The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-04-19
Battle at Pittabur0h I,andine.

| Of cannon in the direction Of our advanced en-
campments. There had been skirmish to our
front the day previous indicating the near pres.
hardly possible that they would venture to at
tack US in full force. But the continuous roar
of artillery and the heavy vollies Of small arms,
soon disPelled all doubt, and convinced US that
the great battle Of the war had commenced =
Directly every camp Was busy with the note Of
preparation. The long roll beat to quarters
ammunition Was distributed the men formed in
lice of battle, and advanced to support our front
Our camp was nearest the river, aud our reg-
ment, the 7th Iowa, was in the Let Brigade of
the I'd division, General VIM. L. Wallace CON-
handing, Col. futile commanded the brigade
When brought to the front, we were placed near
the centre. To our left Was Gen. Hurlbuts d.
vision. to our right the division Of Gen. NcCler-
nand. As we advanced to the front, We were
met by stragglers fromsthe regiments that had
been driven bach, some bare headed-some With
out guns-some powder begrimed and wounded,
and some helping of Others that were wounded.
Army wagons loaded with baggage, and scatter.
ed parts OF two or three batteries that had occu.
pied position nearest the advancing forces Of
the rebels, were mixed up promscuously with
the crowd of flying fugitives. Steadily onward
through these advanced the I'd division to the
| relief of our hard pressed troops in front. We
soon reached the point where it had been decid-
| ed to make stand This ives at nine o'clock.
The fighting was then principally confined to the
left wing Of our forces. Very soon, however,
the enemy attacked our position. To the lett
was 40 open field One OF our batteries was
| placed in position to command this Gen. Lau-
| mans brigade composed Of ahe 3lst and 44th
| Indiana and the 18th and 25th Kentucky reg-
ients, were ordered to support this, fanhing it
on the right, constituting also the right OF
Gen. Hurlbut's division. The % division occu-
pied ground to the left of this, and was posted
in the edge of the woods fronting an open field.
These arrangements had hardly been effected
before the rebels assailed our forces along near
" the whole extent of the line. The fight was
opened by heavy cannonading which was vigor-
ously replied to by Wizards Chicago, and Arjor
Cavander's Missouri batteries Under cover Of
this fire, the rebel infantry advanced to the at
tack Soon the whole line was one blaze Of fire.
Our men stood their ground firmly, and repealed
four successive attacks The storm Of bullets
was terrific. The most desperate charges of the
enemy were against the position occupied by
Cen Humans brigade. But animated by his
presence and example, his men behaved like
veterans. He rode up and down the lines, per-
fectly calm, and stopping here and there to adj
dress cheering word to his men. could not
but admire his noble bearing. though momenta.
rily expecting to see him fall The Major Of the
Slst Indiana, fell mortally wounded near my
side. Assistant Adi't General Il. Sco6eld, was
also disabled by shot in the thigh. Colonel
Croits was wounded, 1t. Barnes, Aid to General
Lauman, your correspondent, and Gen. Lauman
himself successfully had our horses shot But
still the fight went on, and the rebels were fore,
ed to retire. The underbrush in front Of our
line was literally chopped to pieces by the re.
peated voleys Of rifed musketry, and the ground
was covered by the rebel dead. 1t was now
about two o'clock, P. M. The fighting had been
heavy all day on both TANKS, and now the left
began to yield. Gen. Lauman was ordered to
move to the support Of our retiring troops. This
he did; and by the most desperate fighting, and
skiful handling of his brigade, saved the left
wing from humiliation. But the moving Off of
these troops left gap in our lines, Of which the
rebels, with their superior forces, were not slow
to take advantage About tits time, the right
also began to give way, and the Cd division was
soon fairly fanked. The order was finally given
for them to fall back, but it came too late to
save all. The 9Th, 18th and l4th regiments of
Iowa Volunteers were cut of, surrounded, and
after desperate fighting, forced to surrender
The remains of our army were now driven close
to the river, and the prayer Of all was, "would
that night or Buell. would comew
The rebels were following up their advanta-
ges, and seemed on the point of cutting us of
altogether. But most fortunately now General
BueIPs advanced forces came up, and ranged
themselves in line of battle. Col Webster,
Chief of Gen. Grants Staff, had by this time.
got some heavy siege guns into position, which
began to pour destructive fire upon the ad-
vaneing columns Of the enemy. They replied
vigorously with both artillery and small arms,
but were finally compelled to fall back. Night
now closed upon the scene, and the forces on
both sides slept on their arms.
The guLboats Tyler and Lexington had taken
part in the closing fght and continued to throw
shell amongst the rebels at intervals of fifteen
minutes during the entire night. The scene
was grand yet sad, for thousands of Cur brave
fellows lay bleeding on the ground, and We
knew that the mornings light would see many
more stricken down by the bullets of the enemy.
pietely drenched our exhausted troops laying out
on the naked ground.
Before it was fairly daylight the next morning
the battle was renewed by Gen Nelson's Divi-
| sion on the left and Gen. Lew. Wallacc's on the
right. The rebels soon began to fall back, and
were steadily followed up by Buell's forces who
we're constantly arriving and Immediately sent
forward. All through the previous night the
transports had been busy ferrying over his for
ces from Savannah, nine miles below, and also
from the opposite side Of the river. Gen. Buell.
everywhere inspired confidence as he rode along
l
troops. His superior genera.ship completely
foled the rebels in all their maneuvres, and
whilst he preserved his own line of battle in
tact, he..completely broke theirs, driving them
| from one position to another until we had re-
gained all the ground lost on the preceding day
captured several batteries, and pursued them
far out on the road to Corinth. The troops be-
longing to Gen. Grants army that had fought
on the previous day, including Generals Nc
Clernand, Sherman Smith, Hurlbut, and Prem
tiss' Divisions were organized into reserves, and
hurried on to the support of Bucll's forces.
The fighting Of the second day was principal
ly done by the several divisions under General
| Bueli's immediate command. All feel that our
salvation is due to him alone. He himself ar.
rived at the scene in advance Of his troops, and
| riding up to our men assured them final victory
if they could only hold the enemy in check IN.
| Ill hts troona .rr;voN os,loo - - l..