The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-10-04

moment by his side. The air was alive wit
| bullets. He kept on his horse for few me
ments, though the wound was severe an
] excessively painful, and would not dismoun
till he had given his last order to advance
He was himself in the very front. Swayin
unsteadily on his horse, he turned in hi
seat to look about him. "There is regi
ment to the right, order it forward Craw
ford and Gordon are coming up. Tell then
to carry these woods and hold them and
is our fight -
II was found that the bullet had passet
completely through his foot. The surgeon
who examined it on the spot could give n,
opinion whether bones were broken, but /
was afterwards ascertaincd that though
grazed they were not fractured. OF cours,
the severity Of the wound made it. impossi
BILE for him to keep the field which he be
lieved already won, so faras it belonged Il
him to win it. 1t was nine O'clock. The
! fight had been furious since, five. A large
part of his command was broken. but with
his right still untouched and with Crawford
and Gordon's brigades just up, above al
with the advance Of the whole central line
which the men had heard ordered with
cheers, with regiment already on the edge
Of the woods he wanted, he might well leave
the field, thinking the battle won-that his
battle was won, for am writing. of course
only about the attack on the Rebel left.
| see no reason why should disguise my
admiration of Gen. Hooker's bravery and
soldierly ability. Remaining nearly all the
morning on the right, l could not help see
ing the sagacity and promptness of his ma
neuvers ; how completely his troops were
kept in hand how devotedly they trusted
to him, how keen was his insight into the
battle how every opportunity was seized
and every reverse was checked and turned
into another success. / say the more unre-
servedly, because have no personal relation
whatever with him, never saw him till the
day before the fight, and don't like his polit-
les oropinions in general. But what are
politics in such battle
Sumner arrived just as Hooker was leav-
ing, and assumed command. Crawford and
Gordon had gone into the woods, and were
holding them stoutly against heavy odds.-
As rode over toward the left met Gum
ner at the head of his column advancing
rapidly through the timber, opposite the
point where Crawford was fighting. The
veteran General was riding alone in the for
est far ahead of his leading brigade, his hat
off, his gray hair, beard and moustache,
strangely contrasting with the fire IN his
eyes and his martial air, as he hurried on to
where the bullets were thickest. -a
Sedgwick's division was in advance, mo-
wing forward to support Crawford and Cor
don. Rebel reinforcements were approach
ing, also, and the struggle for the roads was
again to be renewed. Sumner sent forward
two divisions. Richardson and French, on
the left Sedgwick moving in column of
divisions through the woods in rear, de-
ployed and advanced in line over the corn
field. There was broad interval between
him and the nearest division, and he saw
that if the rebel line were completed his own
divisions was in immediate danger of being
fianked. But his orders were to advance,
and those are the orders which soldier
and Sedgwck is every inch soldier-loves
hest to hear. ~ .nf .aFrr. la
To extend his own front as far as posi-
BILE, he ordered the 34th New York to move
by the left flank. The movement was at
tempted under fire of the greatest intensi-
ty, and the regiment broke. At the same
moment the enemy, perceiving their advan-
tage, came round on that flank. Crawford
was obliged to give on the right, and his
troops pouring in great confusion through
the ranks Of Sedgwick's advance brigade,
threw it into disorder and back on the second
and third lines. The enemy advanced
their fire increasing. 5
Gen. Sedgwick was three times wounded,
in the shoulder, leg and wrist, but he per-
sisted in remaining on the field so long as
there was chance Of saving it. Major Sedg-
wick, his Adjutant General, was shot thro'h
the body, bravely rallying and trying to re-
form the troops, the bullet lodging in the
spine, and fell from his horse. Severe as
the wound is it is probably not mortal.
Lieut.. Howe, of Gen. Sedgwick's staff, en-
deavored yainly to rally the 34th New York.
They were badly cut up and would not stand.
Half their officers were killed or wounded,
their colors shot to pieces, the Color Ser
geant killed, every one of the color guard
wounded. Only thirty-two were afterwards
got together. st s
The 18th Massachusetts went into action
with II officers and nearly 600 men. Nine
officers were killed or wounded, and some
of the latter prisoners. Capt. Simons, Capt.
Saunders, of the Sharpshooters. Lieut.. Der.
by, 'and Lieut.. Berry are killed. Capt.
Bartlett and Jocelyn, Lieut. Spur, Lieut..
Gale, and Lieut.. Bradley are wounded One
hundred and thirty-four men were the only
remnant that could be collected together of
this splendid regiment.
Gen. Dany was wounded. Gen. Howard
who took command OF the division after Gen.
Sedgwiek was disabled, exerted himself to
restore order but it could not be done there.
Gen. Sumner ordered the line to be reform