Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-04-09
From Kentucky.
4AVAA AAOhIuVAy'
A BRILLIANT AND DECISIVE VICTORY


rebels have been driven out heller
SHELTER, and faster than they came,
and the door will be barred behind
them this time securely. The victory
of Gen. Gilmore at Somerset was bril-
liant and complete, and the rebels
fed broken rabble across the river
in such haste, that many of them were
drowned. Gen. Burnside is at Lexing-
ton. The war will be pushed with
vigor in his department.
A despatch from Lexington, April
Cd, says that Gen. Gilmore had arrived
there that morning The enemy mum.
boring 1900, were overtaken four
miles north of Somerset. After five
hours fighting the rebels fed, pursued
by cavalry, to the river. The rebels
lost fifty killed and nearly four hun
dred prisoners including twenty off,
GERS. We recovered 400 stolen cattle.
We lost ten killed and twenty-five
wounded. Our force numbered 1900.
General Burnside says the alacrity,
vigor and gallantry displayed by our
troops are highly commendable."
Thus it would appear that General
Pegram's long planned and boasted
invasion of Kentucky has ended in a
destructive and disgraceful defeat, to
the bitter disappointment Of the resi-
dent rebels. and the CONSERVATION Of
the Dragging Confederates who, at a
vast expense Of time, men and money,
have at last made but meagre haul.
A correspondent of the Chicago Trib.
une says:
Gen. Gilmore assumed command in
person, and left Lexington with the
determination to recapture the spoils
of the rebel expedition and punish the
audacity of the braggarts. Perceiv-
ing that they had converted retreat
into fight, he left the infantry and
pushed on with his mounted force con-
sisting of the LIST Kentucky cavalry,
Col. Wolford 45th Ohio cavalry,
mounted, Col. Runkle a detachment
of the 44th, mounted, under Major
Mitchell, and 7th Ohio cavalry, Colonel
Garrard, in all /, 200 men. Such was
the energy of the pursuit that, notwith.
standing the rebels had thirty-six
hours the start, they were overtaken
at Somerset.
As often as the rebels made stand
they were dislodged with shell. Within
twelve miles of Somerset, at buttons
Hill, in a very strong position, the
rebels drew up in force and planted
their bait cries, and here, about IL
o'clock, commenced the realbattlc.
Our line of battle was drawn up
with the batteries in the centre, sup
ported by the 7th cavalry Runkle,
with detachment of the 44th and 45th
on the left, and Wolford's on the right
The preliminary artillery fight lasted
one and half hours, dismounting one
Of their guns. The wings were then
ordered to advance-Wolford did so
mounted and Runkle dismounted-
and found it too hot but when the
enemy found him ont and commenced
Smelling him he threw aside all hest.
tation, and at the head of his men he
gallantly charged up the hill. The
rebels moved ont to meet him and for
an instant the line wavered, with the
batteries playing directly upon them,
shot and shell booming over them,
and leaden rain playing around them.
They paused only to take breath,
and with q shout they hurled their
column upon the advancing foe. Col
Runkle and his command behaved like
heroes.
At the same time, Wolford, on the
right, and Col. Garrard, in the centre,
charged, and the enemy broke in dis
order to their horses, under cover of
wooded hills. and fed pell nell through
the town. Capt. Stone, with detach-
ment of the 44th, was ordered forward
to encounter body of SCOTS and
Ashby's rebel cavalry, which were
here detected in flank movement
on Wolford Col Landers FASTENED to
and after short, sharp and
decided conflict, captured sixty pris-
oners. and put the rest to rout.
A detachment of Scott's men were ]
seen flying into the road, to cut off
Captain Stowe, when Gen. Gilmore, at
the head of his body guard, charged {
down upon them like whirlwind, I
and they turned off into another road
Gen. Gilmore and guard entered the I
town, and held it until the 44th and (
A5th regiments came up. The enemy
made another stand three miles below {
and were again routed.
Night came on and our boys were ex-
In the morning it was ;
found that the rebels had crossed the {
river during the night, in great confu-
sion, and more than one hundred, it is I
said. were drowned.
They planted a battery on the river, {
which was quickly demolished. We (
recovered four hundred head of cattle
at the river. Their loss, in killed
and captured. is nearly five hundred
fifty were killed. The loss on our
side is but thirty-fve in killed woun-
dcd and missing. The whole affair
is said to have been brilliant one.
A Surgeon. under a flag of truce, came
in our lines, after the battle, to search
for Gen. Pegram.
The failure of Banks to attack Pt.
Hudson was owing to the fact that
Farragut started his fleet at Night in.
stead of just before day light. eight
hours before the time agreed upon.
thus preventing Gen. Banks getting
artillery into position, to draw the
rebels from their entertainments. Gen.
erals Banks and Grover are reported
to have been within six hundred yards