The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-31
KEOKUk, IOWA: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 81, 1862

brigade, under Gen. Solomon, went ont
to bring on the expected battle. He felt
the enemy and found him there, but evi
dently in weak force. His dispatch to
Gen. Blunt was read and in fash the
Generals mind was made up and all his
force was pushed Immediately northward,
as he suspected the enemy had moved
during the night north to cut oT rein
forcernents under Gen. Heron. Our cav
airy soon reached Rays Mills, l3 miles
north Of and miles to The west of theFay-
ettcvilie and Cane Hill road Gen. Blunt
had guessed right, for away to our right
was heard Gen. Herron's artillery cnga-
ging the enemy strongly posted upon
a hill and in grove of thick timber aud
under brush, which slirted Rose Prairie
on the south. The lst Iowa was placed
on the right, followed by the 10th Illinois,
9Th Missouri and ed Wisconsin, all un-
der command of Col. Wickershanl, were
ordered forward 10 relieve Gen. Heron S
forces, which had been skirmishing the
enemy since early in the morning and
fighting bim since 10 o'clock An, The
enemy, in moving northward, had en-
countcred the lst Arkansas regiment car
ly on the morning of the 7tb, en- route
for Gen. Blunt and surprised it, captur-
ing its whole train with camp and garri-
| son equipage. This ought not to have
| occurred, as the LIST Arkansas had start
ed one day jn anr advance aud should
have reached his camp at least as soon as
VIC did.
Ii was now O'Clock p NJ aud the en-
emy, with over twenty regiments OF IN
fantry, well armed, were massing their
forces upon Gen. Herron's command,
composed Of the 18th and Goth Iowa,
37th and Gath Illinois, 26th Indiana and
| Goth Wisconsin, and would have over
whelmed them had not Robb's, Coles
and Murphy's batteries Leld them II
by. NobIy did the 10Th Iowa, 37th III
lnois. 29th Wisconsin aud 2Gth Indiana
stand by tho colors while their ranks-were
decimated and moved down by the su-
perior forces of the enemy. Gen. Her
ron ordered the 10Th Iowa and goth Wis
consin to make charge, and most gal.
lantly they did il, driving the enemy
handsomely over the hill and capturing
one Of their batteries, but on they passed
by order, till the heavy surge Of their mass
ed force and cross fire from the enemy
compelled them to yield the ground gain.
ed. A second charge was successfully
made but with the same result. The heavy
fire of our musketry and the telling shot.
from our batteries at least compelled Tia
enemy's right TO yield, and their forces
were then thrown over upon lisa sett
preparatory to grand n9vclIrDt 4, Ss.,.. /
Gen. Herron's command,a ,aii! ID char. e
capture his artillery train. IL was just al
this juncture, and not moment too soon
that the lst Iowa cavalry came up on theil
left, as the advance of Gen. Blunt's force
to attack them. Col .Gowen sent ont compa
nies L.and M., MS advance guard, ,anj as W.
neared the timber lie threw out det4ch.
ment from company A, under Lieut.. Rey
nolds, to act as skirmishers to the right
of the advancing column. We had not
proceeded over 200 yards through the
timber till two regiments of rebels, in
line, well armed with Mississippi rifles,
and fixed bayonets, were revealed to the
advance guard and skirmishsrs to the
trout The skirmishers fell back af-
ter exchanging three volleys, one of which
wounded one OF the skirmishers, and feel
ing their way to the right found regi-
ment formed to our right. Then it was
that we prayed for that arm long promis-
ed to us but never given us-the carbine
--aswe could do nothing in SO thick brush
but having discovered the true position
of the enemy's left and one of General
Blunt's batteries having just arrived, We
were ordrr.a to fall back out of the tim
Der to supper: the battery.
! Now commenced the grandest scene O.
the battlefield, Robb's, Coles and Mur
phys batteries sent forth shell, shot
grape and canister upon tho enemy,
right, while Gen. Blunt's artillery played
ferecly upon his left In less than thirty
minutes more the 10th, 11th, and l3ti