The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-01-17


cathedral organ swelIs intensified the smphi-
theatre OF hills is shaken the rush and crash and
whistle and storm Of sounds lap aud twine and
fold npon each other in terrible diapasons. The
elements seem to be warning. About ! Q O'clock
a slight breeze springs up, lifts the veil Of fog
and discloses the red fash of cannon, the break
ing Of shell, and the combstants gradually cease
their blind fury.
Our artillerists did WE'LL Many of them we're
struck with shells and splinters Some Of them
we're blinded and deafened and others paralyzed
by the bursting of the missiles close by their
heads. One battery of heavy guns on the right
of the creek. did splendidly, emptyiug three Gals
sons Of ammunition that morning Our shells
must have been damaging to the enemy, as they
could be seen bursting over the works very ac-
exploded. Soon after, the mosquito gunboats
on the old river added their quota to the grand
chorus of pandemonium. From o'clock, till
was an incesssnt roar of heavy guns.
THE ASSAULT.
About this time it began to be evident that the
charge was to be made. One column after an
other was pushed to the front. De Courcy with
his brigade was in front of the centre Blair with
his on the left, Thayer on the right Of De Courcy
and Burbridge on the extreme right. The plan
of attack was that the bills in the latter direc
ton should be first seized, and then powerful
charge made by the creek road, and united
effort made by Thayer, De Courcy, Blair. and
Stuart, to get up the ravine to get possessieh Of
the batteries which had fred so oil the morning.
Gen. Hovey's brigade and Col. Lsndrum's occu
pied the reserve.
There was slight pause, then the artillery
broke forth with redoubled fury; then there was
a cheer loud and long from our men,: We could
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of the ravine near the base. They Moved rapidly
up. A line Of earthwcrks about three hundred
yards before and above them was crested with
FIRE and smoke. They s!ackeD, and scatter. We
cannot see the abattis. but i. is there. Half of
them Chamber through, the cheer travels back
almost to the river. They are dropping back
blue coats swarm down the hill in regular lines.
Batteries to the right and left open where none
had yet spoken. '',a 90 40 sose
81 THE ENEHY's DERENsEs
1t may be discerned that, imagining the sides
and to represent the opposite wings Of an
opening rift in the chain Of hills on the ridges
and spurs of which the enemy had planted bat
terry after battery, the rebels had amply prepared
for . visit from this direction. Not only this,
but from the oase Of the bluff the Instructions
commenced. First came the formidable abattis
of willows, then the line of earthworks, out Of
which passes this winding road, which turns and
passes along the next line Of intrenchments in
the opposite direction, and thence on up the
crevice in the top of bluff Beyond the FIRST line
was mass Of felled timber, evidently cut last
summer. Behind this, again, was third line Of
trenches on either side Of the niche.
Beyond all these, right up the cornfeld, was
the advance OF our troops up to the third and
last line of Entertainments The flag of the 29th
MjasOuri ia nj pteH honooth tho 10 thov
take their leave because unsupported by the rest.
A cluster of willows is on Ere with belnfantry.
The ranks are thinned Batteries are opening
from every new nook and corner. Shell, canis-
ter and shrapnel are raining into the trenches
aud covered way by which our men seek to ad-
vance What wonder if they etagger and reel
and fall? 1t is pitfall, death trap, horrible
slaughter.pen! Few, ah few gain the forti6ca
tions, and then disappear. Brave souls, past all
help of surgery promoted from the ranks
A REPuLsI ID
The rest is soon told. The rebel masses come
in upon their TANKS. The lines behind the earth
works, which have been all day invisible, are
now splutteripg their lead at will. Our men,
raked by canister, furrowed by shrapnel, pierced
by musketry, have paught to do but fall pack.
A few of them in line, q part in disorder, they
rush into the slough and wade through it. The
dead and wounded are left. It was q brave but
desperate attempt The wonder is that one of
them has lived to tell the story. No men could
stand such murderous fire. Three hundred of
them are taken prisoners and marched up the
hill in. our sight. The enemy marched q mass of
dark-clad men down the nose of hill on the
left, and unsuspectingly our men took them for
friends. Further over, one of Aorgan's green
regiments favored the error and fred into one
~ rotr
disastrous, notifying and humilating in the
extreme! Not as much % pins worth gained,
and all this blood spilled Who has 90 blum
dered?
The attempt had failed. The rebels set up .
yell at our retiring regiments, and their bate
ries opened wicked FIRE of schrapnel and shell
upon them. Our own did their best, however,
but nothing could alter the fate. It failed 6rst,
because the place was naturally too strong; be-
cause it was too well defended; because the right,
instead Of charging, was not engaged until two
hours afterwards. In a word, it failed because
it was an impossibility. Bad generalsbip,
bad planning, and want of concert would shat
ter the hopes of any army in the world.
THE MoRTARs AT WORK.
During the day the Queen of the West was
again called into requisition to tow up two NOR.
tars to Haines' Bluff. The gunbost Louisville
accompanied the e1pe0ltlon. 0eVeEal e0OtS were
pitched right into the battery, making the rebels
run right and left. No attempt Was made to
seize the batteries, although but few rebels could
be seen. few tents are visible, but these are
deemed to be only show Of force. This 10 the
point which should have been seized At al bag
ards. 1t is the key to the supply of Grants
army, and if taken would have been complete
avenue TO the rear Of Vicksburg 4A5 re-.
TEE HEROHs OF TH4 HOUR. a7
We desire to put it upon record that the men
behaved admirably. They did their work, such
as it was, like heroes. Conspicuous among the
foremost we're these regiments every officer and
! private Of which was Engaged and deserve hon-
orsble mention: The 22d Kentucky, 18th Ohio,
4sh Iowa, 64tb Indiana, 2sth Missouri, 42d Ohio,
Slst Missouri, l6sb regulare, 18th Illinois They
are the head-rolls Of honor in this hsrd-fougbt
struggle. One OF these Ohio regiments, con-
tanning large proportion Of Germans, anxious
| to wipe out the stain which has been cast upon
| them, saked to be placed in front Poor nun,
how little did they know Of their fate.
Among the oRcers, Blair stands oonspiuous -
the lion Of the day. The soldiers engaged (who
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