The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-09-30
JAcINTo, MISS, Sept. ODD, 1862.

IL The following letter was WrltueH ny
OSCAR FULLER to his father, who kindly per-
mits lis to copy it:
| JAcINTo, Mss, Sept ODD, 1862.
DEAR FATHER We have fought a
hard battle, and / am safe and sound /;
but alas one half of those who took the
field with us are either sleeping their
long sleep or suffering from wounds.
We took the field four hundred and for
ty-six strong, including twenty-five Off
GERS of the line, and had two hundred
and thirty killed and wounded, including
thirteen officers, Of whom 5 were killed
and 8 wounded, number Of them NOR
tally. Our Company only lost one kill
ed and six wounded, as follows: Killed,
John H. Towle, young Irishman from
Chicago, whom some of the people will
recolect worked in the Guardian office
a few days before we came away from
Independence. The wounded are Lieut..
A. B. Lewis, in the thigh, serious w.
w. Baughman, E. Chittsster, Adam B.
Kinsel, Sergeant VIM. Bunce, and VIM.
Brown, very slightly.
| There were several shots come very
near me, but none injuring me. During
the engagement my bayonet was hit
twice, once the ball carried away the
point for about one inch, and the second
time was just rising from my knees
when crash came bullet and hit it
straight and square in the middle, and
right between my eyes, as | leaned
against it. Another (spent) ball hit me
en- the leg, but l did not mind that or
even feel it. Had not my bayonet been
in the way, I should certainly been killed,
but the steel proved true and | was saw
ed.
| We left here Thursday morning the
18th, and marched seven miles and
camped for the night. Next morning we
again took the road, aud at noon we arri-
we'd within eight miles Of Iuka, our des-
tination. Here Companies L. & D. were
deployed as skirmishers, Company E.
on the right and d. on the left of the
road, with Company G in the centre as
a reserve. Firing soon commenced, and
we drove the pickets five miles through
the swamps and boys, the awfulest place
to navigate | ever saw. During the af-
ternoon five were killed of the rebels,
though none of our men were hurt. The
rebels had the advantage, though they
did not make much at it. We had often
TO cross open fields, while they, from the
shelter of the woods, opposite, poured a
perfect shower of bullets upon us, but
still we kept on until at the end of FIVE
miles, when we were relieved and anoth-
er regiment sent out as skirmishers. Fill
ing our canteens, we marched along be-
hind the new line (our regiment was in
advance) when suddenly the skirmlshers
came flying back on US, and following
came a terrific volley Of musketry, which
made the woods ring. The regiment
were Immediately deployed in the woods,
and soon commenced the most terrific
roar | ever expect to hear. The balls
flew necessarily, and such an incessant
whistling of bullets as ensued cannot be
described. How any one can escape
| from them surpasses my understanding.
The regiment suffered most on the left,
they being most exposed. Company F.
on the left lost thirty six, while Company
f. on the right, lost but seven. Our
regiment were posted behind a ridge
which sheltered US. Three times the
three right companies, Z. G.. and D.,
charged over the hill aud poured in their
volleys at scarce one rod distant from the
rebels, who were drawn up five regi
ments deep to receive us. Five times
they charged upon US with FIVE regi-
ments, but each time we sent them howl
ing and gnashing their teeth.
But finally, being outtlanked on both
sides, and after standing for an hour and
twenty minutes the fire of more than five
times their number in front, and gall
ing fire on either flank, and occasionally
hcas Noiiey hoih our iTleuus I III
the rear, the left being out of ammuni-
lion, we were compelled slowly TO retire
in order to allow another regiment to re-
lieve US. They went in and we retired
a few rods and laid down behind fence,
and amid the roar Of five thousand rifles,
batteries of artillery. aud the thousand
and one confusions Of the battle field,
was soon asleep, while bullets whistled
around me and shells exploded on every
hand. l was soon walked up, and we
moved little further back and laid
down for the night, for darkness put an
end to the contest. La the meantime
Gen. Grant had come up from CorintL
to attack him on the other side, but the
enemy bad flown when daylight came
Saturday morning. We stayed on The
field Saturday and buried our dead, and
on Sunday we returned here. Our Off
GERS behaved nobly throughout. Towle
was wounded twice, the first time he
was ordered 10 leave The field, but would
moi, and stayed, and soon after was sho
dead.
/ @. j. NJ +.