The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-04-28

and Gyd Almighty grant It necer maybe.
hope that You viii never su6jugste the
South. The President has proved himself
unfit to be intrusted with the moneyed
power. ! - = =
The Red River Expedition.
Partieslers efths Disaster to the lsM Army
" Corps.
GRAND EcoRE, La, April live left
Natchitocbes or the morning Of April 9Th.
and marched until nearly dark, when we
camped in pine forest. On the morning
Of Ire 7th We started again, and reached the
town Of Pleasant Hill about fvc o'clock.
This was the first open piece of country
I hat we had found sine ve left Natchitoehes,
and that was only mile squ're. The cav.
airy had been in brisk skirmish during
the afternoon. A bout fifty wounded men
wore brought in and . hospital was estab-
lished
AT two clock on the morning Of the 9th,
the 1st brigade of our division-composed
Of the 10Th Kentucky, 77th Illinois, 2Sd
Wisconsin and the 9Th Indiana, number.
ing about 500 men-was started iH ad'
vance, and bv daylight" commenced skir-
mishing with the enemy. We-(the Chi
cago Mercantile Ba'teryl-started at day
break With the Id brigade and the Sd d.
vision, numbering about $500 or 5000
men, and marched through dense timber
until three o'clock in the afternoon, when
We were ordered to the front. To get to
where the fighting was in progress. We had
to pass the whole tain ofrLee's cavalry di.
vision, numbering 500 wagons; and as there
vas M oaly v; one !, road through the timber they
were pulled up to our side, and We went BY
them on gallop. with our guns, csissons'
battery wagon and forge. We bad just
passed the train, when We came to an open
ing about mile square, and on the opposite
side were our men engaged in skirmishing.
Ry this time our whole division was in
action, and brigade Of the Sd division. We
crossed G.: the aela, took position near the
edge Of the opposite woods, and bad Just
got in battery when we heard terrible yell
and saw line of rebels, unbroken, charg-
ing on our exhausted men, who bad been
stirmishing all day and had only few
rounds of ammunition left. f..
Then came . withering volley of mus.
kerry. and then oor poor boys commenced
q retreat, but not in order, for :hers were
not enough men to-snrM ahns. We wait.
ed . few moments. until our men had passed
us, and commenced firing on the rebel
lines; but could not stop their progress,
and We soon received orders from Colonel
Landrum to timber up and leave If We ever
expected to get our guns of Two Of our
horses had heen shot, but We forced them
across the Acid and took up another posi-
ton in the edge Of the timber. firing again
on the rebel lines. which We could see, with
great distinctness. crossing the field on the
double quick.
Here General Ransom was shot In the
Knss and VA. obliged to leave the field.
Lieutenant Throop was felled by the wind
age OF shell WHICH grazsd his abdomen.
Genesal Banks was here, trying TO rally the
cavalry, which was in great disorder. The
bu ,lers sounded the rslly-a sound that
shall never forget-and = new line was
formed but in few moments both ogq'
tanks we,e turned, and we were obliged ia
timber up and retire short distance
Here another line was formed and : fe"
more shots delivered a @
BY this time the rebels were on both o1
our hanks and e1ing across US IN every 81
rection We got our pieces into the read
and began to retreat, Yhe9 scene Of great
confusion snsued. In the road was that
whole cavalry train. faced to the rear. and
Zach man trying 10 escape on his own book
and the road SO blocked up that it was an
impossibility for any thing g move. Our
gun was next to the rear piece, and fired
one Of the last shots that Tere fred by the
artillery. When the rebels got within two
rods Of us, We received orders to cut the
traces and escape il possible. 4r. Dyer
our gunner, went to his timber, took out
Gle and hammer, and when the rebels
had already reached the. gym behind ours
he commenced spiking his gun. and was
eaptured at his post. Whether he Wa