
punish lot having laken the octh, says while
there, they made up their loss, in their regi-
ment, the 2nd Tenn, it was lO9 killed and
wounded, and they said that Balche's Regi-
ment was badly cut up, loosing very many
more than they did. The opinion now is that
they lost from $50 to 800 in killed and wound
ed, while our loss is between IS and 95 killed
wounded and missing.
Having returned TO Camp after fire hours
lighting, Col. Force made short address to
the Regiment in which he said the Regiment
had behaved itself admirably, he could not ask
IL 10 do better.
All behaved with great gallantry, but ]
must particularly mention privates Dauie
Fitzgerald, Joscphus Phillips and David
Thomas, of company d, for their great gal
tantry and devotion in recovering the body ol
their comrade, James Heron, from the enemy
under terribly severe FIRE.