Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-09-01
BELMONT, MISSOURI.
Visit'to the Battle Field Reviewing Of
the Fort at Columbus The Battle
Scene Lady Polk.

To the Standard.
In looking up relics Of historic inter-
est IN this part of the country l find
some worth noticing-the battle field |
at Belmont and the Notifications at !
Columbus. A few daysago took the
train at this place intending to pay
these places visit, accompanied by a
single companion. We soon arrived at
Fillmore on the Mississippi. Wishing
to proceed by river we waited some
hours before we could get boat. AT
2 o'clock p. m. we obtained passage on
small sail vessel going to Columbus.
The river was beautiful, and not
ripple was to be seen. We stopped
and anchored by the way, and took on
supply of fruit. Just as the sur was
sinking behind the pecans and cypress
we came in sight of the bluffs at
Columbus. Before dark we were on
the streets Of the town..
The next morning we were off for
the field at an early hour. We crossed
the river in skiff and entered the
machine shops in Belmont. Here l
found a man who was present at the
battle, and who explained it all. We
= wandered over the field, looking for
relics, but nothing was to be found.
The field is in corn now, and is covered
with machine shops. Trees were yet
to be seen whose tops were taken away
by cannon balls. But one house was
here during the battle.
RecrosSing the river we proceeded
to the fort browning the heights above
Columbus. This fertilization now
covers about ten acres. Much of it has
dropped into the river. We first came
{ to large pits where torpedOes had been
buried. Around the parapets were
E bitches ten feet deep. There being no
, sentinels out we had no trouble in get
I ting admittance. Entering through a
D door we found ourselves in the midst
g of the bulwarks. The first thing we
$ found was huge cannon ball weighing
! 14O pounds. | was looking for some
. thing to carry off in my pocket, but
u after lifting this shot | concluded it
would be somewhat in the way, so !
s left it. succeeded in getting my fin
+ fiers on a pistol ball that is gray with
e age. We proceeded to the spot where
e Lady Polk, great cannon, burst in
a firing. looked for some pieces, but
l. failed to find them. As we stood on
the brink of the bluff | saw in the
: waters edge the fragments of cannon.
Going up the river descended the
Is bluff 120 feet, and went to the spot
e where l saw the fragment. Finding
d nothing but a piece of iron ore,
'e turned away and assembled the bluff
This bluff is dirt and gravel. When
sr was near the top began to slide back
l. and came near going over place Al
lie feet high. After reviewing the entire
lie fort we turned our backs upon it ant
left it in its glory.
id The battle scene, perhaps, would b
a, interesting, and if you will give M
space I'll reproduce it. The Confed
}! crates were fortified here in 1851
er Gen. Polk commanding. On Nov. Z
svme year, Colonel Grant was sen
I'd down from Cairo with 5000 lllinoi
IS. troops to dislodge them. He olsen
el- barked his troops up in the bend o
no the Missouri side. He moved dow
ir. the bottom and engaged Capt. ThomT
ey son camped at Belmont with sma
at detachment of Confederates. He ws
ry pushing Capt. Thompson into the rive
he when Gen. Cheatham arrived wit
fresh troops, and the tide of victor
nd changed. The guns Numbered frol
Use the heights above Columbus, Grant
50, men took to their heels. On the
went to the gun-boats mid storm
ed pecan.nuts and cypress limbs as we
de- as cannon and musket balls. Then the
gu fell into the river by hundreds viii
'od attempting to get on board the boat
Ter Grant concluded not to protract Il
siege. The loss in killed and woundt
nj was estimated at 1000.
re- A few days after the battle &c
n ~