The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-08-25

rassed by the rebs, and at daylight next
morning the 4,h Kentucky regiment, be
ing in the rear, was surrounded, aud the
major part of them captured. We push
ed on till noon Of the Both, tearing uE
the bridges and making stand at every
choice position, thus holding them in
check till the advance had crossed the
Atlanta aud West Point r R., where
the rebs were landing troops of infantry
rapidly. Here the rebs had formed o
line OF battle in the shape Of horse
shoe. We were into it before we were
aware of it, aud fg't we must, aud the
odds was at least six to one. We are not
afraid to fight when we have fulcrom to
fall back on, but the prospect was, cut
through or be captured. We took our
position, throwed up works hastily, threw
out or skirmishers and the ball opened.
Soon we found the enemy closing in from
all sides The order came for the indom-
Unable Major r. Root to take the Slh
Iowa and open the road to the river -
The enemy was dismonnted and formed
in the woods. We mounted and pro-
eeeded cautiously till we found their po-
sition, when our brave Major waved his
hat on the point of his sabre and raised
the yell. go forth. boys, then followed the
most severe haud to hand fight I ever
saw. The Generals staff officers say the
charge made by the Sth the day before
was the most splendid they ever saw; but
| know it was nowhere beside this Our
number did not exceed TWO hundred, and
the lead horses Of the rcbs we captured,
showed them six hundred strong. But
no one can realize how desperate the fight
was unless they saw it, The first fire of
the rebs emp'ied number cr our sad
dies The saddles turned under the hor.
ses' belly, when the men fell, the fright
ened horses rariug, kicking and charging
into the rebel ranks, They huddled iu
groups behind trees Our boys dashed
at them and shot them down with revol.
vers, from three to six and eight lying
around one tree. Thy uere ,rhipped
Brig. Gen. Ross, commnl ding the rebs,
was taken by our boys, but was re taken
while on the road to Gen MeCnok's head
quarters. There is ore error 1 will meu.
ton. We had eco Of the robvk.. hu,srs
when soi-e Lieut. rode along tfI line
ard gave as Maj. Roots order thai. the
horses were to be taken 10 the rear, nd |
bout Que third of our boys struck for IL: !
hcrses. This reduced our strength, while d.,
he rebs got reinforcements. At this
uucture the Major ordered me to charge
Down another fork Of the road. l gath.
ered the men, made the charge, and took
lie wrong road. The Major ordered me
% follow him, but it was only to fnd the
erpant recoil, winding tighter, for We
AN in ambus cade after ambus cade, till we
ounl il impossible to get out; so we tied
,ur horses close to a road and within fit
y PAGES of the rebel line, and laid all
orts of r lans for our escape. While
'ere We took rebel Lieut. prisoner took
lis arms from him aud made him promise
as show Us lAGeuH4a 'te Iipsss J4egx fsdki fbssdi
mt vay F,rtnr" h..I ri-~~a 80 uiusel 10
be road Our column charged out, and
he weakest paint in the rebel liues the
'idettc were closing in on us. As the
,rad of our column came dashing out VIC
umped on our horses aud out We. went,
There we're twenty Of rank and ie aud
tx of us escaped. and reached the col
,mn aud camp in safety The rebs were
,ea, and mad. They struck cut on every
Dad to head us off from the Chsttahoo
,hie river, but We we're not to be beat
rhe distance was about fifteen miles-the
for crossing was ferry boat
capable of holding thirty horses at one
Dad. BY ga m. of the 3lst we were all
lcross save about $50 horses. The enc
ny was formed on the opposite bank and
'kirmi. hing heavy with our rear guard
'or two hours before We had effected our
crossing. This left $50 of our men dis
Here l learned for the hrst
ime that the 9th was lsft in line to draw
he attention Of the enemy till the col |
lmn came out OF those that went ca
he raid are all prisoners but Maj. Roet.
myself, Lieut. Morrow, Of Co. ~ and
ten enlisted men. Two have come in
since of our regiment. They know moth
ing of the fate of the rest.
Gen. Sherman says it is, under the cir
cumstanccs, one of the most successful
raids vet made. l have no estimate Of
the money value destroyed, but know it
to be immense. .. .u...
Tuo much prise cannot be given to
our brave Maj Roo. in the FIVE different
charges made BY the 9Th. Ee led them
all. Our Col j B Dnrr, was wounded
in the side (not dangerously before we
had fairly opened the ball. Our field and
staff all done their duty nob'y. but the
~ that III iiary gen'ons so much neeoeu
under such circumstances. Cool, eau