Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-09-29

| nv tiH'iNij oh' NtIiiNF1N vi tiN ''ii3
with no mention whatever Of Iowa
or her troops, determined, that at
least his ncighbors at home should
know how their boys had sprung
into the breach, to cover and turn
aside the disaster; Col. Shaw wrote
a long letter home, stating concisely
and clearly the position of affairs
on the morning Of the 9th, the fight
ing on that day, particularly the
part taken BY his own Brigade, and
hesitated not to lay blame where it
belonged.
/ quote a few extracts:
"Although | had less than one
tenth Of the force on the field, my
loss was fully one half Of the whole
loss Of that day, being about five
hundred killed and wounded out Of
seventeen hundred, and yet my
Brigade was considered in such
good condition, as to be ordered to
cover the retreat of the army to
Grand Ecore that night and the
next day"
''Hut it may be suggested that the
loss does not show the extent of the
fighting. In this instance st least,
it is fair index. | was engaged
with the enemy over seven hours,
while no other forces were under
fire ore hour. Twas under a heavy
aud destructive artillery fire forty
five minutes before gun VAS fired
! Oh any other part Of the field. re-
| cei"ed and repu!sel heavy charge
| of t",alry, followed by an attack
Of infantry, winch ! also rerulsed
before a gun was FREQ on any other
part Of the line. My less was al in
fair fight, in good position, well
projected except my tianks."
mo order for q retreat would
have been necessary, had it not been
Cor the drunken cowardice Of Gen
J., lit, and the bad generaiship OF
some o,,aer officers" i =
u reportet,, to Gen. Emory at 10
\. NJ. He appeared g be both
drunk ard a coward. did rot see
Emory again until after dark, ara
the fighting had ceased. lie Was
,hcn heastly drunk. Irelieved Gen.
McMiiIcn, who was also drunk"
h7o'r what the 2id Brigade did,
and | only write what ! h1oar."
DAT dark we had whipped them
ut every poi4t, and driven them
back in utter confusion, but our
lines were drawn in, our dead and
part Of our wounded were left on
the field. At O'Clock 4. NJ, the
army Of the Gulf began It's retreat.
Being a little foot-sore it too:
couple of hours start OF Smiths for
ccs, which started at three.
The original letter, from which
the above extracts were taken, l
have ever since had. and now have
in my possession. Being then his
A. 4. 4. G. he handed it to me,
with directions to have the clerk
execute legibIe COPY for the mail;
and after my reading, asked what |
thought Of it. | said: ''i.ou@h,
Colonel, extremely rough, especially
on officers high in rank, and its pub
lie&;ion viii be liable to give You
trouble" shall never forget his
rppIv. "HY ell, but by Cd its
true.n Irep,ica: .'its truth will
only increase the danger" "0h
well, " said he, Il only want my old
ncigilors to know What their boys
have Gafuai4 Gone down here"
And so the letter went North, and
sure enough its publication aroused
the ire OF the dnuhle-starrcd Gene
rails Of Banks "aaler c,ifar@et"
army. Through their personal IN
iluence, and what political intiuen-
ces | know not, they succeeded Il
few months later in having him
(Col. Shawl summarily dismissed
the service, while our entire delega-
ton at ashington either in utter
ignorance, or most cuipable negli-
gence, sat still and permitted this
/ foul stigma to be cast upon the far
name ot' our State, upon every sol
licr who had the homer to ti&ht I'M
der him and upon Col Shaw himself,
one OF the hra,est officers that ever
rallied TO his country's defense.
True, tar,iy and partial justice
was afterwards done him, by REIN
statement and hrevet promotion at
the close Of the war, but had our
members Of Congress and United
States Senator, when posted upon
facts, ONLY used one-half their ordi-
nary political influence, instead OF
the disgrace of the Brigade Com
mander, not only he but every regi-
mental Commander Of that brigade
who survived that bloody day, would
have worn stars upon their shoulders
to date from April eth, 1854.
Being part Of Smiths force
which covered the retreat Of the
army all the way to the Atchaia-
laya, YOU have not forgotten the
powerful eyc-oPnaer the rebels gave
us one morning before daylight, be
yond Coiii", with a full battery oi
Shot ana she'll, nor your ten daN>
continuous shirlaishing and lighting
in the rear OF .\lcxaniria, the mag
niticcnt display Of troops, hut brie
engagement near Narksyillc, fol
iowed on the 18th Of May ~ the Sc
we're Hglt Of yellow Bayou. This
WAS the last contest Of the Zee
River campaign.
The army Of the Gulf was ncarl,
all safely across tic bridge Of boat
on the farther side Of the Atehafa
laya. Your first position in tina
action was in reserve, whore yo1
lay under severe artillery fire 70
nearly two hours. While lying il
this position, The brigade Com
/ mander {Col. Shaw sat upon hi
horse in front Of the line, behind
: large. dead oak tree. \ solid can
non shot struck the tree, bat sho.
distance above his head, and glance
to Tie right, another and glance
to the left, still another struck III
) ground to the left, richochctted I
, the right, taking two feet OF Of hi
ord2rlN's horse, passed under hi
+ horse. richochetted again to tn
rear. taking OF a LEG Of one Of tn
Al,