The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-01-16

StOughton, charged in advance, and drove
back division. The enemy, far outnum
bering the splendid Sth, swarmed in front,
on both tianks, and finally burst upon its
rear, reaching a point within fifty yards of
Negley's quarters before they were discov-
ered-Negley being unaware Of the extent
of the disaster on the right Rousseau's
division had been sent into the woods to
support the 8th, but was withdrawn before
the 8th got ont Negley had found his
brigades in echeton, and seeing the critical
nature of his position, lie was obliged to
order retrog*de movement.
Rousseau, ol'e of the most magnificent
men on the fielti, with the port of Ajax
and the fire Of Achilles--no wonder his
gallant lads adore hin-did not fancy his
retrograde movement. The Regulars, 18th,
10Th, 18th and 10Th, under Colonel Shep-
herd, on his right, liked it no better
Youthful Beatty, Ord Ohio commanding
the 18th brigade, and Scribner, with the
9th. were also in i'll hulnor about it, but
there was no help for it. After debouch-
ing from the cedars, Loomis and Guen-
ther could find no good position at hand
for their batteries, and the whole line fell
back under severe lighting, the left lying
iat upon the ground, the right covered by
crest. The two batteries now swiftly
wheeled into favorable position, and poured
double-shottel canister into the enemy
The 23d Arkansas was literally swept away
by their devOuring fire. LOOMS and Guen-
ther were wild with delight at their sue
ho+f @I,o,,
The field was red with the blood of their
slain. Rousseau had sent word that he had
fallen back TO the position he then occu-
pied. "Tell the General" said he, "Ill
stay right here, right here | won't bulge
an inch" He did stay right there.
| cannot precisely fix the successive
shiitings OF battle in the order of time
MomOry boasts no tenacity in the wild
frenzy of the field. | think this all oc-
CURED before ten O'Clock, but it was part
Of the finest drama of the day, which bare
ly preceded it. The whole right was then
streaming back through the forests in dis
order, save ssheridan's division. The
cleaning steel of the hotly pursuing foe
flashed in the glowing sunlight through
vistas OF the woods. Glancing through an
opening into a cosatielI beyond us, great
masses of sober looking foes were observed
rushing forward Quick as thought, al
most, the General formed an entirely new
line of battle. The right had faced south
east. What was now the right faced
westward. The enemy had compelled us
to change front completely. General
Rosecrans himself executed it at awful
personal hazard. There was not point
in the very front of battle, which he did
not visit. Taking advantage of COM
manding crest, on the left of the pike, he
posted the batteries, and some twenty or
thirty guns opened with prodigious VOL
ume. Solid shot and shell crashed through
the populous forest in tumult of destruc-
tive fury. The cloud of smoke for some
minutes completely enveloped the gunners,
and Obscured them from view Now, then,
we charge. Down through the field and
across the road, the General in the lead.
Bitterly whistled the leaden hail. A SOL
dier falls dead under the very hoofs of the
commanders horse. advance the line
charge them" and our gallant lads, fired
with wild enthusiasm of the moment, mad
ly push up the hill The forests are splin-
tered with the furious volume of fire. On
they go. YOn line of grey and steel halts,
staggers, reels. ''There they CO." shouts
the gallant leader ''Now drive them
home !" Great God, what tumult in the
brain Sense reels with the Intoxicating
frenzy. There was line of dead blue
coats where the charge was so gallantly
made ; but the corpses of the foe were
scattered thickly through those woods.
Beatty's brigade X Old Rich Mountain
Beatty-made that glorious charge 1t
was the first encouraging event of that
gloomy morn.
Sweeping rapidly from that point to our
left, the whole line was put in motion, and
the batteries advanced. A few hundred
yards on the left of Beattys line the enc
my were still advancing, boldly driving
small brigade, down a little valley, before
them. AS the head of the retreating
column debouched from a thicket, it was
interrupted by the General, and reformed
by members of the staff Stokes battery
advanced rapidly across the road, support
ed by Captain st. Clair Morton's battal-
lions of pioneers-men selected from all
regiments for their vigor and mechanical
skill. The fire was desperately hot, but the
General saw only broken line which he
determined to rally. The battery was
planted on a little knoll, with it's flanks
protected by thickets, and Morton deploy-
ed his pioneers on either side The bate
ry opened briskly, and Morton led his bat
tallion beautifully to the front. The enc
my suddenly checked by murderous fire,
staggered and fell back swiftly, sheltering
themselves in friendly forests. And so.
along the whole line, the enemy was press
ed backward. The day was saved. No
man disputes that the personal exertions
of Gen. Rosecrans retrieved the fortunes
of the morning.
But the battle though suspended was
not ended. The enemy had been repulsed