Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-08-19
FURTHER P4RTIC ULARS.

ridges despa,ehes-that the fight there was q
Federal victory, and not defeat. The rebels
attacked our forces with superior numbers, and
for time obtained some advantage, but were
finally repuIsed with great loss. Gen. Williams,
commanding our forces was killed whilst brsvely
leading his troops The rebel Gen. Clark and his
aid were captured, and Breckenridge Ii reported
to have lost an arm, but this we consider doubt
full. Minis Massachusetts battery behaved ad-
mirablv, thrice repusing the rebels by the lie Of
It's guns.
By this arrival we also hare confirmation and
some particulars Of the destruction Of the rebel
ram Arkansas by the gunboat Essex. According
to the account, II was fair stand up Hght The
Essex laid within three hundred Yards OF the ram.
pouring solid 9 Inch shot on her until her side
was preached, when the rebel crew set her n fire,
and abe soon afterwards exploded.
LETTER FROM SURGEON.
Extract from letter written by surgeon who
saw eighty-three dead rebels In one small corn
Geld near Baton Rouge:
From 5000 to 10000 rebels, under
soldiers stationed the outskirts of Baton Rouge,
at a. m. on Tuesday, Aug. S.
| Tie fghtlasted e. I'll tea, when the rebels were
| repulsed and retreeted in a rout.
General williams was shot through the heart
while rallying his right wing, which was being
driven In by superior numbers.
The Vermont regiment behaved badly, except
| Its officers. The Colonel was killed. The 2lst
Indiana, 30th Massachusetts, 9th Connecticut and
4th Wisconsin did most Of the fighting, and no.
bly,, too.
Lieut. Norcross, from Lowell, Of sOth Mas a.
chuieth, arose from his sick bed, Joined his
| company in the thickest Of the fght, and, with
his own hands, saved one field piece about to be
taken by the rebels.
| tai less In killed, wounded and missing, las YET
not accurately knowp,) probably 300 will cover
| all.
The rebel loss is very great, a, witnessed by
myself.
The rebel wounded report Gen. Breckinridgo
with loss Of right arm, Gen. Ruggles killed, Gen
Clark taken prisoner and wounded, Col. Allen
prisoner and fatally wounded Also, Capt Chun.
Gen. Lowell 10 reported killed but II Is probably
his brother, al the General is thought to be In
Richmond. One rebel told me, as l was ampu-
tatlng his leg, that the rebels lost nearly eight
hundred, which, think, 10 nearly correct.
| Minis battery saved the day, when two thirds
| Of Its members were on the sick list.
The gunboats Essex, Cayuga, Kineo and
Katahdin, attacked the ram Arkansas on the morn
ing OF the 9th, when she skedaddled into the
banks, her oficers and crew ran, and In few min.
utes after she blew up.
| The secesh In Baton Rouge fred from their
| houses on our wounded a. they were brought In
| consequently their houses were pulled down.
Breckinridge made a speech TO his men the
| morning Of the fight, and promised to have his
band Playing In the State House by Gam.
Dr. Huntingdon, rebel surgeon, told hi.
Niger, Jack, that IL they got separated during
the Aght to go directly to the Stale House for he
would surely be there by Q O'Clock The dark
kept the appointment, but the DR.. did not.
Lieut.. Weitzel, at the request Of Gen Butler
paid visit on Wednesday to the scene, and
| made report. In this he SAYS:
/ "rhe battle Of Baton Rouge may be character.
lied as one of the most soldier-like, slilfully
planned 6gbts of this war. General Williams
| with his wel!-known abilities as leader, scorn.
ed to rally behind houses and fences, and taking
In with one glance the plan Of the enemy's at
tack, made bis preparations to resist and oppose
them.
