The National tribune., 1884-05-08
BATON ROUGE.
A 9Th Michigan Comrades ReeolIeetons of th
Fight.

Fight.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE
read with much interest "a Loyal Lady's
Description Of the Battle of Baton Rou ge, as
given in a November issue of your very valua-
BILE paper. / do not exactly agree with her in
the statement that to the 9th Massachusetts
battery and the 21st regiment Indiana infantry
chiefly belongs the honor of winning the day.
/ was at that time member of company a, 9th
regiment Michigan infantry, and participated III
the en- gagement from begnn ing to the end. On
the evening of August 5, 1862 after the battle,
/ wrote description of the fight as witnessed
by myself and, with your permission, submit
herewith some portions of it, and for the cor
rectness of the same refer to the records of the
War Department.
General Williams received information as
early as Monday, July q, that the rebels had
started from Camp Moore for the purpose OF
making an attack on Baton Rouge About
o'clock on the afternoon of the 4th, nforma-
ton was received from some negroes that the
rebels were approaching in force from Green
well Spr ing road, and the troops were got
under arms, ready for the attack. At $50
o'clock on the following morning the long roll
was beaten, and the troops, having formed,
marched out to meet the enemy. A bout mile
out Of town the forces were drawn up in line
of battle awaiting the expected att ack. The
engagement was brought on by one of the COM
panies of the 21st Indiana, which was on picket
duty about one mile back of the camp, and was
driven in by the rebels. As soon as the firing
was heard General Williams sent the other
companies of the Dist Indiana to the support
of the picilets. On reaching the scene of ac-
ton they found that the enemy was in too
great force to contend with successfully, upon
which they fell back to the front of their tents,
/ followed by the enemy. There they made
stand and engaged the entire brigade OF Gen
eral Clark consisting of two Mississippi regi-
ments and third regiment composed par
/ TALLY of men from Mississippi and the rest be-
/ ing from Arkansas. The fighting at that place
was very severe The Indiana boys performed
! prodigies of valor and kept the enemy in check
4 for considerable time. General Williams
/ finding, however, that they were too far adj
yaneed to receive support from the other regi-
ments ordered them to fall back, which was
! done to the distance of from 200 to $50 yards.
! Just about this time the right wing of the
! Union army was engaged by Colonel Aliens
brigade. This wing consisted of the 9th Michi-
4 gan regiment and Minis battery.
/ Simultaneous with this movement our left
was attacked by Ruggles' brigade. Attached
To the left wing was the 18th Maine regiment
/ and Eyerett's battery.
THE THICK OF THE FIGHT.
The fighting at this point was excessively
severe, and the roar of battle was heard all
( along the line from left to right. This lasted
1 about twenty minutes, during which time the
4
/ of the woods as much as possible, while the
/ Union soldiers were exposed to their fire in the
open field. Considerable inconvenience was
experienced by our troops, too, in consequence
of their facing to the east which caused the
morning sun to shine In their faces, rendering
their operations exceedingly difficult. Still
/ the brave boys hinehed not, but manfully bore
the shock of overwhelming numbers in the face
of every difficulty. The 50th regiment Massa-
chusettS infantry was now ordered to advance
and support the Michigan troops, but while
they were getting into position it was found
that their aid was not necessary, as the Michi-
gan boys had already repulscd their opponents.
The 9th Connecticut and 18th Wisconsin regi-
nlents which had been held in reserve, were
ordered about the same time to advance in
support of the other regiments, but as they
were going on the field the enemy retired. At
one period of the fight the enemy got into the
camp of the 21st Indiana, aud burned it and
destroyed nearly everything in camp, upon
which this regiment, from the cover Of the
woods, poured most terrific volley into them
doing fearful execution. They met similar
fate from the 14th Maine, into whose camp
they had made an entrance, though they sue
ceeded in burning this camp too While the
fight was raging three companies "a, 3, and I'd
of the 9th Michigan regiment were in peril of
being cut off by the 9th and Both Louisiana
regiments, commanded by Colonel Allen, acting
as brigadier-g general. These two regiments
suddenly emerged from the woods and marched
towards the three companies with the view of
turning their right flank. They had succeeded
IN capturing two guns belonging to Minis bat
terry, and well-known rebel officer named
Henderson was seen to wave flag in triumph
over the guns. The two guns were brought to
bear on the gallant boys of the 9th Michigan,
, but they were too nimble for the rebels.
MINIS BATTERY.
Lying fat ON the ground the rebel balls
, few over them, upon which they started to
their feet and poured so welI-directed volley
into the enemy's ranks as to completely aston
! ISL them. This was handsomely seconded by
J the remaining guns of Nins' battery, which,
making detour along the road so severely
! CALLED the Louisiana regiments by well timed
cr0ss-fre that when the two companies Of the 9th
! Michigan came to the bayonet charge the rebels
, were driven back TO the cover of the woods,
, leaving the two guns they had captured behind
{ them. Minis battery thus got their own guns
! again. The three companies Of the 9Th Michi-
gan regiment captured, besides the two guns of
] Minis battery, the colors of the 9th Louisiana
regiment, but only after they had shot down
f four successive color-be General Will
} iiams fell dead, shot through the heart, while
/ rallying his right wing which was being driven
) in by superior numbers. The fall of the COM
E handing general of course created some little
{ confusion in his immediate vicinity but Colo
mel Dudley, of the Both Massachusetts then
: taxing command, RODE 10 the spot and shouted
G Boys, keep up stiff upper lip. The day will
! soon be ours"
c As soon as the enemy were repulsed Colonel
( Dudley drew in his lines so as to give the gun
I boats chance to assist in the engagement
which movement was executed in splendid
manner. Expecting every moment to be charged
! by the enemy, he posted his batteries so as to
! support the infantry as they fell back, who in
!, turn supported the batteries as they retired
. Throughout the action the men were in the
: best of spirits. After repuIsing the enemy
and waiting for another charge they amused
themselves by making jests of mistakes and
!, telling amusing incidents. In fact, they seemed
to feel as if the whole affair was a holiday
frolic A. c. MERRILL
= DETROIT, MICH. @. NJ. S., 9th Mich Inf.
: stonewalI jackson and Berdan's Sharpshooters.
s To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
g There is an incident connected with the
death Of the rebel General Stonewall Jackson
: that is worth relating. as showing the respect
c TO his memory paid by the Army Of the Poto-
S mac:
5 About o'clock on the afternoon of the 10Th