The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1863-07-15

made his headquarters, lay wearied staff
officers and tired reporters. There was not
wanting to the peacefulness Of the scene
the singing Of bird, which had nest in
a peach tree within the tiny yard Of the
whitewashed cottage.
SMELLING BY THE ENEMY.
In the midst Of its warbling, a shell.
screamed over the house, instantly followed
by another, and in moment the air was
full Of the most complete artillery prelude
to an infantry battle that was ever exhibit.
ed. Every size and form OF shell known
to British and to American gunnery, shrek.
cd, whrled, moaned, whistled and wrath.
fully huttcred over our ground. As many
as six in second, constantly two in a Sec
ond, bursting and screaming over and
around the headquarters, made a very hell
Of fire that amazed the Oldest officers.
FEARFUL EFFECT OF TIE FIRE.
They burst in the yard-burst next {"
the fence on both sides, garnshed as usual
| with the hitched horses Of aids and order.
lies. The fastened animals reared and
snother-sixteen laid dead and mangled
before the fire ceased, still fastened by thes
halters, which gave the impression Of being
| N'S"So'y w" Wy w poSHtuliy AlCs AuCUO
brute victims Of cruel war touched all
hearts. Through the midst Of storm Of
screaming and exploding shells, an ambu.
lance, driven by its frcnzied conductor 1t
| full speed, presented to all Of US the mar
vellous spectacle of q horse going rapidly
on three legs. A hinder one had been shot
off at the hook.
A she'll tore up tho little step Of the
he eadquarters' cottage, and ripped bags OF
| oats as with knife. Another soon carried
off one Of its pillars. Socn spherical
case burst near the open door-another
ripped through the low garret. The re.
manning pillar went almost Immediately to
the howl Of a fixed shot that Whtworth
must have made. During this fire tn,
horses at twenty and thirty feet distant
were receiving their death, and soldiers in
Federal blue were torn to pieces in the road
and died with the peculiar yels that blend
the extorted cry Of pain with horror and
despair. Not an orderly--not an ambu-
lance--not straggler was to be seen upon
the plain swept by this tempest Of Or
chestral death thirty minutes after It COM
menced.
Were not one hundred and twenty pieces
of artillery, trying to cut from the field
every battery we had in position to resist
their purposed infantry attack, and to
sweep away the slight defences behind
which our infantry were waiting? Forty
minutes, fifty minutes, counted on watches
that ran oh so languidly. Shells through
the two lower rooms. a shell into the
chimney that daringly lid not explode.
Shells in the yard. The air thicker and
fuller and dealening with the howling and
whirring Of these internal missiles. The
chiefofs staff struck, Seth Williams, loved
and respected through the army, separated
from instant death by two inches Of space
vertically measured An aid bored with
fragment Of iron through the bone of the
arm. Another, cut with an exploded
piece. And the time measured on the slug
.gish watches was one hour and fifteen
minutes.
THE INFANTRY CHARGING.
Then there was lul, and we knew that
the rebel infantry was charging. And
splendidly they did this work-the highest
and sevcrest test of the stuff that soldiers
are made of. Hills division, in line Of bat
tie, came first, on the double-quick. Their
muskets at the fright shoulder Shift
Longstreet's came as the support, at the
usual distance, with war cries and savage
msolence rs yet untutored by defeat
They rushed in perfect order across the
open field up to the very muzzles of tho
guns, which tore lanes through them as
they came.
TERRIFIC FIGHTING. .r.z...ss.
But they met men who were their EQUALS
in spirit and their superiors in tenacity.-
There never was better fighting since Their
mopyle than was done yesterday by our
infantry and artillery. The rebels were
over our defences. They had cleaned
cannoniers and horses from one Of the guns,
and were whirl,ng it around to use upon
US. The bayonet drove them back. But
so hard pressed was this brave infantry
that at one time, from the exhaustion Of
their ammunition, every battery upon the
principal crest of attack WAS silent, except
Cowcn's.
EXCELLENT SERVICE BY ARTILLERY.
His service of grape and canister was aw.
full. 1t enabled our line, outnumbered two
to one, first to beat back Longstreet, and
then to charge upon him, and take a great
number of his men, and himself, prisoners.
Strange sight So terrible was our musket.
ry and artillery fire, that when Armisteads
brigade was checked in it's charge, ard
stood reeling, all its men dropped their
muskets and crawled on their hands and
knees underneath the stream of shot till
close to our troops, where they made signs
of surrenderirg. They passed through
our ranks scarcely noticed, and slowly
went down the slope to the road in the
rear.
THE CHARGE FAILS. .....
Before they got there the grand charge
Of Ewell, solemnly sworn to and carefully
prepared, had failed. The rebels had re-
treated to their lines, and opened anew the
storm of shell and shot from their 12O guns
Those who remained at the riddled head
quarters will never forget the crouching.
and dodging, and running, of the Butter
nuts colorcd captves when they got under
this, their friends fire. 1t was appalling to
as good soldiers even as they were.
What remains to say Of the fight? It
struggled surli|y on the middle Of the horse
shoe on the West, grew big and angry on
the heel at the Southwest, lasted there
until 3 o'clock in the evening, when the
fighting 9th corps went joyously by as
reinforcement through the wood, bright
with coffee pots on the fire.
| -~ SAD REMINIscENcE.
l leave details to my excellent friend and
associate Mr.. Henry. My pen is heavy
(h, you dead, VINO at gettysburg have
bap'ised with your blood the second birth
Of freedom in America, how you arc to be
enyied. rise from grave whose wet clay
1 | have passionately kissed, and look up
and see Christ spanning this battle. field
with his feet and reaching fraternal and
lovingly up to heaven, His right hand opens
the gates Of Paradise-with his left he
beckons to these mutilated, bloody, swollen
| forms to ascend.