Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-02-05

van Duren. from prisoners ana sOtH
er sources we learned that the rebel
force We had attacked consisted u. the
combined commands Of Marmadnke,
Porter, Green and Shelby, amounting
in all to about 1000. In this fight
We lost one Captain and two poncom-
missioned officers, killed, and / think
six men wounded. Our scouts soon
learned that the enemy was moving
by circuitous rout towards Harts.
vile, and our forces were soon put in
motion for the same place. 7Y.1T
They could travel tho fastest and
had considerably the start, but
had further to march, and the conse-
quence was both armies reached there
at precisely the same time-about III
O'Clock in the forenoon. Our infantry
forces went in the last two miles tu
the double quick, and formed on the
right and left of the artillery, close to
the town. The battle was Immediate
y opened by US with few shell.
The enemy responded few moments
with grape, and charged upon US along
the whole line. He was repulsed at
every point with great slaughter
Again he charged and again was
driven back in disorder. The rebels
now formed line on the opposite side
OF the town, and opened on us a brisk
fire OF musketry, the artillery duel in
the mean time being kept up with
lie. Our infantry and cavalry poured
an unceasing and murderous fire in
upon their ranks Several times the
rebels broke and fell back, but were
rallied by their officers with much
swearing and exertion. So close were
the two lines that we could hear every
order and word of command given by
their officers as distinctly as by our
own. This morning, fire continued
about three-quarters of an hour, when
a heavy force of mounted men dashed
down into town and charged with q
horrible yell upon our battery. They,
however, miscalculated the metal of
their foe. The direction of their ap.
proach subjected them to a cross.fire
OF the 99th Illinois and 2lst Iowa in
fantry regiments, both of which, when
they had approached near enough.
poured upon them shower of bullets
that caused their whole line to reel i'm
confusion. 1t was decidedly pleasant
to see the saddles empty and the hors-
es either fall or trot off without riders.
Many poor fellow never returned
from the charge. So completely were
the rebels routed in this bloody charge,
that they did not rally until they got
over the bill far beyond the reach Of
our FIRE. About this time the firing
on the right and left Of the 2lst Iowa
We held the center Of the line) ceas-
ed. We wondered at this fact, but
Lieutenant Colonel Dunlap told usthat
the other forces were only changing
their position, and would shortly come
again with renewed vigor, and that
we must increase our fire in order to
engage the attention of the enemy
while they were executing this move
ment. The 2lst renewed the fire
with enthusiasm. A short time after
wards, however, we learned that the
whole of our force, except our detatch-
ment, had withdrawn and were prob
ably retreating in the direction of Le-
banon. This left us in precarious
position--250 of us in front of 1000.
We bad received no orders to retire
all the rest, it seems, had. We also
learned, afterwards, that three order
lies had been sent to Col. Dunlap, or
dering him to fal! back on the Lebanon
road, and that two of these orderlies
had been shot, and the other had his
horse shot under him trying to- reach
us, SO hot was the fire where we were
formed. These orderlies failing to
reach us We were here left "all alone
in our glory" to fight the thing out
the best we could. Why backward
movement was ordered at tho time is
very surprising. The enemy had been
repulsed in every attack, and with
great slaughter We had not lost
single inch Of ground. That they
were not flanking is conclusively pro-
ven by the fact, that the twenty-first,
$50 strong, held their position for
three hours and half after the other
detachmeDts, with the artillery, had
gone from the field. II is well known,
too, that they had suffered terribly.
From every house in town came to
our ears the shrieks of the wounded
and dying. During the lulls in the
firing, the cries and groans, and moan
ing of their sufferers were heartrcnding
indeed, and made the place seem q
perfect pandemonium. We we're right
on the edge of the place, and could
distinctly hear the words Of their
wounded, when the noise of was battle
not too great, calling in piteous tones
for water" for "help," for Gods
sake not to shoot" &c. SC.
Near the close Of the battle, some
Of our boys took water to some who
seemed to be dying, and in two or
three instances. regret, for the sake
Of humanity. to say. that they were
fired upon by scattering rebels, who
still lurked in some Of the houses.
But | anticipate. Finding that the
tSot VI Oui iOICcS WeIc ItdIIy gone,
Colonel Dunlap determined to hold his
position until dark, and with. a view
OF preventing the enemy from discov-
ering our weakness, and the absence
Of most Of our army, threw the skir.
mishers to the right and left. TO keep
up a constant firing. This had the
effect Of deceiving the enemy. Three
times after this they charged the, CEN
tire in strong force, and each time
were nicely rcpulsed. We occupied
a strip Of underbrush, which ran
along the hill bordering the towp-a
very secure and impregnable posi-
tion to an attack from the front-and
hence the enemy could not tell pre-
cisely where We were until their line
approached within a few rods, ct us.
when the boys would spring up with
a yell which could only be cqualctl by
hell itself, and charged down the hill
upon him, every single time breaking
his ranks in confusion and with great
loss. An hour before dark much to