The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-03-17

days, and which has left SO many ter
rible marks Of its prowess in its track,
will soon be snug in quarters on the
banks of the Mississippi. The conse-
quencos of the expedition are beyond
calculation, and the damage done to
the Confederate cause cannot be esti-
mated in dollars and cents Injury
has been inflicted which jeff. Davis
and all his dominions have not the
power to repair. A breach has been
made within the limits of their domin-
ions which will never ba closed during
the life of this rebellion.
Portions of the 18th and 18th Army
Corps, commanded respectively by Ma
jor-Gcneral Hurlbut and Mcpherson,
with Major-General Sherman in com
mand Of the expedition, left their
camps on the Sd ult, and crossed Black
River in two columns, the 10th form
ing the left wing Of the army, at Mes
scnger's Ferry, and the 18th which
formed the right, at hcrailroad bridge
eight miles below.
No tents were taken with us, and
all, from the general commanding to
the rank and file, bivouaeked by u
thousand camp fires in the open air,
on the first night, five miles cast OF
Black River, having marched a dis
tance of twenty miles.
One brigade Of cavalry, under Col,
Winslow, and a battalion commanded
| by Captain John Foster, accompanied
the expedition, and on the morning of
the 4th, Testers advance guard was
met By Adams rebel cavalry at Cham
pion Hills, who charged upon our
small force, running over them and
taking seven prisoners. Their loss
was one man killed and one wounded
and left on the field Captain Foster
pushed forward and made u dash up
on the enemy, and routed him with
considerable loss. Their forces con
sisting of about !, 900 men, commanded
by Generals Writ, Adams, Ross and
Ecrgeson, and the whole under com
mand Of General S. d. Lee, thon fell
back TO a commanding position on tho
west side of Bakers Creek, where oul
cavalry force encountered them in the
afternoon and were unable to dislodgC
them until an infantry force ofthe l7tI
Corps came up TO join in the assault
The enemy had several pieces Of artil
lory which he used upon us at this
point, with considerable effect. Oul
loss here was fifteen killed and a pro
portionatc number wounded. The
Tenth Missouri Cavalry suffered most
but Company |, Twelfth Wisconsin
Infantry, lost three men by shol
from the enemy, and Col. Rogers, o
the Fifteenth Illinois, was slight,
wounded by rihe.shot. At tsundowl
the enemy had been driven ). &C. across IS ,lI' Ba
during tho night with two 20-poundc
, PARROTS, supported by two regiment
ofmfhntry. During the night Gcncr
J al Mcpherson communicated by on
of his aids, Lieutenant Vcrnay, wit
5 General IIurlbut, who lay six mile
: north Of us, and learned that the enc
, my was stubbornly disputing his ad
vance.
, AT sunrise on the morning of th
9th, the cnomy commenced II heav
= artillery fire upon us from the crest {
= Il long ridge which ran parallel wit
, Bakers Creek and three -iourths of
mile distant from it, An open lcvC
plain lay between as, and the enemy
! column could be distinctly seen iron
$ our camp in line of battle. The 81
4 and 4th divisions Of tho 18th corps
Brig. Gems. Leggct and Crocker com
manding, We're thrown across the riv
er and formed in line of battle iacin
the enemy, while our PARROTS replie
= rapidly to the call made upon thel
Q by the onemy's guns. Twenty nil
utos were consumed in forming til
line Of battle, when the word 1orwar,
= was sounded along tho lines, and tn
i troops moved forward steadily, cooll
a irresistibIy 1t was spectacle whicl
& for dazzling splcndor has been scldol
equaled, never cXcellcd. Our troor
y were formed in two columns about
- half II mile in length, and with an il
terval Of two hundred yards betwcel
tho whole preceded by strong line
skirmishers; and as all moved lorwar
with the precision OF clock work, wit
banners and battlo-hags uNfurled, an
ten thousand hayonets blaing in tn
light OF Il bright morning sun, while
" solid column otNullen, grimgrayback
stood waiting their approach each
us felt proud to claim place in IL
n army Of the United States. Our trool
e .Norc anxious, and all preparation
II had been made for determined an
l. desperate onset but they were doom
n cd to disappointment When OF
3 front column came within long ril
II range, the ranks Of the cncmy brol
n and they fled in confusion, Our mC
If went forward at u doublc-quicll with
Il terrible yell, and overlook the retrea
s, ing foe in n dense skirt of timber
s. rear of their position, and cut them
n pieces badly, killing and wounding
s great number of horses and men, all
n which fell into our hands. Our 10
l. here was about twenty-five killed Al
4, wounded,
u Tho enemy rctrcOtod as fast rs pc
ID sble, and passed through Clinton
y our advance entered the town. ~
Is road from Mossingcr's came in hel
y and the 10th Corps cNmo in after L
ID nth had passed through the place.