Two highways run out Of Baton Rouge-one
1 above and one below, on each side OF the tewn
| about mile and halI road cuts these two
roads at rig ht angles, while extending from road
| city and looking directly into tie camps OF the
| Indiana, Massachusetts and Connecticut repi-
nents. The front Of this cemetery 10 fenced with
| plating, while the cemetery il thickly strewn
\ with large tombs and overgrown with hip b rank
weeds This was the position Of the rebel centre
Our center was cOmpoIed Of the Indiana TWENTY
| hr'', the Massachusetts and Connecticut, drawn
| uTon on the opposite side OF the roads, and not
more than fOrty-iye rods distant The rebel rig hit
| approached, through corn fields and over a roll
ling country, attacked with great impetuosity
the Fourteenth Names camr, and drove them
| out, burning and piilaginy the camp IN a few
/ minutes The Fourteenth Maine rallied, and
/ supported by the Massachusetts and Minis bat
tery, returned to the ATTACK and drove the enemy
back with great slaughter.
The fercest part Of the CONFLICT at this tide Of
the battle occurred before and within a house
which the rebels obstinetely determined To pet
possession Of The most conspic uous OF the rebels
al THIS place was huge negro, armed and
equipped with knapsaok musket and uniform;
ne led the rebels, and met his death at the hands
OF one OF our men. Pressed back by our lef, and
our ground reeainsd, the battle ragged In front
with desperate nerceness. So silently did the
rebels approach and 30 Well were they Concealed,
that they Were In the cemetery and drawn up in
bsttle army, without our knowing Il. With a
yell they rushed up to the fence dashed through
IL ana acoss the Dad, bearing everything before
them At one time the opposing forces were
hand TO hand, and our handful Of men were
oTlven out OF their camps and back into he town:
bat. rallied on every hand by their officers, and
the cool daring Of General Williams, assisted bv
the gunboats that began to fire shell on each fan
with perfect accuracy end deadly effect, our
troops orayelV rushed to the front and drove the
eatlre rebel center back across the road iato and
beyond the cemetery. from which they were not
able again to emerge.
am convinced that had Williams not fallen,
he would have destroyed the whole of the rebel
forces. BY lOa. m. ali firing had ceased and the
enemy had retired with haste, and left over 400
81 his dead on the field OF battle Every one of
bis dead were buried by our men, except many
who died In the retreat or were killed bv the
long-rea: hing shells Of our gunboats The field
presented evidences Of the desperation of the
cCmnan a, the crossings Of the roads where the
rebels had endeayoIed to flank us, and where
they were met by the Indiana and Michigan regi
ments The men fought hard. Those who had
lost their arms tore up rails fom the fences
been killed In this way In one SPOT behind a
beautiful tomb, with efigies of infant childre
kneelinR, twelve dead rebels were found in one
heap.
DESTRUCTION OF THE RAM ARKANSAS
lie correspondent Of the Delta gives the FOL.
rowing account OF the fight between the two iron
clad gunboats Essex aud Arkansas;
VI Will dispose Of the destruction OF the Ar
kansas at the outset by asserting that 1t was fair
stand-up, knock-dOwn and scratch gravel agbt
between the two iron-clad nondescripts-fbe
Chon Essex and the rebel Arkansas. No matter
what the rebels may say, II was a square ght
re AIkansas took the posi- ton Of her choice In
deep bend OF the river, where she tied up, but
with her starboard and port broadsdes sweeping
the river up and down, and her bow rakin9
across, at the same time ready TO dash across and
plunge her bow INTO any vessel attempting TO
TO pass In front Of her. Porter Of the Essex, With
seamea' 5 Instinct, saw this plan Of the enemy
ana wisely laid below, but not more than three
hundred yards distant, whence she plunged solid
nine lnch shot into the Arkansas till fayornble
breach being made In her bow lust under tina
ports, an inoendary shell was exploded In the
preach, instantly setting the Arkansas on Are
htr bow, where the shell burst being the
wlndward end, In a few minutes the NAVY who
were % fortunate az to be present at this naval
combat Of two iron clads had the satisfaction Of
seeing the crew Of the rebel scuttlinp on shore
AlI-