The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1863-02-12

Of the enemy's musketry and an OCCASION
al cannon shot or shell, aud being requir.
ed to lie close to the ground awaiting
the signal for a FINAL and desperate charge.
Generals Steele, Morgan, Tbayer and
Vandever passed along and reminded US
Of the past, and assured US Of the Ger
tainty of success, whilst each man
clenched his gun more firmly and resolv-
ed to do his duty at all hazards. All
ceased to talk and looked intently forward.
Nothing disturbed the ranks but the
shifting of men on the ground to allow
the wounded to be borne by to the rear.
The cannonading from the guDboats ap-
pearcd to be farther up the river aud op-
posite the fort and strong works. Their
shots began to pass to our right, and
sometimes, with those Of the enemy, over
our heads. Full twenty Eve minutes had
elapsed since the Generals admonitions.
Many of the batteries had taken new pc.
sitions nearer the works, and some had
passed to our rear and right, and now all
began to open as at a given signal. A
yell was heard to our left. As it was
given our men instantly spraug to their
feet, expecting the order to charge; each
glanced in the direction Of she yelling,
and wondered. The firing Of cannon was
no longer heard; and the cry Of "cease
fring!" was heard, caught up carried
along the line with the glad tidiDgs,
they have surrendered; ''they have
surrendered" and our shouts could but
feebly represent the unspeakable joy We
all felt. We waited here some time, and
then moved forward to the breastworks.
We passed many horrid spectacles on the
way. Upon reaching the earthworks
spectacle burst upon our
view. Here was, to all appearance,
grand amphitheatre, revealing prodigious
strength by the trenches and traversed
earthworks precluding the possibility OF
an entilading fire from any point outside.
But that which quickened the pulse was
the sight of the thousands of the enemy,
their arms, their munitions of war, all
ours Gen. McClernard in his congrat-
ulatory order to US says We hsve taken
900 prisoners, 5000 stand Of arms, 20
besides an immense amount of
camp and garrison equip.
page. TWAS truly glory enough for one
day; and we hope that in this dark hour
more hearts are glad than ours. We dis
posed Of the prisoners by putting them
On boats and sending them up the river.
[ cannot say what was done with the
taken, but We leveled the earth
works, burnt the cabins, rc.embarked on
he 14th, and are now in view of tho
own of Napoleon, at the mouth of the
Arkansas river, cutting wood for the
steamboats,, as VIC did before, and will,
~ this means, be enabled to run to some
'ther place as the country demands.
Jan. 18th, 1863.
We are still gathering supplies of all
that can be found on these plantations,
and there is any amount Of good things
in spite Of the cry of restitution that is
81 vfs II heard uOvus the soush. We md
any number of hogs, cattle, corn, poultry
aud Injuries in store in smoke houses,
cellars and pantries.
We never underwent more severe OK
posture than we have for the last four
weeks. We took with US scarcely any
camp and garrison equippage, as We we're
ordered to leave it behind before leaving
Helena. We have been having the Sc
severess Of weather, long continued rains
and chilling winds; We have stood and
been drenched for twenty hours at
time, and for the last three days We have
had several inches Of snow, and yester-
day and to-day the ice on ponds was near
two inches thick, and men were walking
or sliding over it. Even on the boats,
crowded as they are, the severity of the
weather is felt and the exposure is near
ly as great as it is upon the land.
Affec:ionately, Don.
rfl- On the 9th inst, in the Z. s.