The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-06-21
From Gen. Pope's Division.
Of the ottumxa courier.

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with US mans character and personals
make for himself name. You did not see
him in Ottumwa, as predicted. He could
not get passes by boat from Pittsburg Land
ing, for the reason that our Medical Director
stationed there refused to let him 60 on
board. He is now with the. regiment tho
how long he will remain it is hard to say
understand that ne has already rendered
his resignation. In the 18th there is anoth-
er Lieutenant who is "good joke on mil
itary men. He belongs to sect, one of
whose dogmas is "All who die in battle 60
to hell" OF course, when there are signs Of
hard work, he is apt to get the "cannon fe-
ver." He is known here as "Cnippin Stud
de-" There will be good things to laugh
about when the war is all over.
Our regiment, heretofore the bloodless, is
now the Bloody 18th. 1t has been in battle
Are you aware Of that? And further, did
you know that the regiment, not yet two
months old, shed additional glory on our
State-a State already designated as "the
Home of Heroes" So some said, and may
be pardoned for repeating it.
On the 2sth ult, general advance was
made along our whole line. As you have
seen by the dispatches. the most serious op-
position was made against our left. comman-
ded by General Pope. On the afterno n Of
the 2Sth, the cannonading along the whole
left wing was terrific After several unsuc-
cessful attempts to drive us back the enemy
retired, leaving us in possession of the adj
vanced position we had taken. During the
afternoons fight Of the 2sth we lay along the
edge of heavy patch of timber, not more
than quarter Of a mile from where the con-
test ragged the hottest. shall never forget
the unceasnc "sczick-boom" caused bv
the, whizzing and bursting shells on that
afternoon.
That night we. slept on onr arms. Early
on the following morning an order came for
the 18th, Iowa and 10th Missouri to advance
as skirmishers. Our General said the honor
was conferred on us, on account Of our gen
tlemanly and soldier like conduct" We
were deployed with our right resting in
heavy timber. and our left stretching diagen-
ally across an open field. On onr right, was
the Missouri 10th the whole Of it under cover
of heavy timber. u, We.expected to find the
enemy in the edge, Of the woods at the ex-
tremity Of theopen field, but did not. we had
left the field and had advanced some two
hundred. PAGES in the woods, where the pick
cts Of the enemy first commenced firing on
us. We drove in the enemy's pickets, and
continued our advance cautiously for about
three hundred PAGES further, when the fire
on both sides become general, We were
now in a position where we could see the
enemy's works in an open field on the oppo-
site side of the woods. y Our orders were to
retire as soon as we should learn the posi-
ton Of the enemy. We did retire, but not
in exact compliance with orders. The gal
lant Col. Holmes, Of the 10th, who comman-
ded both regiments. did not give the COM
mand "fall back" till after we had caused
nearly one hundred Of these poor deluded
fellows to bite the dust aej ~ ma7E]
In our whole regiment there was hut one
man wounded. and he not severely. Between
twenty and thirty of the 10th Missouri were
killed and wounded. The position we held
during the engagement was very fortunate
one We were just behind the brow Of a
hill. over which we could look directly on
the enemy, they not being able to see us on
account Of the thick brush. which concealed
us. The 10th Missouri were much more in
view of the enemy, which accounts for the
greater loss they suffered. This engagement
took place on the morning of the Goth nit.
On the morning of the 3Oth walked over
the Geld in company with the Cd Lieut.. Of
our Company, and within the enemy's works
he counted ninety-one new graves. On that
same afternoon, in company with Captain
Moore, Of Fairfield. "a brave and whole soul
ed fellow as ever met, walk into Cor
NTH. 1t was curious coincident. On the
Goth the 18th engaged the enemy, and on
that same night they evacuated their strong
hold. Ha! ha Bully for the 18th.
And now, Mr.. Editor, others are making
predictions-why should not be allowed
the same privilege9 Certain it is that know
some things from personal observation. while
many who write get everything from hear.
say. Our regiment has been attached to q
"Corps dnrmes' to whi:h the country has
looked for the few past weeks with much in
terest. Almost the last hopes of the coun-
try have seemed to hang on the success of
the army Of the Mississippi. The strategic
measure of our Commanding General Hal
leck, have resulted in the evacuation, by the
enemy, Of the strongest military works ever
held by an army in this country. With
some It may he a question now, as it was
before the evacuation of Corinth, whether
the result Of this campaign is to be regarded
failure or not slH zo
have noticed that some Of the scribblers
for the Chicago Tribune, who assume to
know much but who in fact know little
concerning matters about which they write,
pronounced the evacuation of Corinth, a
"Federal defeat" Ifthey did not presume
to so much wisdom, they might be pardoned
for making such an assertion; but one who
processes to write from the scat of war; can