The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-10-03
THE BATTLES OF CHICKA.
MAUGA.
Desperate EngagementS on Sat.
urday and sunday.

uTU0y anu SuASA"ys
A few miles riding brought us SO far
enough on the way that we began to get
glimpses of that stream of wreck, debris,
mingled life and mangled humanity which
always flows from a battlefield. For a
time we asked the news of each one We
came to, and the replies filed us alternate
ly with sorrow, with indignation, with Keen
apprehension and with hopes. rs...
One said the battle hadr been gong on
several hours, and our arms had met with
disaster along the whole line. =!
Another declared that although unsuc-
cessful at first, our troops at length recov-
cred their ground, and were now driving
the enemy. |su .oI'"4
Here comes single soldier coversd with
dust and sweat. Let us question him. -
"Where do you belong?o ITO the Regu-
lar brigade" "Has it been engaged this
morning?' 81 should think it had. -
"With what result?" SIT was nearly all
cut to pieces" (which regimenti is yours?"
s'The 10th United States Infantry" did
it suffer much?" "Oniy thirty or forty OF
its members are left .s.
Here is a man with an arm roughly
bandaged and very bloody. The blood
has dried upon it and hangs to itin great
black clots. "Who are your, "Private
-, of the 3sth Indiana.' "What news
have your "Bad news enough" "Has
your regiment been in the fight?" "lf it
has not no one has" ''With what result?'
One-third of it's number are killed and
wounded "Were you whipped" sour
brigade was left unsupported, overpowered
by numbers and compelled for time to
give way SIS Colonel Scribner safe?'-
$50 far as know, he isl 'lfu
Another, with CHASTITY wound in the
head has upon his jacket the red stripes
which show him to be an artilleryman.-
"WhoA battery do you belong tor" Cum
ithers.'' "Why, that is the regular bate
ry belonging to Gen. Kings brigade; what
has it been doing?'' at has all been taken
bv W the enemy" ..Can that be possible ?'
sit is, but l have heard since that it was
retaken." "How came it to be losH"-
"The infantry supports gave way, and the
horses being nearly all killed, OF course the
guns were captured.
The stream grew stronger and stronger.
Stragglers were run over by wagons DASH
ing back towards the rear. Ambulances,
filed with wounded, came in long process
sion from toward where the battle was rag
ing. Men with wounds of every imagina-
BILE description, not affecting their locomo-
ton, came staggering by on foot, and
their lower limbs, hobbled slowly on
through binding masses of dust, which at
times concealed everything from view. .t
At length we reached the hospital for
Gen. Brannon's division. The house had
already been filled. The out-houses had
been brought into requisitien, and large
numbers of sufferers had been lying on the
ground in the yard. In one corner was an
operating table. beneath which lay the
usual quantity of legs, arms hands, feet,
fingers and toes. Here and there among
the wounded were some cold and stiff, the
seal of death upon their countenances.-
These had died after being carried to the
yard. ~,
During all this time the roar of battle in
front of us never ceased for a moment, and
now we began to get authentic intelligence
of the progress and incidents of the fight.
The flame of battle had first broken out
upon the extreme left, where Gen. Bran
mans division was posted. The troops
composing it behaved most gallantly--some
of the regiments had covered themselves
with glory; but they were compelled to re-
tire at length. leaving uncovered the left
flank of Gen. Baird, upon which the enemy
at once threw himself with great force. :,
The brigade commanded by Col. 3: r:
Scribner; 3Sth Indiana, one of the very first
in the army, was left particularly exposed,
as its right flank had been somewhat too
far advanced, where it had taken position
in the morning. Almost before its pickets
were driven in, it found itself literally sur
rounded by thrice its numbers, who came
on with their Internal yells, pouring volley
after volley of deadly bullets into the very
bosom of this gallant brigade. For mo-
ment it was thrown into confusion, and
that moment sufficed to place the rebels
upon its front, flanks and rear. But 1t was
not destined to surrender, The I'd, 33d, and
oath Ohio; the 3sth Indiana, the 10th Wis
consin, and Loomis' Battery are composed
of the best material in their respective
States, and their commander, Scribner,
had succeeded in infusing into them his
own magnanimous and gallant spirit
Gathering together their broken ranks un-
der the internal fire which every instant
Iii 1~ps,
heroic leader. they charged the dense le-
gions surrounding them, and, like whirI-
Wind in a forest tore their way through.
Rut. alas! the guns of the immortal lst
Michigan battery were left behind-those
black stern looking rified cannon, each
one of whom had come to regard with a
failing of almost reverential awe, because
mon y dozen battlefields had seen them
Ninginp destruction into the ranks of trai-
tore and never knew them once turned
auainst a legion Of my country's enemies
which they did not scatter like leaves be-
fore the blast. Even in the opinion OF the
rebels themselves, Looms mad maze THESE
guns invincible. Ihey were commahdeo
now by a young man who, possessing ma
turally the noblest qualities, had thor
onghly learned the lessons of his teacher
and promised to prove most worthy sue
cessor, even to Loomis hlmseif-Leut; var
Pelt. Van Pelt loved his pieces with the
same unselfish devotion which ne mani
tested for his wife. In the desperate con
fict which broke around Scribners bri
gade, he managed the battery with muct
dexterity and coolness, and for some mo
ments rocked the very trees over the heads
of the rebels by the fiery blasts from bis
guns. But his horses were shot down.
MANY of his artillerists were killed ol
wounded. The infantry supporting him
had been compelled to turn and cut thell
way tJ,rouuh the enemy and horde O
traitors rushed up to the muzzles of the
now harmless pieces. Van Pelt, almost
alone, stationed himself in front of them
and drew his sword. ''Scoundrels," said
he, "dare not to touch these guns!' The
miserable barbarians, unable 10 apprecI'