Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-05-20
Interesting Details Of the Battle Of Pleas
ant Hill.

.NDTll HUI lbot }
l FRIEND MAHIN:-I propose If not
Objectionable to you, to transmit to your
readers through the columns of your
paper, some accounts of the battle OF
Pleasant Hill, which for the time EN-.
ployed, was one Of the most hotly con.
tested battles of the war. About foul
o'clock in the afternoon of the second
day after we left Grand Ecore, we heard
heavy firing apparently several miles in
advance of us, which we supposed pro-
ceeded from the gunboats on Red river
distant from the road on which we were
marching from seven to ten miles. We
then moved on with increased rapidity
and went into camp about dark within
mile of Pleasant Hill, little village
thirty-siX miles in westernly direction
from Grand Ecore. Before we arrived
at our place for camping, we learned
that General Banks, with Il part of the
18th and 10th army corps, had met the
rebel forces and that a hard battle had
taken place, but with what result we
could not ascertain. We were ordered
that night to be prepared to move the
following morning at 5 O'Clock. The
next morning we were aroused from
our slumbers by the beating of the
An order was issued from headquarters
to eXtinguish the camp fires. Various
rumors then spread through the differ
ent regiments, and long before daylight
we learned that Banks had been severely
repulsed at Walnut Hills, sixteen miles
from where we We're camped, with the
loss of % guns, over 100 wagons (lOaded
with provisions and ammunitiOn), and
a large number of killed, wounded and
prisoners. 1t was thought, from appear
ances, that retreat was in contempla-
ton. To this our brave boys were
strongly opposed, as they We're anxious
to meet their eXultant foes in mortal
combat, and snatch from them the lau-
rels they had won the day before. Gen.
A. F. Smith, commander of that portion
of the 10th Army Corps, to which we be-
long, and Gen. Mower, commander of
our division, were both desirous of max
ing Il stand and awaiting an attack from
the rebels at Pleasant Hill. This was
agreed upon, and about 3 O'clock p. M.
we moved on to that place, and formed
a line of battle in an open field surround
ed by timber, and lying on the side of a
hill. The village consisted of about a
dozen houses in the woods, which were
situated along the upper part of the field
and down short distance on either side.
The field sloped gradually down from a
line of woods on the top of the hill,
about a half or three-quarters of mile,
to where it was met by a heavy body OF
timber and underbrush, and was about
half a mile wide. About half way down
the field was ditch covered with thin
growth of cane running directly across
the field and then winding down to
nearly the foot of the hill.
Our forces were formed into two lines
of battle. The first was composed of a
part of the 18th Army Corps, and was
stationed at the lower end of the field,
just in the edge of the timber; the see
ond and main line, composed of a portion
of the 10Th Corps, and on which the
Generals chiefly relied for the repulse OF
the rebels, was formed on the upper part
of the field, about hundred yards from
the timber. A regiment was thrown
forward from the second line and placed
along the lower side of the ditch referred
to, for the purpose of supporting an In
diana battery down in the timber to the
right, which had been engaged in an ar
tiIlery duel with rebel battery for some
time before we went on to the field
Immediately on the left of the 35th Iowa
regiment, which formed part of the
main line, was stationed Vermont bat
terry of four guns, to be opened on the
rebels should they succeed in advancing
through the line in the edge of the tim
ber. About O'Clock dropping fire OF
musketry in the timber indicated that
skirmishing had commenced. This con.
tinued, increasing all the time in the
number and nearness of the shots, until
a quarter past five, when the rebels made
a combined and furious attack upon Oul
first line, breaking, scattering and
driving it before them. With the most
unbounded confidence of ultimate sue.
cess, they advanced rapidly and defiant.
ly up the hill, cheering and yelling like
so 1nany demons eXulting over some
hellish conquest. Horsemen and foot.
men who had come upon the field not
so much to engage in, as to be spectators
of the contest, when they saw our men
falling back and the rebels triumphantly
advancing gave up all for lost, and panic
stricken began to hurry away in disorder
from the field. Some of the teamsters
and ambulance drivers partook of the
same spirit, and began to whip up theil
horses and jOstle against each other
apparently unconscious of anything but
desire to get away from the scene Oi
danger where shells were flying and
bullets whistling unpleasant music. A
general stampede among horscmen, foot
men and teamsters would have taken
place had not some ambulance drivers
with great presence Of mind, by block.
ing up the road and making impossible
checked their headlong career, while &
guard stationed along the road inter
posed, making them pass along in regu
lar succession, thus restoring order and
our broken line, the falling back of Oul
scattered regiments, the bold, daring adj
vance of the rebels, and the confused
panic Of the hOrsemen referred to, die
not for moment doubt that when the
enemy came upon our main line of bat
tie they would be compelled to pause il
their "mad career and "about face" gt
fleeing back over the ground upon which
they were so confidently advancing, fol
/, L knew the courage, perseverance, ener
CIV, and enthusiasm of the boys who
composed that line. .I.
While the rebels We're charging up thu
field and the troops in our second line
, were sitting and lying on the grounc
: waiting for orders, a shell from rebe
gun struck Peter Harrison, of eon1panJ
A, 35th Iowa, on the head, knocking ont
side of it entirely off, and then passed
through the right breast of Capt. Henry
Blanck, of the same company, killing
them both instantly. ....
! The rebels continued to advance unit
within about 200 yards of our main line
when our boys receiving orders to charge
sprang up with wild cheer, and poured
: into them such deadly volley that they
, paused in their defiant advance to antic
fpated triumph, and began gradually t.
fall back. Our brave boys advanced rap
idly upon them, pouring in upon then
, voiley after volley of the most terrifi,
, musketry I ever heard. Wilder anG
wilder grew their cheers, as, with IRE
sistible impetuosity they pressed dowI
upon their faltering foes, cutting then
down like grass before the mowers
scythe. until the rebels, broken and dis