The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-10-29
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER -.
MORE PARTIcULARs from rHnI
10TH IOWA. W
The following is portion Of = private
letter written BY one Of the officers in the
10Th Iowa to Sergeant Ballinger, who is
now at homo on furlough. and gives
some Of the particulars Of the fight which
have not yet been received:
On BOARD STR. ARAa
MoRGANzA, La, Oct. 8, 1863.
FRIEND WILLIAM Having been in
formed that you are at home on leave, and
being somewhat at leisure, I will write
you short letter, as have some intelli-
gence to communicate that may be of in.
terest to you and our friends in Montrose
township.
You will recollect that we left you at
Carrolton on the 9Th ult., and came up to
this place, which we reached on tie n orn-
ing of the 7th The next morning the
Oath and 9lst Illinois, under command
of COT. Day, started out in pursuit of the
rebels that had been molestiug our trans
ports at this place. They encountered
their pickets near here, and drove or fol-
lowed them back to the Atchafalya river,
some eighteen miles west, where they
ran into an ambush, fortified and, retreat
ing, they returned to the boats the next
morning.
The following morning, 10th, our regi-
ment, Goth Indiana, about one hundred
and twenty cavalry. and two pieces Of
artillery, started out on the same road.
As on the former trip. we soon encoun-
tered their pickets and followed them
about six miles, where we established a
kind of outpost, the infantry and artillery
at Mrs Sterling's plantation, and the
cavalry at the Norwood place, one. mile
farther out.
Nothing of particular interest occurred
there except little skirmishing, and an
occasional attack of rebel squads on our
men in the rear, as they passed to the
river, until the 29th ult. just as the
men were eating dinner, the pickets fred,
and word came in that regiment of in
fantry were close at hand in the rear. Our
men few to arms, and in ten minutes the
action was general and close around u.s.
An unceasing firing was kept up close
around the mansion where our headquar-
tiers were, for about an hour and quar-
ter, when our men, surrounded and over
whelmed by greatly superior numbers,
were compelled TO surrender.
Our regiment then numbered about
two hundred and forty men, and only
about forty escaped. Eight were killed,
eighteen wounded, and the rest captured,
some of the captured being wounded. No
officer of our regiment that was there
escaped but..::myself. Lieut.. Roberts, of
company.K, and Lieut.. Kent, of com pany
II, were killed also Orderly Richie, of
company c, and Sergeant Frisby, Of COM
pany B, Corp. Walworth, company E,
Jas. Beard company D, Thos. Smith,
company K, and Brooks, company G.
Capt Taylor, company G, and Orderly
Robinson, company G, are badly wounded
Corporal Anderson, company -. died
soon after the action closed. l think
none of your company were wounded
except Jas. Coleman, through the thigh
Corporal Temple, color bearer, has since
died. Major Bruce was at New Orleans,
and hence not in the action.
The 26th Indiana lost three or four
killed and twenty-four wounded, and
about as many in prisoners as our regi-
ment. The cavalry escaped, taking no
part. The artillery did us but little or
no good. One gun was taken and re-
taken several times. The rebs took
about all we had but the killed, wounded
and the surgeons. They did not even
spare our medicines, ambulances, horses,
or private property, except what we wore.
The wounded have been sent to New
Orleans. l have kind of general charge
OF the fragment of our regiment lef. here.
That this was great blow to our regi-
ment, | need scarcely state. 1t always
appeared to us that we we're kept
out there to be taken in, and it 60
eventuated. l know not if any one is to
blame, and if SO, who? Lieut.. Col.
Leake. of Goth Iowa, had command of
Of the detachment there, and always ap-
peared to act with vigilance.
1t rained hard during the battle, and
tie succeeding night and day. Immedi-
ateIv after the battla tho rahs 80. a