The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-09

He wanted to take Columbus, an impor-
tant point on the river twenty miles below
Cairo, but not until the 9th of November was
he ordered to move down the river. He had
300 men on transports, conveyed by two
gunboats. A section OF artillery, two
squadrons of cavalry and five regiments
constituted his force. Some OF his men had
only been in possession Of their arms q few
days, and were as raw a. children and as I'M
disciplined as cowboys. AcClernand was
the only general officer In his command, and
he had never heard the ping of an unfriendly
bullet. Logan, now 90 well known, was
with him as colonel On the 7th he landed
at Hunters Point, on the Missouri side, and
marched on Belmont. near which the Con-
federates had pitched their camp. By 9
o'clock his entire command, except one
battalion gu riding the transports, was in q
warm engagement, the gunboats being en-
gagged with the batteries at Columbus. The
the skirmish line His horse was
shot under him McClernand lost three
horses, and every colonel, as well as the raw
recruits, fought furiously without hinching.
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-
ganizsd, and instead OF following up the
enemy as he covered on the river bank, the
soldiers set about plundering, while their Of
icers, untaught in the proprieties Of military
life, made patriotic stump speeches. To
stop the plundering Grant ordered his staff
officers to 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 of from his trans
ports. 1--WE are surrounded" said an Of
- Lie III hat al
tated. ''Well, !" said Grant, ''n that Is SO, We
must cut our way out as we cut our way in"-
one of the condensed speeches Of wisdom
and determination for which he afterward
grew famous. He charged and dispersed
the enemy, meeting with but slight re-
Eistance.
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 to gather up the wounded, and when the
main body was nearly embarked he rods
back to withdraw the rear guards, which
were to have covered the men bringing In
the wounded. They, being unsophistcated
in military obServances, had thought fit to
retire, and had returned to the transports.
Grant found himself outside Of bis 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
DO saved and rode slowly back to the trans
ports. As he wore private's overcoat he
was not recognized as an officer. Getting
near the transports he galloped swiftly to the
river, his horse aiding down the bank on its
launches; plank was put out for him, over
which he trotted bis horse aboard through =
rain Of musketry. His convoy OF gunboats
then opened on the ConfOderates with great
destruction, and small loss themselves, and
by O'Clock the transports were out OF range.
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 in the army Of the Tennessee.