The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1863-02-26

With our glasses as we opprcachcd
| these points, We could see mounted men
BY the hundred galloping through the
woods from point to point to await us,
and: though fearful Of our shot and shell
they were so daring against mnsketry,
that one Rebel actually sprang from the
shore npou the large boat which was
towed At our stern, were hc.was ,hot
down by enc Of my scrgeants. We
could see our shell scatter the Rebels as
they fell among them, and some terrible
/ execution must have been done, but not
a man Of this regiment vas killed or
wounded, though ,ae steamer is covered
wit! bullet marks, one Of which shows
where our brave Capt Clifton Of the
vessel fell dead beside his own pilot
house, shot through the brain hy min
ME ball. Major Strong, who stood be-
] side Kim escaped, as if by magic, both
Of them being unnecessarily exposed
without rY knowledge. The secret Of
salty was in keeping the regiment below
except the gunners; bnt this required
the utmost energy Of the officers, as the
men were wild to come on deck, and
even implored to be landed on shore
and charge on the enemy.
Nobody knows anything ahaut these
men who has no, seen them ia battle
] find that | myself knew nothing
! There is fiery aslnr about them far
beyond anything of which have ever
read, cnlcss.it be the French Zpnaves
itreqnires the s:ric'e>t discipline to hold
them N hand During enr first attack
on the rivcr, before hand got .!lem al
panned below. they crowded AT the open
ends Of lie steamboat loo ling :.nl firing
with inconceivabic ra!i,litv. AMI shont
ing 10 each other s'Nevcr Civ. it up
/ When collected into The holi they act
fually fought each other for places a
! ,he few port holes from which Trey
could lire on the enemy.
Meanwhile tho black cnnners, admir-
ably trained hv Its. S,oeldalc and
O'Ntil (botli bein. accomplished arti'-
lerists) and Mr. Heron OF tie guuboa,
did their duty wi,hou, the slightest pro-
lection, and with .rea. GOODNESS amid a
! storm of>hot.
No officer in this regiment now doubts
that the successful prosecution Of this
) war lies in the unlimited employment
of black troops. Their superiority lies
simply in the fact that they know the
country and white troops do not. and
moreover they have pecnliarities oft-m
permanent, position and motive which
belongs 10 them alone. Instead Of leav-
!, ing their homes and families to fight,
they are fighting for their homes and
families, and the. show the resolution
and sagaeity which apersonal purpose
gives. 4; would be madness to attemp,
with the bravest white troops. what
have successfully accomplished Will
black ones. Everything even to thc
G lighting Of the vessel and the selection
) of the proper points for canacna'iinc
was done by my own soldiers indeet
! the real conductor Of the whole cxreai
! ton up the ST. Marv's, was corpora
Robert Sutton. of Co. G., formerly ;
slave upon the St. Mary's river. mat
J Of extraordinary qualities, who need
! netting but knowledge of the al.hs
!, bet to en,itle him to the mos: sigma
e promotion. In every instance when
u followed his advice the predicted resnl
Y followed, and I never departed from i
y however slightly without having reason
g for subsequent regret.
IS / have the honor to be, General, vel
! respectfully,
J, Your obeiient servant
Q T. w. HIGGINSON.
l. Col. Commanding 1st Reg.. Soutl
d Carolina Vols.