The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-05
GEN. SMITHS BATTLES NEAR
TUPELO, MISS.
Letter from an Officer Of the
Seventh Minnesota.
Col. Marshall and Sergt. Lancaster
Catching Bullets.
APPEARANCE OF THE BATTLE
FIELD.

The first report of q battle is usually eXag-
gerated. 1t is either very great victory or an
overwhelming defeat Our troops have been
cut to pieces, or they have sustained but tri-
fling loss. There was no exception to this
rule in the case of Gen. Smiths late raid into
Mississippi. On returning from Tupelo, flushed
with victory, and laden with the spoils of war,
(namely, q couple hundred of contrabands, a
few sheep and swine and cattle, and very few
horses leaner than the Confederacy itself) we
learned, to our utmost establishment, that We
had been defeated by Forrest, with a loss
of six thousand men. This report corrected,
was followed by another, that we were the vic
tors instead; that we had utterly routed Forrest
that we had killed, wounded and captured four
thousand of his men; and that we had cap
tured part of his supply train. This was
nearer the truth, but required some modifca-
ton. l do not propose a correct statement of
our losses and gains. That will be given in
the official reports. But we know to q Ger
tainty our own losses, and as we remained In
possession of the field, after the battle of the
14th it was an easy matter to count the dead
Of the enemy. We are sure that they lost five
to our one What was really captured consists
of fifty-six prisoners, a larger number of rebel
wounded, two flags, and one of the guns taken
from Sturgis.
The fight commenced on the 18th. A rebel
force of four brigades opened furious fire on
our trains from the woods and bushes on the
right of the road. The writer hereof had filled
his canteen at well by the wayside, and got
under tree, waiting for his regiment to come
up. There was cabin near by, in the vicinity
OF which hundred or more stragglers were
lolling in the shade, unconscious of the leaden
storm that was about to burst upon them.
Suddenly the air was filled with whizzing mes
sengers of death, and roar like the crash of a
falling forest. The stragglers got off in dou-
BILE quick. Your correspondent fell back in
good order to his regiment, which at the time
was ordered to charge into the chapperal and
dislodge the foe. The sight of cleaning bay
onets was too much for the rebs and they fled,
leaving six or seven killed, and our men mas
tiers of the field, some of whom, it is said on re-
liable authority, commenced gathering black
berries, which are here found in rich abund-
ance.
The eth lost one killed, Sturgeon L. B. Smith,
and four wounded, The enemy were for q
time silenced, but soon commenced shelling
the town from hidden battery. They had
perfect range of the road and fired with great
rapidity. 1t was their evident aim to cut the
train in two and prevent the latter part from
reaching the encampment, and finally to cap
ture it. In this design they utterly failed. Our
men marched briskly through the storm of
iron, bowling reverently as the shells shrieked
above them, or lodging as they flew through
the ranks. Our loss, considering our expo
sure was not heavy, and we reached camp in
good time and condition.
On the morning of the 14th, the battle pro-
per commenced. Our pickets were driven in,
and the whole rebel force moved upon our
lines, which were drawn up ready to receive
them. The word was given
'Leaden rain and iron hail,
Let their welcome be-"
The clangOr of small arms was followed by
the roar of cannon, and for three hours the
battle ragged, after which the rebels ceased fir
ing and fell back, leaving their dead and
wounded in our hands.
During the battle the 9TH Minnesota, with
the other regiments of the Sd Brigade made
successful bayOnet charge. Officers and men
behaved with GOODNESS and great courage. COL
Marshall. while waving his hat, caught bull
let in it, which was too nearly spent to go
further This feat was more than rivalled by
Sergeant Lancaster, OF Company X, who caught
a bullet in his teeth. am sorry to add that it
made an ugly wound in his cheek, though for
tunately not of dangerous character
In this action the Seventh Minnesota lost
seven men killed-good men and brave SOL
diersr They were buried, with the exception
of Henderson, in one grave not far from the
spot where they fell.
The Sd brigade was by no means the only one
| engaged; but the principal losses were in this
brigade, as they bore the brunt of the battle.
The regiments composing the brigade are the
SD Wisconsin, the 18th and 35th Iowa and the
eth Minnesota. The cOlored troops fought
CALAMITY, and were never once beaten The
artillery, of which there were several batteries.
was handsomely managed. The cavalry also
performed their part we'll In fact there was
not regiment on the field that behaved I'M
wOrthily.
Almost every part of our lines had been at
tackled and everywhere the enemy had been
repulsed. Every part of the encampment had
been under fire, either Of musketry or cannon,
and bore sad evidences Of it, There lay the
dead or dying steed, his li.cr perchance pulse
less beside him. There lies, as if in q gentle
slumber, all that remains of our brave COlone
Wilkin. Beside him lies the lifeless form of a
slender lad, evidently an officer, but know
not of what rank or name. only hear the Or
der given to bury the youth beside the man.
They are SCARED and broken by the storm of
shot and shell. One oak tree, two feet thick,
was pierced through by cannon ball, which
killed horse and rider after it's passage
through the tree. We had one gun carriage
broken, and the artillerists are making bon
fire of its wheels, they do not intend to leave
them to support rebel guns.
| The cannon are now silent, and there before
them is the field of death, long grassy slope
skirted with struggling bushes. The white
cloud OF battle has lifted from its surface and
melted into thin air. Scattered at intervals
| over the field of few yards, are dull grey
blotches, half shaded by the grass. These are
the rebel dead. They have fought their last
battle and lie generally in attitudes of rest, -
| some of them look as if they had welcomed
death. On the faces of two is imprinted
smile. One is boy of sixteen, with delicate
features, almost girlish in their beauty. His
last gaze seems to have been directed toward
his hand, on the fOrefnger of which scas
ring. A circle of purer white indicates its
place The ring is carried off as trophy of
the field. Some Southern women come upon
the field, and discovering the bodies of q
brother or lover, raise a pite )us cry. Alas
this piteous cry shall rise from homes a thou.