Nebraska advertiser., 1863-01-03

twenty we'll named Rebel guns and re-
minded one of the expiring strokes of an
engine when the steam is about exhaust
cd, while the clear tones Of shs Rebel
Artillery betokened confidence of a speed
victory, Bot the Kansas Division arrived
on. the field, a. full charge. at 8 o'clock
Rabs Battery wheeled into position on
the Rebel left and the dismal scream of
the shells from his six Riaed guns
changed the aspect Of the fight
Capt. Hopkins Battery of four guns,
which we captured from tho Rebels at
Fl. Wayne, promptly wheeled into posi-,
sion on the left of Rabbs Battery, and
it, TOO, began to send its terrible messen-
gers Of death into the grove in which tRe
traitors had taken post on a slight emln-
ence, making their position one of great
strength, while we occupied some open
farms on lower ground. Aliens Battery
of Parrot guns took position further to
the Rebel left on our right, and also
opened a terrible FIRE. Al this time a
general advance was made by all our
forces and General Heron's Infantry, for
the purpose of ~dislodging the enemy
from the woods, one of the most desper-
ate and unequal struggles ever witnessed
or this Continent and I'fancy, on any by
the same number of men. The inces-
SAINT roar. of m~usketry the dismal moan
ing sound of shell; the shrieks Of the
wounded all combined 10 make one of
The grandest, as well as ONT Of the most
awful scenes conceivable. The Infantry
alone proved too weak 10 drive the Reb-
els out of the grove ; our Regiment was
then dismouuted and joined the Infantry
in the bush, and we were ordered tohold
u position which we did in the face of
an awful fire until about sunset. 1t
seemed to me that there was not possibly
room enough at any point for a man to
stand and not get struck. There is not
Atree or bush that is not perforated with
a ball and some with wenty3 yetGompa'
ny &c" stood their ground and not one
man wounded, One of our men, Yelkin
Of muddy, who assisted our howitzers,
was. slightly wounded ID the breast
About sunset, our men were ordered out
Of the woods, when-tbe Rebels advanced
out Of the woods for the hrst time, and
charged our Batteries in very heavy
columns, but we opened upon them with
grape and canister and moved them down
like grass sending them bowling back to
their hiding places in the brush, darkness
soon after this closed the slaughter, when.
we bivouacked on the field ready 10 re.
new the contest in the morning.
But about eleven O'Clock P. M, Hind
man sent in a flag Of truce asking an ar
nislice for IS hours for the purpose of
burying the dead and taking care of the
wounded, General Blunt replied that he
could not grant so long a truce as he was
ready 9toc renew the contest in half an
hour. Hindman said he thought that a
truce woald be beneficial to either army
and proposed TO Blunt that after the
truce shey each select 5000 men and de,
eide the contest inan open field and also.
stated thathe did notwantto be understood
as, begging a truce, Blunt replied that
if he would go out into an open field he
would meet-6s000 with 5000 and decide
the contests Is * After some more loud talk
Blunt consented 70 a truce of ten hours,
which Hindman made use Of 10 retreat,
instead Of taking care Of his wounded,
and ere the time expired Hindman was
making tracks towards the sunny South,
leaving US in possession of the field and
two thousand dead and wounded men of
his to take care Of. Sixty of their wound
ed died the same night, many for, the
want Of attention. Our loss in killed
and wounded is about 800, our forces
engaged were about 1000. They told
me thai 10000 was a small estimate Of
the enemy's force. On yesterday the.
second day after the fight, | visited all
parts Of the field. The dead were gath
cred in heaps all along their lines which
were about 3 miles in extent some with
their faces BACKED and mutilated, having
met 9theiE death by the explosion Of the
terrible shell some with their limbs torn
off and rhdtiIated in all parts Of theibo5dyg.
i then went to 4 farm house where lay
200 wounded rebels, and may Heaven.
grant rant that hat I : may peyeF. be cOmPeIled TO,
witness another such q scene, Their
,General bad left the poor victims of
Southern delusion with nothing to ssatiate
their hunger. They begged for somea
thing to, eat, L gave all l had with me,
andnI could not repress the involuntary
tear at the sight of such a vast 4aRmobnt