Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-10-01

flfcT. Nuctc iccAbca etots'Sit"t Ao~eo
regarding the character OF the train,
and which convinced me that It be-
longed TO some of the parties for
whom we were looking, and immedi.
ately determined to pursue by another
road, believing that il they were hard
pressed at any time thev would pass
from road to road to battle the efforts
of their pursuers, and as they were re-
ported as doing before they crossed
the river.
Accordingly. Idetailed one hundred
and twenty.eight enlisted men and
seven commissioned officers besides
myself. of the best mounted men in
the command. leaving the rest
of the regiment in command OF
Captain Hathaway, directing him to
picket the river, scout the country,
&C., in accordance with former orders.
At four O'Clock / put the column in
motion, moving down the river road a
distance Of twelve miles, to point
known as Wilcox's Mills; thence by
blind woods through an almost un-
broken waste Of pine forest for dis.
tance of eighteen miles, in south
easterly direction, to Irwinsville,
which we reached about one o'clock
on the morning of the 10th inst.
Here passing my command as Con-
federates and inauiriug for "our
train" representing that we were a
rear guard to fight back the Yankees,
&c, learned from the inhabitants
that train and party meeting the des-
crlption OF the one reported to me at
| IAbbeville had encamped at dark the
night previous one and one-half miles
out on the Abbeville road, | at once
turned the head of my column in that
direction (impressing a negro for q
guide). After moving to within one
half mile of the camp halted under
cover of a slight eminence, dismounted
twenty-five men and sent them under
command Of Lieutenant Purinton
to make the circuit Of the camp and
gain position in its rear, and thus
cut off all possibility of escape; and
with special directions to execute the
movement if possible without discov-
cry, but if discovered and an alarm
was raised, I would Immediately
charge the camp from the front, when
he was to operate with his commsnd
from any point which he might then
occupy; that if no alarm was raised |
should consider tina. he had gained
the position directed, where he was co
wait until / should commence the at
tack from the front. I had not decd.
ed, at thts time whether to move upon
the camp at once or to wait until day
Ilight; but upon further consideration
decided to delay as it was now after
two o'clock in the morning, the moon
was getting low, and the deep shadows
of the forest we're falling heavily, rem
dering it easy for persons to escape
undiscovered to the woods and swamps
in the darkness.
After waiting an hour and more
just as the earliest dawn appeared,
put the column in motion, and we
were enabled to approach within four
or five rods of the camp undiscovered,
when dash was ordered, and in an
instant the whole camp with its in
mates were ours. A chain of mount
ed guards was immediately thrown
around the camp, and dismounted
sentries placed at the tents and wa
CONS. The surprise was 30 complete
and the movement so sudden in its
execution that few of the enemy were
enabled to make the slightest defense,
or even arouse from their slumbers in
time to grasp their weapons, which
we're lying at their sides, before they
we're wholly in our power.
But at this moment new scene
opened destined in its mournful re-
suit to cloud the otherwise perfect
and glorious success Of our
expedition, for we had not held possess
sion of the camp but few minutes,
and not long enough to ascertain the
extent Of our capture, when sharp fir
ing was commenced between the dis
mounted force under Lieutenant Pur-
inton and what was supposed az the
time to be the rebel force guarding
| the train.
The firing was about one hundred
rods in rear Of the camp, and across a
narrow swamp. | Immediately or
dered all my forces forward 70 the
scene Of the firing, leaving only force
sufficient to guard the camp prisoners.
On arriving on the ground found
my men engaging force of dis
mounted men. who were concealed be.
hind trees, &c. l at once formed my
men in line, dismounted them, threw
out q line Of skirmishars, who were
advancing handsomely, when ] became
apprehensive that we we're contending
with some of our own men, from the
determination displayed on their part,
and the peculiar report of their fire.
arms; | ordered my men at once to
cease firing; / rode out toward our
opponents and hallooed to them who
they were and received reply: "First
Wisconsin. !" This mistake was not
y