The Portland daily press., 1865-01-16
Established June 23, 1SO2.-VOl. 4. &.

bndge on the Pensacola road, had dispatched a
lorce to that place to destroy the bridge and
fell trees across the load, and to entrench
themselves; but here they were out generated,
tor we branched off to what is called the up
! per ford, and while they were waiting for us
| to come up, and the force in our rear were re-
| pairing the bridge so as to cross themselves,
our column had left the Pensacola road, and
were rapidly marching for the ford !; but as it
was very dark and the road was bad with our
| heavy train, our progress at best was very
slow. sm
The Enemy finding we were not going to
run our heads into the moose they had so nice
ly arranged for us, and that we had given
them the slip, came on in rapid pursuit, and
came up with our rear-guard at about l2
o. clock midnight. when our train was about
one third across, and began skirmishing brisk
ly with them, and pressing them hard. 1t
was here that they must capture us If at ALL
They dismounted their Cavalry and advanced
In two lines. 1t was also here that 1t. Col.
Squirting proved himself every inch soldier
DE at the hrst alarm threw back the regiments
OF Infantry into an open field through which
the reDeis must pass, and beyond which our
rear guard was skirmishing, ordered them to
lie down in the grass and not fire gun until
ordered. The sd Me, was drawn up in the
shadow of the woods He then sent orders
lor the rear guard to sound the retreat and
fall back rapidly but to continue their fire and
pass the Infantry, and form in the shadow of
the woods. The rebels hearing the retreat"
sounded, and they afraid their prey was going
TO slip from their grasp, hurried forward their
nnes into the open space, all unconscious
OF the sable line crouched low in the grass,
SO near to them that every word of command
could be distinctly heard. They came on to
within fifty or sixty yards when Col. Squirting
uttered the single word Fire" The negroes
rose upon their knees and instantly opened
such terrific volley, that the whole line
crumbled before it; they partially broke, but
rallying returned the fire. At this moment
the I'd Me. Cavalry, came to the assistance of
the colored troops, and fred with such rapidi-
ty with their Spencer and Burnside carbines
that the whole soon broke and run for the
woods, and we heard nothing more from them.
for they received such terrible punishment In
this engagement that they were willing to
give it up. r, s,.sF...' ,.~.-.
In passing over the field we saw by the light
OF tie moon which had arisen, the bodies of
Colonel, and Lit. Colonel, aud many officers,
while the field was completely strown with
dead and wounded. The force was command
ed by Gen. McLeach, and it is reported that
he was severely wounded. Our loss was very
light; during the whole expedition we lost in
killed and wounded about rs men, cannot
give tne exact number now. Our train haY-
ing all crossed the river, the troops were with
drawn, and we resumed our march without
further molestation, arriving in camp at noon
on the 9th, having marched $50 miles with a
heavy train, in six days.
Too much cannot be said in praise of 1t. |
Col. Squirting, for the manner in which he ex-
tricated this little body of troops, with SO long
train, from the very grasp of the enemy. |
Five times at different places the rebels chose
their ground and position, and attacked us
with an equal force, and were not only hand
somely repulsed but terribly punished. ye
Nothing could excel the bravery of our
troops both white and colored, and we are not
ashamed to acknowledge the assistance of the
"nigger" in winning with us a splendid victo-
ry. We took but few prisoners. The colored |
soldiers don't take prisoners nanch," but a |
good many Of them show bloody bayonets. |
The casualties in this regiment are one man |
killed, - Lake, Co. G, and four men wound |
ed. Sergt. Geo. E. Linscot, Co. G, in leg; |
Sergt., Leroy A. Smith, Co. F, sligtly in back;
privates CHARLES T. Spaulding, Co. A, through |
lung severely; Samuel Chute. Co. A, in leg
G. F. Smith, Co. |, arm and side slightly.
Yours truly, TROOPER.
P. S. We captured one battle flag, one set
of colors, and one "Bonnie Blue Flag"