The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-07-23

three miles back. All of the am balances
was sent out this morning with an escort to
bring 10 the wounded. We had cavalry
scout out yesterday about miles, they re-
port the entire rebel army as being on the
retreat as fast rs their legs will carry them,
they come up with their rear guard which
consisted of Q pieces Of cavalry regiments
Our boys fred on them and they took to
their heels as fast Us their 'horses could
carry them. They say tina: their dead and
wounded are strewn all along the road as
far as they went, and the ground covered
with their blankets that they had thrown
away in their retreat. We have found and
carried between five and six hundred Of
their dead, and sent ss2 prisoners up the
river the same day Of the fight, and have
something over two hundred down in town
in the guard house now, making in all
about 100 prisoners, about sixty of which
/ understand deserted and cometo ou'
lines. eez s.f
They say that this will completely demon
alize old Prices army as he had made them
a speech and told them that the 4th was tc
be final day with them, that they were
going to attack all over the United States
on that day, and if they got whipped it was
to decide the day, and if they WHIPPED US i
would also decide the day in their favor and
promised them that if they would take Hell
ena, that they should be discharged and &c
home Immediately. He also told them thai
they could easily charge on Helena and
take it with fifteen minutes fighting
"Now," say they, "He has deceived US and
we are most shamefully whipped" They
also say "If we had have known you were
all Iowa troops we never would have tried
to come in" And after their charge was
checked on the left and we were skirmish.
ing with them driving back their advanced
Sharpshooteis, one Of them was heard ia
hollow "'Tis useless boys, we have Iesod
troops to fight here" Such is the name Of
Iowa, She not only receives the praise ol
our own side but the name strikes terror tc
the rebels. aaF
They say that Price promised them big
dinner in Helena, and also that he would
give them Fourth oflJuly Speech in Fort
Curtis. 1t seems that they were just as
certain Of taking the place before the attack
as though they were in actual possession.
Our Company lost nary man. killed
wounded or missing. The regiment had
one killed and six missing. The Goth Iowa
had about 80 killed and wounded, the SD
Iowa lost about 80 killed and wounded
Ashbury Buckner of the 33d was killed
Shot through the head and killed. instantly
He is James Buckners' son.
| was on picket, on one of the advance
posts. was in. charge of the post of men
besides myself, it being the post where the
first gun was fired on that end of the lines.
The timber being very thick around the
post, the rebels got up in about fifty yards
of us before we knew anything of their com
ing. The first thing knew Of them was
when they shot down my Sentinel who
was placed about 80 PAGES in advance Of
the main post, fnding that they were in
force, l ordered the other five men to fall
back and take care of them selves and
would do the same. / fell back and re.
treated down hollow under cover of hill,
thus keeping out of their sight until / got
about loo yards from them, when had to
either come out in plain sight or stand and
be taken prisoner. preferred the former
and took to my heels as soon as come cut
in sight they let in at me, the balls few
thick about my ears and spated the gro und
all around me, but in about fifty yards
come under cover ofthe next hill and got
away safe, and soon met the right wing Of
our regiment, joined my company and turn
ed back to meet the devils. The other boys
being more excited, and less ythoughtless
than myself undertook to retreat down the
ridge in full view of the rebels, the result
was that three more of them either got kill
ed or taken prisoner, while only 8 out Of z
of us made our escape. That incident
shows that am good on retreat if moth
ing else. But had I remained at the post
one half minute longer would either have
been killed or taken prisoner, which think
was very narrow escape. I went out on
picket on the morning of the third, and
didn't see camp any moro sin about -
o'clock ofthe 9TH. We only remained in
camp about three hours when the signal
gun was Aired, the alarm given a long roll
beat and the regiment formed into line and
marched TO the old battle ground Of dag be-
fore we took our position. and waited the
attack. At about Z p. m. it commenced
raining and rained very hard for about
an hour and hall, we remaiasd there
all night and until 10 .. m. of the 9th. A
scout was sent out and they had all left,
our spies had seen them falling into line
and mistook their preparations for an ad.
vance when they were really preparing to
retreat. The deserters and wounded rebels
say that there were three or four thousand
women following up the army, for the jubi-
lee over the fall Of Helena, that Was one OF
the best jokes of the whole affair. Il sup
pose they expected to get chance to plum
der the stores and groceries, and supply
themselves with what necessarics they 90
much need. The rebels were clothed very
hard, ragged harversacks were filled with