Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-01-29

rise the Infantry became engaged again,
and the sharp rattling of rio firing broke
In upon the cannonading. We now re-
ceived orders to move forward. Our
men quickly took their places in rank,
when we moved toward the spot where
the other troops were engaged. When
near our battery, which was then engaged.
we were ordered back by General Morgan
to take position further up the bayou,
to preYent the enemy from crossing over
and thanking us. This was quickly exc
cutcd, and here it was that Col Frencl,
first exhibited that colness in forming
his line of battle in the face of the enemy
which was so much admired on several
occasions subsequently. We did not
hold this position long when we were or
dered back to support Fosters LIST Wis
consin Battery, which was then closely
pressed by the enemy, who had advanced
part OF his forces, as we supposed, with
the view to take it. Our line of battle
was formed Immediately behind the bat
terry, where we were ordered to lie down,
for by this time the enemy's shells fell
thick and fast around us. One fell with.
in a few feet of Capt Downing and his
Second Lieut.. Jones, but it did not ex-
plode, and done no damage. We did
not remain long in this position when
we were ordered back cross the bayou
alb we where we then were, move forward
through thick woods, and attack the
Rebel battery which was then playing
on our regiment and battery SO liercely.
We did not countermarch or change
TANKS in moving back, but our Colonel
ordered us to march by the left flank
This move exposed us less to the cannon
aiding than any other we could have made.
We passed General Morgan and staff on
horseback as we moved towards our
crossing. lie said "attack and take that
battery, boys, and the day is ours an
other brigade will come to your assist
ance." As soon as we had crossed the
bayou and closed up our ranks, Colonel
French formed our regiment in line OF
battle, A line OF skirmishcrs-Captain
Downng's company--werc now thrown
forward, commanded by Lieut.. Eberhart.
Our whole regiment now moved forward,
hating two or three times to correct any
disarrangement of tho line caused by
mnrching through the thick woods. We
had not moved moro than three or four
hundred yards until our skirmishers be-
came engaged. This had continue but a
short time when a sharp fire Of rifles on
our right. 1t came from the 40th Indi-
ana which had been formed there by Col.
sheldon. As soon as this fire opened
our skirmishers made flank movement
to the left, clearing our front, and our
whole line opened. We were not more
than 50 or 50 yards from the enemy 5
Has staff, which was plainly visible. The
Rebels, as soon as we opened, rose up
from behind the embankment Of the
bayou and poured several sharp volleys
into us. The balls for short time flew
fast. Their artillery sent sevcval shots
through the woods at MS, but they fired
too high, the balls passing over us. We
kept up our firing, Col. Sheldon after
wards told Us, over 80 minutes. The
Rebels then concealed themselves behind
the bank Of the bayou in their rifle pits
While we were engaged, to Us who had
revcr been under fire before, it was a
Stra gely exciting scene. The boys acted
/ like veterans, loading and firing with all
the energy in them Col. French walked
along close to where my company was
posted, appearing as cool as when we
were drilling at Camp Mansfield. 4 = Il
One Of my men, Charles Merit, was
wounded close by me he was shot in
tho hand. The thick woods we were sit
uated in protected lis very much other
wise, we would have suffered severely. .-
We had only two killed and thirteen
wounded. AS soon as we had ceased
firing we were ordered to lay down
whore we were and hold our position
until Generol Blair's troops came and re-
llered us at dark. Oar regiment then
recrosSed the bayou, and encampcd in a
piece of woods about mile from the
Rebel lines. Here we lay upon our arms
until daybreak on Monday morning, Dee.
29th. Soon after daylight our batteries
opened again upon the Rebel lines. Early
IN the day our regiment received an order
from Col. Sheldon to form in line Of
bat!le and move forward. This was
quickly done, and we marched forward
to the support of the 9th Iowa battery,
which had taken position during the
night on the right of Fosters lst Wis
consin battery, attached to DeCoursey' IS
brigade. In the afternoon we occupied a
position Immediately to the left of the
Iowa battery and on line with it, (be.
tween that and Foster's). The Wiscon-
sin battery was in position Immediately
to our left. There we lay flat upon the
ground-the enemy's shells flying thick
and fast over and around us. The trees
were shot through and cut to pieces all
around us, Most of the shells flew over
our heads. One struck tree Just over
the head of Capt Mckinley, fell among
his men and wounded several Of them. -
Our Colonel now advanced a heavy line
of sklrmishers, under command of Lieut.
Ebcrhart, and engaged the Rebels in theil
rifle pits and behind their entrenchments
But few, however, would show theil
heads they could not be brought into
the open field The cannonading con
tinuod until dark and during the Who'll,
night shell was thrown by the Rebel.
every half hour This shelling done nj
damage to us, except to annoy our CAM
and cause the whole regiment to move
two or three times. One shell, however
fell among my company 1t struck with
in few inches of Gideon Musscr's leg
threw dirt freely upon the boys, but for
tunately did not explode. 1t would hav,