New-York daily tribune., 1863-07-14


the Confedcrnies-Energy Of Mpj.-Gcn.
Prentiss and Gen. soIonson-A Thousnnd
Prisoacrs Taken-Cslored Hecraits Eight
epIendidly.
Correspondence Of Ths N Y. Tribune.
BxIfBA AIh. Saturday, July 1868
This has been gIeat day in Htlena-one OF the
high Days, long to he remembered. Gems Prlce,
Holmes, Marmaduke aud Carter, with tleir COM
bined forces have tried their strength upon us, and
after terrible engagement of eight hours, they have
been routed horse loot AND dragons, and The battle
field rs ours. Never did men fight with more cooi
ness and daring than onr brave boys, ald the coau
try will not forget 10 honor them.
For days before the attack was mado' Na'io'e
rumOrs reached us that the enemy were massihS
force some fifteen miles west of us. lie lofce was
estimated at from ten to twenty thousand, bu. tue
uost reliable information act down the number st
fifteen regiments. Persons tnat hau sono Cut "
Helena 10 visit their friends In tue country, nae
been held ana were not allowed 10 return, which oil
tsef was indicative Of serious Intentions 10 Ureak
IN upon os. Two plans OF attack were advocated
respectively by Gen. Holmes aud Gen. Prce. Ihe
ster fearing the destructive hrc of Fort Curtis u
The uen were marched up the valley, Insisted upon
leading the advance over the bills from the west
luo former urged that the valley route was the ope
most likely To be crowned with success. Gen. P.ice
bad gwen out word that he could take Helena IN
twenty MINUTES aud that in less than an bouf hlef
The ,ngas sement should become general, the Conied
crate firg should wave over the enti place. ii
Missoun shsrpshooter were pushed out IN font
about break OF day, and were Wet with tsrrihc
voiey OF musketry from the riiie-lits aud the can
non " hiCh crowned tue hl.hts. DetacDmeDts iron
The $50 Nissouu, the 33d Iowa, aud iJf Indiana
egnents commanded tie batteries ana filled the
ME pits. The Rebels ventured nearer and st!
nearer only TO ial thick and last before the issden
hhl poured upon ;brm by our fatal marksmen. Gen.
Holmes, several ColoneIs aud other field ofloers
pushed tboir men 10 the sure harvest o. Gehlh.
The smoke OF battle ,hickened and creepiuf thrir
way slowly up the hill, hundred Rebes -.oinea
the ba leIy nearest them, and our men fel ba;k
slowly U.hiud The next intrenohmeLts. NHh
Wild shout some two tboussnd OF the enemy caine
dashiug down tie bill In the direction OF Fort Cur
us. Inen the Secession element WITHIN our lines
became lublant aud intoerabls. And then, Also
there was hufryng 10 and fro, and every man, IRON
Gen. rreItss TO tie humblest private. WAS III his
post 10 40 or die IN The deeuse OF the ume-bonoIed
iag which gave meaning TO this great day of Tree
dom. Ibe Superintendent OF Con.rabands, Chap-
lain SAWYER of tue f7tb lndaDs Regiment, aud Chai-
lain W oOds Of the 9th ILLINOIS cavalry, hayiug re-
ceved tue promise Of Gen. Pfenii.s that Erms and
ammunition would be furnished, recruited between
forty aud hiy rDen from tue inlrD Aid age contra
bands, WHO willingly lent belping baud III The
hour Of need. They knew how 10 handle gun,
sud gs they were turned over 10 Col. De Co.sh. "a
Arksusas Regiment OF African descent, they were
staLoned tbe rife-piis and diJ splendid serTice.
IL hey stood their groiDd Dooly aod won golden
o. iniJus om all quarters. They felt more Ike en
that they bad an opportunity " delud their wives
snd children and country.
Mranwh hie the combat thickeDed. The enemy
we're crowding upon Gen. Saiomon headquarters.
By hundreds tAey poured over the hills and aoSn
nearer the fort. The turning-point OF the battle
was just ~ hand. A company II Gen. Price =
sharpshoOcs rushed iuto tie Orsfo church, aud the
next moment u detachment Of our men sarf0undeJ
aud captured them. About the shlpe tim. three
hundred Of The sbaIpsLoOteTs nearest 10 uu". S-lv
Oi's were also captured, aud mAToned Dy ofees VI
Gen. Prcntiss on board IAe s'.An.' .o,u ,t ~
Memphis. Ibe cannon from the iogt' the bs''efiee'
tho EunUVas, --4 Iii-ss ''osn tls rilss OF onr
Uuiou defenders dId terrible execution. Inus Tar
We have over three hu1drsd pnsoIers, including
fifteen officers Mas tie ord passed along tie Iue.
