The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-02-19
FoRr DoNFLgoN. Sunday.

Yesterday morning. just at daylight a
heavy sortie was made by the garrison from
the left portion of their works. This attack
was male upon the extreme right wing oil
the Union army, where il was the weakest
part of Gen. McClernand's Division under
Col. 0glesby, consisting of bis brigade,
which was stationed there; also Schwartz &
and McAllister's batteries. The point was
upon the ridge leading into the right re-
doubt, and was situated just above the main
fort. During the night the enemy could be
heard busily at work, but at what, it was
impossible to tell, as thickets and morass
encompassed the Union troops on every
side, rendering a view in any direction al
most impossible sE q
At daylight large body of the enemy
suddenly appeared on the extreme right
of Colonel Oglesby's wing and opened a
terrible FIRE of cannon from their redoubts,
playing at the same time upon our forces,
from guns placed in position on the night
previous
The camp Of the 26th aud 31gt Illinois
was most exposed, and the whole brigade
was ut once formed into inc as follows (.
1870 Illinois held the extreme right, 9Th
Illinois next Both Illinois next, thea the
18th Illinois, supporting the right of Capt
Schwartz's batteries, the 3Ist Illinois, de-
Tending the artillery on the left. From the
firing of sthe first gun until 9 o'clock the
battle ragged unremittingly, and with fear
full loss to both sides. Again and again
our troops drove the enemy back, but as
often re-enforced while our troops had, oy7-
ing TO the extended lines of the army aud
their position on the extreme right TO fight
.uuassisted.
More gallant fighting never took p ace
than that of the Union troops exposed to
the terrible firing of triple their number.
They stood their ground until in soma reg
iments every officer was killed or wounded.
At last, and reluctantly, regiment by regi-
ment they slowly fell back, leaving
Schwartz battery and three OF MeAllisters
guns in rebel hands, Retiring a few. hun
dred yards, they again made 4 stand, aud
Gen. Smith arrived with re-enforcemeuts
and at once drove the enemy. again into
their works. In the first of the battle was
also Col. Wallace's Brigade-the 1Ith, 18th
and 45th Illinois regiments-and also Col.
McArthurs brigade, which suffered severely.
Opposed to them were Il, 600 rebels, sup
ported by guns placed carefully in position.
Gen. Grant having command of the Di-
vision, drove the enemy back, with re-en-
forcements, and having gained the lost
ground, at once ordered an advance, by
Gen. Smith, on the left, charging under a
hot fire up the steep hill on which was the
outer Tedoubt Oar troops gained the high
breastworks and, with hardly pause, went
over them, planting the Stars and Stripes
over the walls under a most calling fire.
They formed, charged and drove the rebels
back until they fell into a new position be-
hind some batteries When evening came,
the Union troops lad been victorious at
every point, having gained back the ground
lost in the evenings works. Our troops
held their position dnring the night, repell-
ing repeated assaults
The scene within the captured Fort after
the surrender, showed how terribly the reb-
ell garrison had suffered. Every where were
lying fragmants of shells, round shot, half
buried in the earth. Tents were torn to
pieces, gun carriages broken, and blood