The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1863-02-14

oN3he euperloflty Of ouf forces ID Inc nelo.
IThe 8OGh Iowa at ArkaDsaO Rose-Res
k'1-afi PERT OF Col. Abbott. -.
: ----HsADovAavIRs S07H Iowa IHyAHTRY,)
sp BRIG lsr DIv'x 1brH AlxY CoRPs,
Arkansas Posr, Ark, Jan. II, 1862
GxNIRAL: In compliance with your order Of
this date 1 herewith respectfully submit . de-
tailed account of the action Of my regiment in
the engagement Of the 18th Inst Not being
,mediately present with my Regiment during the
eneaRement Id consequences Of my serious Illness
at the time, take the liberty Of copying from
the report Of Lieut.. Col. VIM. n G. Torrence,
commanding in my absence, which trust you
viii fnd quite satisfactory: Ga - 80 ,ss
aAereesels to order have the honor 70 re-
port to you the part the regiment, while acs'ne
nnder nv command, took in the late battle OF
m. lltb. 1858 lftsr sdissngasing my troops
Of every thing Ia the way OF luggage wnicn
mirht IS Disposed ,of, by order OF Gen: ThayeI
gave direction TO follow close up By The right
lsnk Of the 4th Iowa Infantry, and 70 form line
of .hattla on ia left At 4 desigpated polnt II
praesicabls, and II not, 70 form line OF battle IN
its rtsr ana advance % 1t advanced and halt y
it halted, and in every move to act IN co1)unc-
ton with il But after striking tne double
quick. very soon found It Impossible to form
either on Il: left or rear, and halted my com r
mspd and allowed the, 4th Infantry TO file BY,
this being done instantly formed line of battle
and moved forward through the timber, over
logs and brush, % best could, until within one
hundred and Fifty or seventy-fve yards OF tho
enemy's breastworks, forming his extreme lett,
when came to an open space Of ground. Here
j halted, giving instructions to fire, lie down and
load and fre lying down, which they did for the
anace Of about three hours, during which time
they did but little more than silence and keep
silent some small artillery pieces planted by the
enemy at that part Of the breastworks, together
With the musketry in the hands of the enemy in
the rife pits. During said time no change OF
position was made, save one, when by flank
movement I shifted further to the right This
secured me q more strong hold OF the enemy {
left Here We remained until the order waa
given Ill along the line to cease firing, ae the
enemy had hoisted . white flag. After firing
ceased on the right the enemy rose up in crest
numbers from their rifle pits in full view. Twas
about moving my command forward, when 70 my
great surprise and notification, two OF my best
| line officers were wounded BY the enemy. viz
Can't. Wiley Burk, Co. l, in hand. and Lieut..
4 Alexander, of same Co., in the arm, neither Of
which 10 considered dangerous, and was thus
i engaged when Gen. Thayer, in person, directed
4 nv color guard to advance and plant our colors
upon the enemy's works, which was promptly
1 done. At the same time General Thayer gave
orders for the regiment to come inside the breast
| works and prevent struggling parties from re.
! treating BY his left rear. Soon after the entire
regiment was detailed to conduct the prisoners
up to and inside of the Notifications, where
General Sherman had then taken up his head.
| quarters. This latter duty proved more arduous
than it should have been, but for the tardiness
Of the regiment detailed by command OF General
kcCIernand, to be placed under charge Of Col.
Vance, of the 18th Illinois volunteers. who had
orders to, take charge Of the prisoners for the
night. II Was after midnight before the regi,
| ment was relieved. There is nothing further
| which deem my duty TO mention, save that
both officers and men generally acted well for
new troops.n a ,s s.a.f fe ,.i.sr sii.. .;.ssz
4 might mention With great propriety to you
| Z few striking instances Of cool and commend
| able courage displayed by some the men, they
having fallen under my immediate notice du-
ring the action; bnt forbear mentioning any
save one, and that is the case of James n. Smith
| private Of company c, asingle young man
not yet arrived at his majority, who has been
doing the duties Of Adjutant for some time past,
owing to the indisposition Of the Adjutant's
health. have been famillarlyl conversant
with him for the past two months, and find
him to be . young man of irreproachable
character, and one altogether deserving Of
public confidence his conduct on the battle
| Geld in the late engagement WAS such as to
secure implicit confidence in his courage and
ability and to justify the belief that he is en-
| tirely capable Of filing more important po-
sition than he now does. - aAs
| Annexed find s list Of tie killed and wound
ed. Hoping this will meet with your approval
l remain General your most obdient servrnt.
sy.s2sa t<@r CHARLES h. ABBOTT, s
| rs Col 80th Iowa Vol. Inf.
10 Brig Gen. JoHN N. THAYIR Com'dg Sd
Brigade, Let Army Corps, Army Of the Miss.
List Of the killed and wounded Of the 3Oth
LOVE infantry in the battle Of Arkansss Post,
Arkansas, January 1lth 1868. aas satsy zas
h Clendenning, sergt Major, bruised in
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