Half hoCr lster and the number Increased to
nearly seveu hundred csplves. by II o'clock the
coatest 20 brilliantly MANAGED 10y our military com
InAnders ended. We Lad over eigut huIdIe ell prsou
ere, had Killed and wounded many more. had
taken Two thousand sstni oi arws, sDd 10 nli our
iOes IN killed. wounded, and prisoners iel saoh oil
ole hundred and nifty. An honor 10 Msjof.Geueral
Prsnliss, Briga4ier-Generai SaiomOn, aud their
speciive saiis who were Efficient aud full oi faith
AID hope from the beginning, aud 10 the entire iorco
under their cOmmapG. Once dirilg tie cOGllci the
enemy made effort 10 Hppro sci from tie u Ouh
Out IoL Clayton ied t.e Jth hansas and 1t lndisla
cavalry regiments AID routed them wIb cousid-Ts-
ole slaughter. similar attempt was maze from
I
havoc made 10y toe guuGoAt sOou eleafes away lilo
ice. IAey made several Intellectual attempts 70
plant batteries, bot ~ lengtb aJaadJDed the UNDER
taking III ocspslr la their retreat lucy burned the
coLtn,G4ud eamp st Beach Grove. Much l.oor Tad
been spept III resnus bOuses suihcolt 70 hacOmuIO
d.ie nOUut bye hUudred cUior.d people. Al day hgbt
III the morning, Tho pickets were driven i VI CAY
tVfed, tie nen, women, aud children He'd iron tlei
,bcampuent ~ Beach Grove, leaving every thing
behind them. All tIey had III tie world except tlie
clothes Oh tnen backs was consumed IN the halies.
iAey Truly objects OF chaDty, aud make strong
appeal 10 the benevolent iriends VI Tho cOlOrcd race
/ 10 MfjOrOeuerl cOmLlsndlng, uGdef tie cifcum-
stances pfopOsss 10 send loud Of the freedmen TO
cOutiaOaLd Headquarters ut 81. L0uis, iron winch
place they may voluntarily choose lrcir homes Ia
&c st4tcs, @hero they win be aL,e ~ support
d. ssiyes.
4-s Chsplains' Association here had planned "a
proper cel-DfatOn of the 4,h oi Jaly, aDd the pau
was saqctioned by Tie military autLOrties. Co.
Mel. an, 41d Iudiana Regiment, Was appointed Ora-
tor "a tie DAY. CLa. IAN sawyer was 70 read tue
Declaration "a ln1ependeDce. Volunteer ad4I esse.
were - follow. Palnotc songs were 10 be suns Dy
tbe sO.d.T. In tie siterLOOD, VI Beech Grove, tue
cOlOr0d people were 10 have u cc.eDraiIOl al
ociock. Ine SupennteD DdeLLs OF COntraLauds were
~ ceiiver sdircsses, 10 be followed by MJor-Gen.
Pfenss ~ VO!lLeer speech hLted ~ tue occasion.
Ihis peasant pfogrunLe gave way Tor Il diisfen.
k!bd Oi oeleOr4tcD, more starfiIg 4nd glorious.
Among The prtOuere, NAY Lnsltion Col. Bell oi
MissouIl reeimebt, hnd Col. Lcwis and Col iiaIt.
Col. ii lTt was Wounded III ibc leg Dy shoII,
though Lot mOually. The sou Oi Gov. Rector was
morally wounded while Charging a yalicIy; also,
MaJJr, Another held officer and tufoe Lou.enan,s
We brought iu between 80 ana 80 OF the Koo.l
wOunded aDd have sent tLen on wHh sufgeJn. u
Memphis. BIOS. Of them wsre terrDly nangcd.
ILo enemy look most Dl tlOse s4sIuy WOuuacd
away wlti tuem.
July 6.--lt 10 now two da5s since The battle, AMI
al is qgist. Yesterday, Ito alarm gun sounded and
every held oIicer auC orderly was Ia sadde,
and tuo ioIoes Iea4y Tor action. but The hcbcis
concluded that tue atteInIt to taAe Helene bad Deeu
too costly already, ana withdrew. ReonfOrc,menis
l..LL Id