Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1885-04-16

disciplined as cowboys. McClernand was
the only general officer in his command, and
he had never heard ths ping of an unfriendly
bullet. Logan, now so well known was
with him as colonel On the 9Th he landed
at Hunters Point, ON the Missouri SIDE and
marched ON Belmonk near which tho Con
federates had pitched their camp. BY 9
o'clock his entire command, except one
battalion guarding the transports, was in a
warm engagement, the gunboats being en-
gagged with th5 batteries at Columbus. The
fight lasted four hours, Grant with
the skirmish line. His horse was
shot under him. McClernand lost three
horses, and every colonel, rs well as the raw
recruits, fought furiously without finching.
They drove the Confederates to the river
bank, took several hundred prisoners, cap
tured all the artillery and broke up the
camp. Victory, however, was too much for
the Federal troops. They became diSor-
ganized, and instead OF following up the
enemy as he covered on the river bank, tie
soldiers set about Dlundering, while their Of
ticers, untaught in the proprieties OF military
life, made patriotic stump speeches. To
stop the plundering Grant ordered his staff
officers 10 set the camp ON fire. The men re-
turned to the ranks and the march To the
transports began. Meanwhile Confederate
re-enforcements arrived, and, combining with
the defeated, cut Grant OFF from his trans
ports. I'VE ara surrounded" said an Of
icer of rs staff, riding up, somewhat agi-
tated. "Well, - said Grant, ''if that is so, we
must cut our way out as we cut our way in
one of the condensed speeches Of w!5-.om
and determination for which he afterward
grew famous. He charged AMI dispersed
the enemy, meeting with but slight re-
sistance.
The danger of this, his first fight, was not
yet over, however. He pushed on to the
landing, got most of his force aboard, seeing
To everything in person, his officers being too
inexperienced to execute his orders without
special directions A force Of men had been
sent 10 gather up the wounded, and when the
main body was nearly embarked he rode
back to withdraw the rear guards, which
were 20 have covered the men bringing in
the wounded They, being unsOph -sticated
in military observances, had thought nc to
retire, and had returned to tine transports.
Grant found himself outside OF E!s own
troops with the enemy advancing upon him
and firing ON his transports. He saw that
the men in search Of the wounded could not
be saved and rode slowly back to the trans
ports. As he wore "A private's overcoas he
was not recognized as an officer. GettinS
near the transports he galloped swiftly to the
river, his horse sliding down the bank ON ITS
Launches; plank was put out for HIN, over
which he trotted his horse aboard l. C. n
rain of muskc;ry. His convoy of g..l5O2ts
then opened ON the Confederates with g-c:t
destruction, and small loss thsuasslvss, o-d
by 3 o'clt K the transports We're out Of rae.
This battle confirmed Grant in his policy OF
mo delay ON which he always afterwards
acted. This engagement strengthened the
confidence of his soldiers and made them
courageous for the future. Long afterwards
the Belmont men, were among the sturdiest
soldiers Ia the amy Of the Tennessee.