St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1863-02-05

IL s,n.ae4.;o ,&fS. ;s.se3 10 wass =.
!xhiet.lay. eenedaled behind fsnce5a out
houses on the right Tand'lefts ofatheIb bat
terry. This fire-tilled aud wounded :
,sarsSe number 81 f1tie 2tst III: Vols., and
threw shs left eonpaaniisss iiatoi sone fdisor3
DER wuhea fife regiment: VIZ halted and
formed on the light Of the 15tb' Wis.
:Vo,. ~ p @A:TA4asz s.1t l. gdoA: -
'g The fight was nov fiaifiy opened saf'i and .
continued vigorously until night byy' the
front line of my infantry, ana tic 2p
MINNESOTA B4rrEhY, which had been
placed between the regiments. The bat;
'te.ies ID our front were soon silenced, but
>aaotbe, was then opened on my right
aank distant about eight hundred (soo)
yards which completely tofisded my
lines; and considerably injured US, but
this-eoo was driven out of slightly Capt.
Hotchki.s; ID MINI Battery, after ! vsig.'
orous and we'll directed fire. 80 ~ )
Again l sent a request to Coils, Post
and Woodruff to come up, but they con-
tinqed 70 remain in rear Of f my lines T
maintained ny position during the night,
having at dark relieved my front line, BY
tie :3sth I'll. Vols. and 1Olst Ohio Vols.
My loss during this day in killed, wound:
ed ana missing was about one hundred
and seventy-five Q75) officers and men:
Before daylight on the morning of the
3lst December, peroewin:;s indications of
an advance by the enemy, I retired my
battery about two hundred (2o0) yards:
At daylight the enemy advanced. Seeing
that the troops on my right and left wouzD
NOT come up to my line, I fell back "ith
my Infantry on line with my battery,
and made stand The 2lst Ill. Vols
about two hundred yards to the rear, and
os,tAe' right Of the lOlst Ohio Vols !; the
18th Wis. Vols. we're posted in the rocks
io front of my battery and the 3sth III
Vols. on the left Of; the 1Olst Ohio Vols.
Ny men we're falling rapidly on the
front line, and wishing to increas, the fire
on the enemy, I sent an order'to Col. AL
exander IT, advance and form on the right
Of the l0lst Ohio Vols. and to- Col. Heg.
18th Wis, Vols, to form on, the left Of
the 3sth Ill. Vols, and to my Battery to-
retire. To: my surprise L received in re-
ply from Col: Alexander that he was al
ready so hotly engaged that he could not
come forward. The startling intellig gepce
was also at this moment communicated to
me by one of my Orderlies that all our
forces on:our right had left the ground
Immediately afterwards heavy fire of
musketry aud artillery from the enemy
from NY right flank aud rear unmistaka-
bly, announced that l was also attacked
from that direction. On my left, Wood
ruf's Brigade had left the ground. My
command was thus exposed to fire from
all points, excerting the left of my rear.
When too late to retire in good order
found that I was overpewered and but
moment was wanting to: place my brigade
in the hands of the foe. I decided: to re-
treat by the left flank when my horseewas
shot under me and I myself. struck and
all my staff and orderlies dismounted or
otherwise en- gagged, which prevented me
from communicating :, the order to the
Reg mental commanders, The rear line,
then consisting of the 2lst III. Vols. was
the 6rst to withdraw by the order OF Lieut..
Col. McMakin, then commanding, Col.
Alexander having: been xouaded. - COL
Stem and Lieut.. Col: Wooster, Of the 101st
Ohio nVols. having been shot down and
TIE b. ranks Of that Regiment dreadfnlly
thianed by the FIRE of tho enemy, it gave
way; and retreated.:1 The .3sth? HI Vols.
held its position until the enemy: was with
IN g. few steps, and then retired: His
regiment would have suffered far more Sc
ise1eiy In its retreat had not !. heavy fire
from the 18th WIS. Vols, judieiously
posted posted by Col. Heg to its lefI and rear,
Kept M the e enemy y ie n check until lt i had m left
the road, and partially reformed e y! allo.cg alo.cg
the sf fence sgs ea Il the right d ef the Il 1 18th Wis
Vols, where an effective fire was kept ,pp
holding the enemy at bay. This only
gave foe Oh our our light and left more
tine to envebp ds. All that nov af1esmaaid-
ediof ny bbrigaee crossed tho open 6std,
and entered " woods about two hundred
yards east 81 Garrison House: Tic 'feg-.
iments we're painfully reduced in numbers,
but r formed / line af fhis i,o;nf md sAv. AZ