Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-04-10

bless them. The GOODNESS, courage and skill
Of fmy Lcutcnants prevented our loss from be-
ing much greater than it was. will now give
you a brief account Of the battle.
On Saturday afternoon, when preparing for
dress parade, we heard the firing OF cannon;
but paid no attention to it--supposing it to
be art llcry practice In less than twenty
minutes the long roll beat, and the news
spread that Jackson had driven in our pickcts.
In seven minutes we were moving at double
quick toward Strasburgh. Tho 9th was the
first Infantry Regiment to report itself on the
field, TO Gen. Shields. We were therefore
dcploycd as skirmishcrs on the left to keep
the encmy's right at bay until other re gi.
monts were brought to our support. While
we were deploying the enemy showcrcd shell,
grape, canister, and round ball among US
Three shell passed through my company, one
of them very close to l.. G.. Osborn and the
color bearer. None of them did any dam.
age, since they did not burst very near us,
and tho boys could dodge them. We ad
vanccd rapidly but carefully under command
of our gallant Lieut.. Col. Worries, and the
enemy gave way slowly, until night, when We
halted, and at II o'clock wo were withdraw wn,
and fell back a mile and half. We slept un
til O'Clock when Col. Worries quietly W aked
us and ordered us to cook some coffee and be
ready to fall in. The boys were quickly up
and aaxious for further orders. Wewcrc de-
ayed until o'clock, when VIC were marched
to the support Of Daum's celebrated battery
a position of honor assigned us for being first
on the field Saturday evening. Weremained
at this post until II o'clock, and all the time
shell was Showcrcd at us but fortunately no
one was hurt. At noon we were relieved by
the 9TH Ohio, and ordered further on to our
left wing to guard the movements Of the rcb.
ol Infantry, where we remained an hour, and
then the enemy attempted TO outlank our
right by their left and we were ordered will
battery Of the 1st Ohio to attack their left
At the same time Il part Of the ID Brigade un
! der Col. Tyler, were ordered to prevent tho
enemy from going any further to the left. W,
retained this position about half an hour whcr
the enemy made an attempt to go further tC
the left and a yolley of muskctry was opened
on them. The second vollcy had hardly die
away when our Regiment was ordered to al
vance, which we obcyed, at double quick, il
line of battle, under furious fire of shell
grape and canister shot; but the boys having
only victory in contemplation, rushed madly
iuriously through the open field into a marrow
strip of woods, which lay very high with com
parativcly few trees. As we came into lin
with the enemy We discovered that We wcr
too much to the right. Yet, to our right, il
the woods, vas the 10Th Ohio and tho Hot
Pa, Of Tylcrs's Brigade. They had no order
to advance. When we were drawn into lin
fire it was perfectly awful. We receive a
uuyiclling fire from the cnemy's left and Lei
flank,
While we were exposed to a calling fire Il
- Col. Of the 10Th Ohio, who is strictly militar,
had no orders to advance, and therefore di
; not advance; though with orders he might hay
played on their left flank. Lieut.. Col Eorhc
took the responsibility of moving his Reg
to the left, under somewhat of cover. II
took tie flag, called for the boys to rally roun
it, and soon we were in position to play upo
the enemy with fearful effect. Such fire q
we let them have. The Sth Ohio, who, fror
; their exposed position had to lay fiat on til
ground, rendcrered some assistance; and
was not 2j minutes until we made the encm
; give, and then the Sth had full play.
Il. I,
ing the field strewn with their dead and wounie,
and our boys pursuing them with all haste. The
took another stand in strip Of woods; Our boy
drove them from this, and pursued them with tn
most furious ycll5 and shouts of reycngc--thc
= occasionally making stand, but to no effect
| until finally they made stand in splendid p
0 siton, high and commanding, III a strip of Woo
c to their left centre, 1t was necessary for us
D charge through an open field of probably hu
G dred acres to reach them, aud most of us, in o
It eagerncss to pursue them, had half crossed Il
II field before we were aware of our position.
c was then that Lieut., Colonel Vorhs sad "Bo
1t if we don't drive them from these woods, '
n shall have to go to Richmond or to the ID. L
them have it, They were then ordered 10 fl
a fat upon the ground, laying upon their backs
4 load and whirling around to take aim at the en-
II my as they appeared from behind the trees.
q then looked most fcerful, exposed as we were
i a cross fire, very little chance to do them nur
n and to advance in body was madness but
d "When danger looks most severe,
= Then the help of God is near"
SO it proved to us. The gallant 18th Indian
had Just come up to our left on Il cat,likc trea
q and were not seen until they were opening
q murderous fire on the enemy, to the right, whiC
!, made them ialter wheel and run. Then o,
:, boys sprang to their feet and run up the fel
over the stone fence into another field, throu!
- that into the woods. and through that still O
following the panic stricken rebels who thrc
away guns, bayonets, havcrsacks, and overythil
else in order to facilitate their flight. We folio
=, ed up until dark came on. Our boys were gat
- cred on the field, of which they were complt
. yictors; but how horrible was that field, sire,
Y with dead, and from which came the groans
y the wound ed and the signs Of the dying. Exha
s. ed and sick at heart we lay down on the field
W battle, where we were ordered to remain, a
TX slept without fire or blankets to awake in
ID morning stiff and shvering with cold. At da
II. break we followed the retrcating rebels, wthC
anything to eat. They had left their dead a
- wounded by the way, and at almost every hou
Drr Cur4rnt. M Nyprn cnilpl IN D,iuistpr IN I