Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-12-04

80 y - + 4
LITTER FROM CAPTAIN SPEEIR.
EAST Posr, ALABAMA,
Nov. 4th, 1868. (
MEssRs. EDlrcRs I'VE marched from our
old camp near Cherokee Station on the Goth
Of Oetober towards Tuscumbia. AS the road
was very bad We moved but. slowly and at
day break, after marching four miles, we
found the rebels drawn up in line Of battle.
Our batteries opened upon them Immediately
andin thirty minutes our Division was in
line in front Of the enemy. Four men from
each company were ordered forward as Skin.
mishers. We had pretty fast fight for two
hours, when the rebels retreated.t We con-
tinucd to march in line Of battle through
brush and woods, and again found the enc
my ready for battle on Cane Greek, about
one and half miles from where they made
their first stand. Company B was then or
dsred forward to skirmish. Our position
was very dangerous one as We advanced in
an open field without any cover and directly
between the rebel battery and our own
Our shells were imperfect and many of them
burst around us. But we moved on slowly
and steadily, between the fires Of. friend and
foe, and in couple of hours the rebels again
retreated. In the two fights we did not lose
over twenty in killed and wounded. The
Corn Feds. lost fully as many, Company
| again came out safe, and every man per-
| formed his whole duty. One Of the boys
had the whiskers cut FROM the corner Of his
mouth, and others also had loud calls. D.
Kinsey shot rebel who was seen to turn
"tother end up" After marching again
about an hour We found the enemy ready
for US third time, on Bear creek The I'd
Division was marching close in our rear and
Gen. N. L. Smith asked permission to move
it forward and give the rebels battle. But
Gen. Osterhaas answered, I" No! no them
Iowa boys will give them hell" We had
just began to drive them nicely third time
when night closed the fight. After an hours
hard skirmishing next morning after break
fast, we cleared the field and about noon en-
tered Tuscumbia. The rebels nunlb ered be-
tween 1900 and 5000. .ls .. 4, ~. '*..t2 =
~, The population Of Tuscumbia before the
war was about two thousand. The country
around it is rich, gently rolling, and well
watered. We camped until next morning
near some large springs Of excellent water
near the village, and then marched back to
camp near Cherokee Station The rebels re-
turned nearly as soon as We did and hurried
us out of bed next morning at daylight by |
driving in our ipickets. Company B, Of the
3lst Iowa, and a company from each Of the
other regiments, were ordered forward as
skirmishers and to support the pickets until
Dur, Division could be formed in lire Of battle.
We gave them "the best in the shop" and
IN half an hour they were obliged to expose
The patch on the seat Of their breeches.-
they were determined that we should run
his time and fought like tigers, but they
soon found that we had not studied that part
If the tactics.'' In the last fight the loss
on our side was about dozen, and the rebel
oss considerably more Il. Overman, s.
Berry, L. Salisbury and G. Harrington, each
lam to have wounded rebel On the 30th
re marched at 6 o'clock A. N. for Eastport.
We had not advanced more than mile when
he rebels commenced firing rapidly upon
'ur rear guard, and about the same time it
began to rain heavily. Our train was fast
n the mud. Within sound of the teamsters'
rhips, teamsters oaths, braying mules,
'plashing rain and rebel guns we stood in
inc Of battle for two hours without anything
nut thoughts of home and fires yet unkin.
He'd to warm our shivering limbs. By and
~ our train began to move, and we followed
t, through beautiful, thin, yellow mud from
hree to fifteen inches deep. About o'clock
:. n. We halted to enjoy the privileges of
American citizens, to wit: sleep on rails or
IN the mud sit or stand; dry our clothes be-
ore rail fires or let them remain wet sup
per on "hard tack d" and water or not sup at
Ill. At 9 o'clock p. ~, on the 3lst we ar
rived at Eastport on the Tuscumba river
On the lst and I'd days Of November we
rested, and during the night of the End we
crossed the river on transports. TO morrow
We will move again for Bridgeport or Chatta-
iooga- The Tuscumbia at this point is a
beautiful stream. Its width is double that
IF the Cedar and at the present time it is
very deep. Nothing can be seen on either
side of the river but poor soil, hills and hol-.
lows. When we arrive at the end of our
Journey will write again. 4.H;s tae |
-.ass.' e@ l.runorrr1 r. p. sPEER.
p. ST. have written this letter while the
boys were cooking breakfast. 1t has been
written in hurry and you will please excuse
bad writing and many errors. aF na
N4-"..- % -
THE CHATTANOOGA BATTLES.
The late operations Of the united armies Of
Tennessee and Cumberland at Chattanooga,
have proven to be among the most successful
of the war; while at the same time they
present several most interesting examples Of
strategic maneuyers in the face of the enemy. /
The primary object Of the movement was 10
got possession Of Lookout Mountain, in order
to open railroad communication with Bridge
port. A second important object was to make
a diversion in favor Of Gen. Burnside, as by |
forcing Bragg to raise the siege and retreat,