The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-09-11
The Late Battle and Victory at Baton
Rouge.

L ne Late B0ttIe ana Victory AZ 0osOm
Rouge.
As the 9th Michigan Regiment bore
a distinguished part in winning the
late glorious victory at Baton Rouge,
La, a fuller account of it than has been
given in the portions Of the telrgraphic
reports which we nave published, will
be acceptable to those of this region
having friends in the Regiment.
The rebels postponed the attack until
they had collected force for the pur-
pose which they knew was considers.
bly, more than double our own. The
rebels We're under the command oil
John c. breckenridge, who as Vice.
President ct the Buchanan administra.
ton, ad,ls during nearly the whole OF
the last year of his official term, foul
perjury under his official oath, to the
treason which he was secretly conspir-
ing with Floyd, Cobb, Yancey, and
others of his associates in the admins
tration, if not with Buchanan himself,
to openly commit as soon as the pre-.
psrations Of the conspirstors were ma
turpd. @ iece lis
Relying upon his overwhelming
numbers, the perjnred traitor advanced
to the attack of our little army of no,
more than twenty-five hundred fit for
duty, with the full confidence of killing
and capturing the whole. The result
was the utter and overwhelming defeat
of himself and his rebel hort:es, after O
holly contested. and much of the time
handl-to hand fight of four hours.
BY the resignation of Colonel Curte
MUS, Lieut. Col. Clarke (of Monroe
had succeeded tn the command of the
9th Regiment, but was soon after, to.
gether with Major Bacon (of Miles,
put under arrest and sent To New Or.
leans, by the late Gen. Williams, fol
refusing obedience to a tyranical order
issued by that officer, as commander "l
the Brigade, that the 9th Regiment
vacate the old United States Barracks
in which it had been quartered and EN-.
camp upon the outskirts of the town
aoithout tents
The regiment had incurred Williams
displeasure by its opposition to his poll
cy of surrendering colored deserters
from the rebels i'm violation of the Law
of Nations and the concurrent act ol
Congress and his order for the expos.
ure of the Regiment to the intense heat
of day and the drenching dews o
night, both SO fruitful of diseases in
that latitude, was well understood to b.
"a sentence of punishment for its tideli
ty To law and duty i'm that respect.
On the arrest of Lieut.. Col. Clark.
and Maj. Bacon, Captain Charles b
Clarke Of this village. was appointed
acting Colonel of the Regiment, by
Major General Butler, and is compli
mented in the official report "for the
GOODNESS and skill with which h.
handled the regiment during the bat
tle."
As we learn by letter from one of the
non commissioned officers of the regi
ment, its colors were captured during
the fight by a sudden onset of a vastly
superior body of the rebels who dc.
ccived the regiment by advancing
under the stars and stripes. The pirate
hordes were however allowed to retain
their fraudulently won trophy but q
few minutes. 1t was speedily recovered
and the colors of the 4th Loui~ians
regiment captured at the same time
by bayonet charge conducted by
Capt. Clarke acting Colonel in person
and both remain trophies of the glori
Gus Michigan 9th.
But portion of Capt. Clarke's com
pany was directly engaged in the fight
The rest of it with some cavalry were
and for some time had been, stationed
some miles out of town as an advance
and picket guard, under the command
of LIST Lieut.. Frederick j. Clarke, d
this village. Gen. Williams order fol
for his retreat, did not reach him unit
the battle had been some hours in pro
gress. On approaching the town he
found himself in the vicinity of large
body of the enemy and in danger 81
being cut off; bat escaped by taking
circnitous route through cane fields
aud forest, and at length and without
the loss of man, reached the to~I
just at the close of the battle. For hi.
success III conducting the retreat of hi.
little band, he was appointed Aid Il
acting Brigadier Gen. Paine, successor
of Gen. Williams who, as our paper
has heretofore informed our readers
was killed while the battle was in pro
gress.
Capt. David Bacon of that regiment