The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-08-20
Omr Army Corresponding.

From the Army of the Frontier.
FoRT SCOTT, KANSAS Aug. 10, 1863
MEssRs EDITORS 1T was my intention
when left Fort Leavenworth to write you
should anything of importance occur. We
have had desperate battle, the particulars
of which I will give you. should have writ
ten sooner had not been pressed with bust
ness
On the 18th of last month, we left Gibson
at midnight, our army, being less than three
thousand strong, was commanded by General
Blunt; the rebs by Gen. Cooper. We ferried
over Grand River, got two hundred cavalry
dtwo howitzers and twenty-six pound guns,
and after marching thirteen miles up the Ar
kansas forded the river in face of the enemy S
pickets We then proceeded down on the
Sonth side Of the river, crossing at the mouth
of Grand River, with the intention of captur-
ing the enemy's outpost, but they had left.
The General then received information that
Cooper was on Elk Creek with six thousand
men, and would be reinforced next day with
three thousand more. We then ferried across
at the mouth of Grand river and at daylight on
the 18th we came up with their advance, and
drove them in, and then approached within
half mile of where they were formed in the
timber, on the north side of Elk Creek where
we halted to take lunch from our haversacks.
We could not tell where their artillery was
posted, but soon learned, as our wearied col
umn closed up.
The command was then formed in line OF
battle, the right wing commanded by Colonel
Judson with battalion of the 3rd Wis. Cav.
sin, the two mountain howitzers of the sixth
Kansas four guns of the Second Kansas Bat
terry, the first Colored Regiment, the Second
Indian Regiment, and the left commanded by
Col. Phillips, with a battalion of the Sixth
Kansas the Second Colorado and the first In
dian, and four guns of Hopkins Battery. The
fight soon became desperate. The batteries
did excellent service dismounting one of the
enemy's guns and capturing it. The infant
Try swept every thing before then until the
enemy was forced to fall back. A running
fight was then kept up for three miles, the
enemy making stand at every favorable
point being finally routed, leaving us in pos
session ofthe field.
The enemy lost two hundred killed and sew
enty wounded; thirty of whom were opera
ted upon by our surgeons They died, how
ever, on account of the extreme heat, and hav-
no no ice or cold water We lost ten killed
and thirty wounded we also lost four Indians
and one six mule team in crossing the river
to attack the enemy.
Too much praise cannot be awarded the
colored soldiers, for no men ever fought bet
ter The General himself says he never has
had as good soldiers under his command
They preserved their line perfect throughout
the whole engagement, and although in the
hottest of the fight, they never once faltered.
The Indians are the meanest soldiers | ever
saw They won't stand up like men, but
must do their fighting in the bush.
The location on which the battle was fought
was the headquarters of Gen. Cooper A large
amount of quartermaster stores fell into our
hands together with large amount of Com
missary articles 1t was brilliant victory
by less than three thousand Union troops ov-
er six thousand rebels entrenched in their own
position
But l will not scribble at great length
Should items like these, prove of interest to
you | will communicate again as events trans
pire, in this frontier country.
Truly yours,
JAMES r. ONEILL.