The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-06-11
FROM THE Army.

J
l have not written to you since left
Milliken's Bend, one month ago, ~ there
has been no chance to send letters. ]
will therefore skip the intermediate time
up to the l4th, the day On which the bat.
tie of jackson was fought. On the night
Of the 18th we camped at Clinton on the
Vicksburg and Jackson railroad, nine
miles from Jackson. The next morning
VIC started early on the road to Jackson.
A hard rain during the night, made the
road very muddy and slippery. Our sd'
vance was necessarily slow, as We had to
keep line of skirmishers ahead all the
time. About four miles from Jackson
We found the enemy advautsgeously post
ed on some hills and along strip Of tim
Der. To attack them We had to advance
across the open field for nearly mile,
and directly 10 the FIRE Of their batteries
that kept opening On Us Is fast as we
came 10 range. Their batteries were
masked by the timber and coulc not be
discovered only as they opened FIRE on
Us. As fast as their batteries were un-
masked our artillery got into position and
LXanuvuadIDg began III earnest The
line of battle being formed We advanced
to the top of the hill, and 81 we neared
the east Of the ridge the action became
general. Our brigade was on the left Of
the federal line aud opposed to the enc
my's right. The firing ip the center now
became very sharp, when the 18th Iowa
made charge on the enemy's line,
breaking it and driving them in consid-
cradle confusion. The rebels soon broke
in all directions and left US very much
surprised, as we had anticipated a big
fight, and instead Of that the battle was
hardly begun before it ended. We i'm.
mediatsly pushed on and drove the scoun.
drels out Of Jackson capturing 16 pieces
Of cannon, large amount of ammunition,
&c. and taking quite o number Of prison
ers That night We bivouacked in the
suburbs of the town, the town that they
we're never going to surrender only with
their lines. Gen. Joe. johnson was in
command of the forces; he arrived the
night before the battle, direct from Rich.
mond. Several regiments arrived from
Charleston and marched out to the bat
tlefield anticipating an essy victory. Op-
posed to US was the 46th Georgia and a
South Carolina regiment, both direct from
Charleston. The South Carolinians were
dressed in our uniform. But very few
prisoners were taken from this latter reg
iment. These regiments had been in
nearly all the eastern battles, and this was
the first time they encountered western
men and they were as much astonished
at the battle as ourselves. On being
asked why they didn't fight better, they
replied, eve never seed SIGH men; why,
that ar fire We guy you would hev held
a brigade of Yankees in check all day;
but youens never stopped but jist kept
cummin' and if venus hadn' got cut OF
the way you'd jist run over u.s." Our
loss in this engagement is slight; but one
in company A-Corporal C. w. Mitchell,
slight flesh wound in leg. On the 18th
we started for Vicksburg and marched
Is miles. During the battle of the l4th
the rain poured down all day, and it was
hard to tell which made the most noise,
the thunder or the artillery. On the 10th
we again started and met the enemy at
Champion Hills. Gen. Hovey's division
was in advance and engaged the enemy
about 10 a. III. As soon as the booming
Of the cannon reached US We were hur-
ricd up to the front, and as soon as the
line was formed we were ordered to "go
. in as the rebels had turned the left
wing and were driving our men before
them, with great slaughter. The Sd
brigade was now ordered to charge the
rebels at double quick, and in we went
charging through the flying columns
of our own men, down the hill, across
the hollow and up the opposite side
in the face Of the hottest fire that
was ever known. As We reached the
top OF the hill We poured in fire that eff.
fectually checked the butternuts, for about
twenty minutes they stood it like heroes
and tried in vain to break our line OF
force us back, when they withdrew from
in front of US and passing to the left at
tackled another regiment and drove them
back, thus turning our left flank. W.
were now ordered to fall back so as tt
prevent being surrounded; We fell bacl
about 200 yards and formed another line
The rebels now made another attempt +
break our line but met such q FIRE a
forced them to retreat. We now adyanc
ed on them and drove them until on
: ammunition gave out, when We were OF
dered to fall back and I'll up. As 500
as we fell back the rebels advanced, b,
the artillery opened on them, when the
skedaddled and left US masters of tn
e field, one Of tho bloodiest in the West
Q The 9th went into the fight with 80
= men, and lost 1913 killed and wounde,
none missing. This shows the 9Th dor
their duty, and done it nobl,. The ca
ualtles of company A are, killed, Jam,
t, }. Anderson, Henry Clements, Robert
0 Farrell; wounded, Sergt G. w. Loga,
severe flesh wound, leg, Corp. Wn
. Hawk, breast, dangerously. Corp. W. H
Morrow, arm, slight, Corp. Uriah Sellecl
face, severe, private Alex. Brown, lie.
$ severe flesh wound. John Stunt oh,