Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-11-07
ron OLD sOLUIERs.
An Anniversary Kvent at which
Many Memphians Figured.

II may be well TO remark that General
Pillow, who commanded on the Southern
side during the first few hours Of the bat
tie, had previously participated in thirteen
battles fought in Mexico, while General
Grant had been in every battle Of the
same war, except that Of Buena Vista,
under General Taylor.
The forces under Brigadier General
Grant, lying about Cairo and Cape Cir
ardeau, received orders from General
Fremont at st. Louis 10 make diversions
toward Columbus and points west in
Missouri, but not 10 attack the enemy.
The Federal commander at Paducah re-
ceived similar orders, the object being TO
check asupposed movement on the part
Of the Confederates to reinforce Confed-
crate General Sterling Price In South
western Missouri, that soldier at the mo-
ment threatening TO advance on st. Louis.
On the evening Of NOvember6 General
Grant embarked 3l60 men of all arms on
board Of the steamers Chancellor, Aleck
Scott, Belle Memphis and Montgomery,
and conveyed by the gunboats Tyler and
Lexington, ran down the river nine miles,
anchoring near the kentucky shore. Re-
eeiving news that the Confederate General
YIN Moo otAAAAAk NAAOlo NliQco " Al17
souri, as he thought to attack column Of
Federal is moving south from Cape Girar-
deau after JEFF Thompson, General Grant
decided to attack Belmont He gave
orders therefore TO weigh anchor before
dawn on the morning Of
the 9TH, but heavy fog
delayed the movement until perhaps the
hour of sunrise, because it was or 8
o'clock by the time his fleet reached
Lucas Bend, just above Columbus. and a
little beyond the range of its guns, with
the exception Of 40 FOUNDER rihed can
non. His forces debarked quickly, formed
in line of battle, and marched straight to-
ward the Confederate camp opposite
Columbus Very few people in the bat
tie on the Southern side but believed
Grant had seven or eight thousand men in
action that day, but that his strength was
less than $500 Is incontroYertrble The
commands included Taylor's six gun bat
terry, with ia men; the Seventh Iowa
infantry, little over 400 men, the Twen-
ty-second Illinois, 662 men; Twenty
seventh Illinois, 720 men; Thirtieth Hi
nois, 600 men; Thirty-hrsts Illinois, $40
men; two companies Of cavalry, 1913 men.
Total, five regiments infantry, one six
gun battery of artillery, and
two companies of cavalry.
To meet this force General Pillow had
Col. Tappan's Thirteenth Arkansaw regi-
ment and Beltzhoovers six gun battery
ofartillery, with a squadron Of cavalry,
all of which were camped opposite Column
bus, at Belmont, and were placed in line
of battle before General Pillow crossed
over to take command. Three regiments
then commanded by Colonies Russell,
Wright and Pickett went over the river
with General Pillow, aud made a force
$500 strong. They were really nearly
equal to the force led into action by Grant,
as he had detailed portion of his troops to
guard the steamers, and column to move
along the river shore below his vessels to
prevent the approach Of any opposing
| force
About half-past 0 o clock in the morning
the battle opened and in few min
utes II became red hot along the
entire line. General Pillows troops were
uniayorably situated in an open field
nearly mile from the river. Genera
Grants line advanced under cover Of a
dense woods, and in less than two hours
he pressed Pillow so vigorously that his
lines began to waver. Soon after the
Confederates retfeated toward the river
bank, Beltzhoover abandoned his guns as
his horses had nearly all been shot down
and the Federals moved rapidly up t. the
camp on the river shore, destroying anC
burning part Of it, gave three cheers fol
the stars and stripes, which they waved
aloft with enthusiasm, and had higl
time Of it for little while. The Fedora
battery also unlimbered close TO the bank o
the river, and turned their guns loose at
lively rate upon the steamers Charm
Prince, H. X. w. Hill and Kentucky
which boats were busy carrying reinforce
ments over TO help the Confederates GU
of their disastrous trouble and shot
from this battery tore through two boat
at the same time in some instances Will
several members Of their crews were in
jured.
The first regiment TO got over TO nj,
General Pillow after his command wa
driven back, was the 18th Louisiana. am
il went into action on the enemy's hanI
at noon; Colonel Preston Smiths l5itl
Tennessee, commanded by Colonel Mar
Gus j. Wright Colonel r. G. Tyler, l5tl
Tennessee; Colonel Blythes Mississippi
regiment; the "a Tennessee, Lieutonan
Colonel W. B. Ross in com
mand, and several other regi
ments crossed over about In
same time, and with the troops unde
General Pillow in the early part of Tn
battle fought the enemy so close that the,
fed precipitately. The Confederate
drove the routed Federals to their boat
and made havoc among them, the II
Iowa losing 227 men, more than half q
It's entire number, in the engagement.
The Federals, however, carried off tw
cannon belonging 70 the Confederate
They had captured other guns but coul
not haul them away for want Of horse
In turn they lost two oftheir caissons an
! nearly all Of their ammunition.
The loss Of the COnlederates in tn
action was 64i men, Of which 1906 wer
killed outright, 4l9 were wounded and II
captured. The Federal loss was littl
over 900, Of which 100 or more wei
killed outright and Us, including Il
wounded, were taken prisoners by III
Confederates. Ofthose killed on the feel
the Seventh Iowa lost 81, the Twent,
second g. Twenty-seventh Illinois / ,tll
Thirtieth 9, the Thirty-frst o, Colon,
Lauman, OF the Seventh Iewa, was badl
wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Went
C killed. Colonel Dougherty lost LEI
Major McClurken, Of Illinois, was killed
0 horse shot under him, General NJ,
Clernand made a narrow @
4 cape, bullet lodging in b
. holsters, and General John A Logan, the
Colonel Of an Illinois regiment, mad
I several hair-breadth escapes. On h
Southern side, Major Butler Of the III
> Louisiana, a descendant of the Washing
? ton family. was killed, also Captain ,
Weby Armstrong, Of Memphis, Lieutei
ant Alexander, Of Louisiana, and
, number Of others too numerous 10 alluC
! 10 to-day. The Federal battery fired A
= cannon balls and shells, but had only iiV
9 men wounded The Confederate batter
: lost two killed and eight wounded an
. missing, had forty-iiYe horses killed an
. = lost two guns. The Federal cavalry he
j a man killed and several wounded. III
gunbOats had one mans head shot of an
several others wounded by the on
Q shot, twenty-four FOUNDER whiC
k struck the vessel The 18th Louisiar
= had u killed and AZ wounded. Colon
, Tappan's Thirteenth Arkansaw had
e killed, As wounded and 25 missing. Lie
n tenant Colonel Millers battalion Of Nj
d sissippi cavalry bad / man wounded Al
= 0 horses shot; and John v. Wrights Thi
teenth Tennessee lost l49 in Killed al
wounded Of which q were killed. CO
I, onel Al. Vaughan, Of this city, was thu
Lieutenant Colonel Of the regiment, Al
he was In the fight from first to last.
II was a red bot lght, which lasted fro
about half-past nine in the morning un
n nearly sunset, rs a number Of those wi
took part can bear testimony ~, and
great many thought there was not mi
under 10000 on the Northern side, b
they were mistaken. as were those on !
, other side in believing that 10000 reb,
were against them.
4 K0-K0 TULU
IA GRADE MARK REaIsTERRD)
1uaIifv n0t Quantity.