The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-07-08

small but splendid howitzers. Now tine enc |
my gets into position ten pieces OF artiiiery,
90 arranged as to give an enfilading nre as
web as from the front. rakIng WIN aouno
shot both Of our batteries. NOV the comet IN
AGAIN and aeain the rebel columns were
formed for Z charge upon our batteries
! Grsat paps were opened in their solid ranks
nv the fierce discharge of our skIilfully oper-
ated pieces. But nothing daunted, and with
| a boIdness worthy of better cause, their bro
| ken columns were instantly reformed. prepar-
ed again for another charge. One column OF
| infantry was seen to approach at point
where they hoped the nature OF the ground
would screen them until near enough to make
a sudden and desperate charge, hoping oy
this strategy to capture our batteries. But
alas for human calculations. Nature sci
dom makes valleys without occasional hills.
So these sly Johnnies.. found they were com-
! PEELED to cross q raise of ground. NO sooner
i did they make their appearance than our
| Gums opened upon them fire so fierce and
witberipp that even Longstreet's veterans
wayered. Still determined to persevere they
threw themselvns Fat upon the ground, crawl
ing along like the living type of South Caro-
| lina's banner until they hoped more shell
tered position was obtained, when they ven
tured to raise once more. But no sooner were
their forms exposed above the grass shan the
same fierce fire met them, melting their col.
umns 80 rapidly that southern chivalry itself
| could not stand, but gave up In despair that
attempt to take our guns. In the meantime
the rebel guns. SO far superior in numbers,
were worked with equal rapldity but not with
equal fatility. Their fire, directed mainly
towards our batteries and their support, al
though fierce, sending horizontal stream OF
cannon balls from enflsdipg positions aud
| nf shalls and
ing railroad iron,S which seemed to threaten
humiliation to our brave gunners, yet fortu
nately and almost miraculously effecting little
| probably owing to the fact that their snots
did not indithe dense mass of human frames 70
manele and destroy, as did ours, but instead
a small but heroic band, barely sufficient to
work the guns But the enemy's guns, for
midable as they appear, were not the only
annoyance Of our gunners. Their sharp
shooters were dangerous though concealed
foe some of them however paid dearly Tor
their termerisy, being frequently brought
down by the carbines of the l4th, who were
posted so as to enflade the approach OF the
enemy on that side. The writer occupied an
elevated position on the left among our most
advanced administers. giving survey OF the
whole field of battle and its successive devel-
opments, except a part OF the position occupi-
ed by the gallant Woltord. Fighting with
us on the extreme left had not yet opened In
its ferceness, thus giving period OF partial
leisure to con tenn plate the scene. The enemy
continued to extend his solid lines further and
and still further to our left. At this moment
an uninterrupted view and an undisturbed
contemplation of the terrible conflict could
not fail to excite to the highest point OF pos
sibility the minds of deeply interested spec
tators such as we. Rapidly the eye survey
ed the prospect and the nind contemplated
the probabilities well comprehended the
awfulness of the conflict. Wolford was still
engaged upon the right. Terrible vollies and
demonisc yells indicated the ferceness of the
strife in that quarter. But alas they also
demonstrated by their direction that his
brave command were being forced back by
the terrible odds against them. Their bat
teries also now increased the fury OF their
fire. Shells flying like flakes of snow in a
constant shower While several of their guns
made DEVILS music by the discharge of rail
} road iron, which during its strange gyra-
tions along its fiery path, exhibiting novel
appearance, as of fiery demons on an errand
of misery to man. while its strong and shrlll
screaming did not decrease the fancy of it's
demon nature. The immensely dense mass
OF infantry and cavalry which the enemy be
gan TO bring in-view ~ he extended his sold
lines further and still further to our left
awakened with intense anxiety as to our
! fate, a scattered line of skirmishers compos-
ed of dismounted cavalry, armed with car
bines, an almost useles weapon against long
! range guns and sharp pointed bayonets, and
without base of reserve, and with artillery
4 the number and less than half the cahbre OF
that brought into action by The foe. Could
it be wondered at that the eye, moistened
with pity at the threatened fate of our slen.
der but heroic band, was turned with FREE
quency and expectation down the road to-
| ward the station, in anxious hope to disc0v-
err the expected and now greatly needed re-
Inducements Of gallant blues from that quar-
ter. Intensity was increased as the perIious
moments flew rapidly by. But alas! no sup
port appeared.
! To increase, if possible, the height of that
intensity, our howitzer battery was now re-
moved from its position on the road and hur-
red to the support of Wolford's melting line.
| Alas could we then have known tue truth
as we now record it another pang of anxiety
would have been added To demonstrate
this we will follow this battery to the right
and witness the struggle there, as depicted
! by Featherton, who being with provost
! guard of forty men who were sent to reinforce
| Wsllord at this time. Lieut.. Connolly after
reporting to the brave warrior, planted his
| little battery and again opened upon the ene-
my with his spherical cased field shell with
| telling effect. At length Col. Wolford rode
up and remarked that his men being out of
ammunition the whole line would be compelled
to fall back. The lieutenant remarked II
have but few shells left and would like per-
permission to plant them among the enemy"
This request was granted but the delay caused
by carrying out the suggestion had nearly
proved fatal to W olford's command. and to
the battery, for about the time the last shell