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

II 4
under him. He declares it Was the worst mas
sacre he was ever witness OF. Brave Col.
Fletcher was killed on the nights. Lieut.. Col.
Kirchner, Of the 64th Indians, went at the head
of his regimen. and was killed and left on the
field. Lieut. Col Simpson, Major Jaemsche,
Col Diester, Capt Hand, Lieut. Montgomery and
a few others whose names We could not learn,
met the same fate
+ THE Ar1ExPT ON The RIeHT
Al three o'clock cloudy sky began to lower
upon the scene. Only q scattering and uucer-
tain FIRE could be heard on the right. A. j.
smith had not come to time and now If ne at
tempted it be must fail, as the rebel reserves
could De transported to face him. Strange to
say no further effort was made on the left and
centre. Steele commanded furious onslaught
with artillery on the right, and a few volleye of
musketry up to o'clock we're all that could be
neard. Two roaring heavy guns from near the
top OF the blum could be seen giving . sweep.
ing crosehre to their efforta These pieces had
nred constantly al day and continued al night.
Inc q. tempt on the right gradually dwipdled in.
to nothing A drizzline rain commenced and
We left the field to call at the hospitals on our
way back to the boats
Our stragglers were fewer than usual, Some
OF the men after emerging from the charge we're
naturally indignant and even wept a. the thought
OF the awful ordeal from which they had escap.
ed, giving vent to extrAvagant charges of tres-
son, Jealousy, madness and folly in high places,
most of which may be put down to the anger and
excitement of the occasion.
TIE LOSSES.
Our losses could not be obtained last night
Only q rough estimate can be placed Oh it at this
hour. The slightly wounded within our lines
coming in FIRST. The reports are dreadful, some
companies and regiments literally decimated in
numbers Fifteen hundred in killed and wound.
ded would rather under than over estimate. We
heard several officers give from 900 to 5000
IS the loss The latter is unfortunately too like
~ to be the nearest guess.
Many OF our men were wounded early in the
day by shell, making dangerous wounds. The
shells in many cases plunged into the soft soil
we're frequently 10 the limbs the more severe
cases not having been brought eff
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. -...-.. ~
We have evidently made come improvements
in field hospitals and ambulance corps Weno
whose cases needed bat little help, leaving those
who needed stretchers to bleed to death behind.
This is heertless aud should be punished. The
ambulance corps worked steadily. The process
Of bringing in 900 or 600 in stretchers and
teams is q slow process We we're gladdened
to see the working Of q field hospital under DR..
Franklin, where the sufferes we're examined brief
ly before being reshipped to the boats. Such as
we're likely to endure the journey with safety
we're dispatched. Many rough smputations we're
performed and temporary dressing applied
Many lives we're thus saved and excessive hem
mortgages stopped. Three boats, one for the
wounded for each division we're appropriated
The J. ]. Roe being assigned to Steele's division,
the Won Phul to korgan's and the Memphis to
Smiths About 200 had been brought to each
boat BY nightfall. s f sst.sr..
CHssATIoN-TRUCI. ,
The showers descended freely. The soil soft
ened into clay. Wheeling became impossible
Our forces took up their lines Of the previous
night planted batteries in position and made
themselves as comfortable as they might with
neither blankets or tents. Luckily the temper
ature was mild. For although it is now near
New Years the weather is like that of May, the
grass sprouting and underground and trees IN
folding their leaves.
What of the poor suffering ones on the field
unheeded by either party? The falling rain
moistens their wounds, and perhaps their
thirst at the same time that it chills the ebbing
tide of blood Of many others.
A flag Of truce, it is said, was sent to the
advance three times during that night, but was
fred upon. Wonderful to relate, the next day
and the next passed without truce. Not
until Thursday, the FIRST day of the year, was
any attempt made on our part to bury the
dead. At noon to-day Lieutenant and two
Surgeons went to the open side Of the hill and
under the white flag waited until the burying
parties broughtinto our lines about hundred
of our unburied dead. Almost without an ex-
ception they had been robbed and stripped
Boots, coats, and in some cases even pants had
disappeared. What miscresnts had done these
deeds? The rebel officers say I" negroes" but
We doubt it. It is alleged by them on the field
that our men were nearly all shot squsrely
through the forehead, and in some cases
their faces blsckened with the powder
fash, exciting the horrible suspicion that they
had been foully shot and murdered by these
despicable robbers.
RETALIATION. 20
The officer who received their flag conveyed
also the regrets of the General commanding at
Vicksburg at hearing that our flag had been
fred upon, and said that it must have been
owing to the diminishing then going on to the
right. This is probably the truth Of the
matter, but Why was no attempt made until
to-day?
They admit their force 40, 600 strong.
The rebels also declare that from this day
forth al officers falling into their hands will be
shot and al privstes put to work on fortifca-
tions, % retaliation for the incendiary Proc
lsmstion Of the President. This, Of course,
with Uuch else they said, Was mere bully
Raging and not to be relied upon. The re.
spouse Of officers and men, however, 10 unsni-
mously that they are willing to accept the
terms and give them. We believe that 70 soon
% this war is made an earnest one then NAV
We hope for speedy end. The rebels could
do 10 no greater service than to hang . mum.
Der of those graeeless scamps who are surren.
dering without fighting. i.t:, -
CHANGE OF Plans.
The present indications are that new plan
Of attack will be adopted at once The sooner
the better, for no one seems to understand
what We are driving at. 1t 10 little wonder
that We are unable to take the plsce BY storm
with an army NO larger than that behind the
earth walls Of Vicksburg, where one man is
equal to four. Besides, hitherto there has
been no co operation Of any account from the
feet. Nor gun has been fred from the Mis-