The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-02-19
Capture Of Arkansas Post.
Full Details Of the Great Battle of
Sunday.

From our Chicago exchanges we Sc
lect the following interesting particu
lars of the battle of Arkansas Post, OF
Sunday, and the subsequent capture O
the place.
Sunday morning was occupied il
getting the troops into position. anC
preparing for the struggle. The enc
my, finding themselves outnumbered
had abandoned all their outer works
aud retreated to their last and
inner line. This, stronger than the
others, ran at a right angle to the op.
posIte side of the bend. For hundreds
OF yards in front, trees and bushes have
been telled, giving a wide, open space,
swept by cannon and commanded by
musketry. Assalants must either
charge over this, or make it an artiI-
lery duel. Their right was the river
fort. work of unusual strength-walls
twenty feet high, deep tosse or moat
surrounding, and mounting nine guns,
two of which were protected by i'm.
mense casemates shielded with iron.
the others being en- bdrbette. Across
the sandbar, between it and the long
reach of channel were placed guide
frames by means of which To train the
guns accurately on any approaching
vessel. The fort could also change
its fire to the plain over which assaults
would have to advance. The strength
OF their position was such that. al
though outnumbered, they expected
to hold it succt ssfully, and men would
occasionally ride along their front.
planting more rebel flags. Our army
stretched across, distant but half a
mlle,-part slightly sheltered 10y a ra-
vine, the others among the enemy's
barracks, which, numerous and strong.
gave measure of protection. Gen.
ShermaE's corps held the right, dis
posed as follows: In Gen. Steele's
Gen. Hovey's brigade holding
the right, Gen. Thayer's the centre,
and Gen. Blair's the left in Gen. Stu
arts division, Acting Gen. G. A.
Smiths brigade the right, and Il. X.
Smiths The left; then Gen. Morgan's
corps, holding the army's left; A. ].
Smith's division, Burhridg's and Land
runs brigades, and Sheldon's brigade
of Osterhau's division resting on the
rivers bank, the extreme left. Gen.
Lindsey's and De Courcy's commands,
of the latter division, had been sent
along the opposite shore when first
landed, to cut off escape on that side.
A simultaneous attack was to take
place by both fleet and army. Our
batteries had all been placed in posi-
ton, and the enemy, alarmed, com
menced shelling every portion of the
army exposed to view. Their missiles
tell thick, and amLulances commenced
going to and fro. These carts with
red flags, soon become busy enough
hauling their loads. Just at noon the
gunboa!s moved up and went into ac-
ton. The firing was instant and ter
rifle, on both water and land. No fee
BILE bombardment and manaverino.
but joint outburst from both army
aud navy. The fort directed its fire
upon the fleet; the gunboats poured
their welcomes into the casemates.
The rebels hurled at our navy their own
nine-inch shell, captured two weeks
previously on the ''Blue Wing. Above
the fort the air was filed with dirt,
bars Of iron, and splinters. Vessels
were hit repeatedly, and occasionally
some huge shell would enter port
hole or penetrate wood, and burst in
side.
With the army, all our batteries
along its front were in action and the
musketry was incessant. The plain
was swept by canister and ball in ey-
cry direction, and shell came rapidly
and accurately from each rebel battery.
Behind their works at short intervals,
were placed field pieces. The horses
of these, and the rows of dodging
heads, were all that could be SEEM
Protected by their earthworks, and
possessing great advantage over us,
they fully appreciated it, and no por-
ton of flesh belonging to the Coniede-
racy was needlessly exposed. The
merciless pelting of bullets into our
ranks grew more rapid and deadly as
we slowly advanced. As for the artil-
lery, it could not be fired faster than it
had from the first. Our own batteries
did excellent execution, dismounting
one or two guns and Strengthening their
horses rapidly. The musketry proved
less successful, although half the line
was in action. The assailed exposed
one tenth of their body, the assailants
the whole; aud thus the dice which
death was throwing gave them odds of
ten to one. Fortunately the quarters
were not near enough to avail them
much. Had they been, The place
would now he dearly bought.
Gen. Thayer, as usual foremost
where duty called. had his favorite
horse shot under him. His brigade
was composed of the 4th, 9th, 26ih,
3Oih, aud 34th Iowa Regiments, and
the first Iowa Battery. Acting Gen.
G. A. Smiths brigade was warmly en-
gagged, and he also, while leading at
the extreme front, had his. horse shot.
The 9Th Missouri, which seems ever
present where gallant actions are con
cerned, had been pushed into the
hottest fire, well led be Lieutenant Col
onel Coleman (who was slightly
wounded). suffered severely. Five
officers were killed and disabled.
Lieut. Lee Morgan was shot through
the face. Capt. jameson, wounded in
the arm at an early moment, refused
to retire, and bravely led his men thro'