Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-06-20
AN ExTENUATINd CIRCUMSTANCE.

AN EXTEEUATIEG CIRCUMSTANCE.
Before being informed how the battle
went the reader should be told that the ne
groes were neither drilled nor disciplined
sufficiently tc warrant the most sanguine
friends of the experiment of contrabsnd
soldiery in anticipating good results from
their first fight. A majority of them had
not had guns in their hands more than
three days. Some of them were furnished
with muskets for the first time after the
fight had actually commenced. Under
Circumstances, any person who re
how poorly some Of our volun-
teer regiments stood fire ct the commence
ment Of the var, will be prepared to hear
that the darkies evinced unmistakable
signs Of panic and decentralization, and
did more running than fighting day be-
fore yesterday. But they didn't run q
foot. On the contrary, they conducted
themselves throughout the engagement
with remarkable GOODNESS and courage.
Some will say they fought because they
feared that, if taken prisoners, they would
be summarily dealt with. But l do not
think they had any such fear before them.
They obeyed orders more strictly than men
who think it is a question Of victory or
death to them individually are apt to do.
TIE REBELS ADVANCE UPON OUR WORKS.
Between our picket posts and rife pits
there was large open field in which sew
eral hundred head Of cattle we're grazing.
The advance guard Of the rebels drove the
cattle before them, thinking in this way to
crawl upto the rihe-pits and surprise the
occupants. But the darkies were wide
awake. Indeed, I am convinced that
they were more wary than their officers in
this respect; for while the latter insisted
for time, that 1t was our own pickets,
who were coming in, the former were FULLY
persuaded, from the moment the cattle
turned toward them, that the Confederstes
were advancing. As one of them said to
me, yesterday, " We black uns knoWed dey
was comm. Dey couldn't fool us. An
we wanted to shoot; but the officers said
the officers had known what the darkies
say they know, they would not have open
ed fire until the Confederates got close to
them. It was their policy to let the Tex
ans come within good and easy range, and
then give them such a Tolley as would
make them withdraw mora hastily than
they approached.
A CHARGE UPON OUR RTELE-PITs.
The rebels advanced confidently, with
the intention Of charging over the rife
pits. When they were within a hundred
yards of the works our men discharged a
voiIey at them, but without much effect
The white soldiers did considerable execu-
ton with their fire, but the negroes did
II -
toned against-they aimed too high. The
rebels received the FIRE and again advano-
ed. The contrabanis loaded their guns SO
quickly that, before the enemy had made
twenty yards further progress, second
volley was poured into them, with mur-
derous accuracy. More than fifty rebels
were killed and wounded, and the survivors
fell back il disorder.
THE RESULT.
The result was, that between the 800
negroes, l40white men, and the assistance
rendered By the guaboats the rebels were
thoroughly defeated. One hundred and
hfty-two dead rebels were counted on the
battlefield. Not less than five hundred
were wounded, most Of when they sue
oeeded in carrying away. We took near
" a hundred prisoners. Our loss will
reach about two hundred killed and
wounded. The 23d Iowa lost eighty out
of one hundred and fOrty-twenty-th
Of them killed on the field. The loss of
the negro regiments was proportionstely
much smaller. A Captain commanding
the 1Ith Louisiana (colOred) regiment was
killed. 1 have forgotten mis- name. Colo
mel Lieb Of the 9th Louisiana, (cOlored)
was slightly wounded. He is brave and
efficient officer.
SLAVE CAPTURES BIS MASTER.
Among the incidents of the fight worthy
of note, was the capture of rebel soldier
by a darkey who was his slave three
months ago. The Texan was caught in a
tight place by one of Colonel Leibs men,
who cried out to him, " Hold on, dsr, and
put down your gun, or I'll shoot" The
rebel surrendered uncOnditionally, but
after identifying his csptor, said to one
of our officers that he protested against
being held as a prisoner by his own slave
Ger; that's Just the man to guard you.
And Jim, addressing the soldier, if he
don't behave himself, shoot him down"
The chivalrous Southerner was very indig-
nant, and his wrath effervesced in a series
Of " God damns," which fell upon the ears
Of the " intelligent contraband" without
effect. The dusky warrior kept close eye
upon his prisoner, but refused to hold any
with him, or answer any Of
his questions as to when he enlisted, or
how he dared to level a gun at his master.
ARE TIE NEGROES CowARDs2
know it is said by many that negroes
are naturally towards, and Will not fight
against white men in battle. Apart from
the refutatiOn which the engagement of the
9TH affords 70 this statement, there was an
instance worthy Of special mention. On
the battlefield, yesterday morning, there
were found two dead men lying side by
side. One was a Texan rebel, the other
IN emsncipated slave belonging to the
Ninth Louisiana Negro Regiment. They
had 61yoneted each other. The Degro's bay
onet was actually in the abdomen Of the
dead rebel, and the Texan had killed the
negro with his bayonet. Here is another
instance: During the fight one Of the ne
groes got short of ammunition. He had
fred his last cartridge, when q rebel at
tempted 10 run him through with his bay
odet. The negro deliberately seized the
barrel Of his gun, and cut the rebels head
open with the butt of it. This scene was
by hundreds.
THE NEGRO HOSPITAL.
The wounded colored soldiers were yes
serday put on board the steamboat Pringle,
and took occasion during the day to visit
The floating. hospital. The patience and
endurance with which the poor fellows
bore the most terrible wounds struck me
as remarkable. Among an equal number
of white soldiers there would have been
more groaning and complaining. But in
7ery few cases did the unfortunate blacks
give audible expression to the most in
.ense suffering. Amputations of legs and
arms were made in some instances with
put the use Of chloroform. Those who
we're but slightly hurt seemed to take 8
,laasrra in ninisfering To the wants Of