Evening star., 1885-07-23

Life At Belmont.
wAY-THEIR coMNANDER RIDING WITHIN
FIFTY YARDS OF THE ESEMS's LINEs--A
DASH FOR THE RIVER BRINK AMIDST A
SHOWER OF BULLETS
At ? O'Clock on the morning OF the eth of Mo-
vember, 1861, Grant. who was then a brigadies
general and in command OF an expedition In
Kentucky, received intelligence that the coh'
federates had been crossing troops from Column.
bus TO Belmont the day before with the pur-
pose OF cutting of oglesby lie nj once deter
mined 10 convert the demonstration he had
planned against Belmont into an attack, as t
was necessary 10 he prompt in preventing any
further effort OF the enemy either 10 reinforce
Price or to interrupt oglesby.
AT O'Clock" writes Gen. Radeau. "iho
transports moved down the river and the troops
were debarked at Hunters Point on the Mis-
souri, SIDE just out OF range of the Columbus
batteries. They marched direct towards Bel
mont. about three miles OF. Here in an open
space, protected by fallen forest timber, tho
rebels had pitched their camp. Grant moved
10y flank for about mile, then drew hts
troops up i'm line and ordered forward the hole
force a. skirmishers. On the road he met with
serious opposition. and by = O'Clock his entire
command was holly engaged, except one hat
talliOu, held i'm reserve hear the landing as a
guard To tbe transports; Inc gunona's, at
though wooden, occasionally engaged the bat
teric> at Columbus many Of which had plung-
ing fire; This action. however, MAS without re-
suit. The country on the belmont side was
partially wooded and cut mp with sloughs and
swamps. and the rchCls took advantage of thess
difficulties. There WAS heavy fighting Tor nearly
four hours. During all this time Grant was
with the skirmlsh line His horse WAS Shps
under him. McClernand host three horses, aud
every colonel sci an example ol gallaniry 10 his
command. stimulated by TINS behavior tho
green soldiers fought like veterans aud finally
drove the rebels, foot by foot, through sloughs
and fields and from tree 10 tree 10 the river
bank, charged through the abatiS, took several
hundred prisoners, captured all the artillery
and broke mp the camp.
DEMoRALIZI:D vfCroRs.
They became, however. AT once disorganized
by their victory. and instead of pursuing the en-
envy, as he hudded and crouched under ths
river bank set about plundering, while their
colonels, equally raw, shouted and made stump
speeches for the Union. Grant, meanwhile, hat
observed the rebel transports crossing the river
from Columbus. and crowded with troops on
their triple decks. lie was anxious ID get back
Ia his own steamers before these reinfprccments
could arrive. and stroVe IN reform his men. but
IN vain; they behaved like so many schooboyS,
until, finally. To stop the llundering, he ordered
his Staif officers to sci thc camps on fire. This
drew the attention oi the artilcrists at Colum
hus, who speedily opened on the national
troops. when, pefcciNlug the Necessity of diScI-
rlinr, the men returned TO the ranks, and tlse
tn;t'ch to the transports began. Meanwhile ths
Il .eatrd rebels finding no notice Was taken a.:
tl',in. had reformed under the bank and in tho
woods on the point of land Just above Belmont,
t!.fec fresh regiments rom Columbus had asi
under the bank, intcrposod between Grant and
his transports. 1t was instantly cried:
WE ARE sURRuJNDED,
and at first some confusion prevailed An of.
Ger OF Grants stan, lately from civil life. rode
up. a little Clustered. with The intelligence.
well, said Grant, Ill thai Is SO. we must cut
our way out we cut way i'm. The men
Ncre brave enough, hut il had mot occurred l.,
tlrrn before. that being surrounded there w, :
nything to do hut surrender; Grant, howeve-,
remarked: w have whipped them once and
think we can do II d"tih; and as soon aS 'hb
troops found thai 1. cir header meant To fig .
the CONFUSION WAS pa-I, they promptly rharg l
ana dispersed tnC E'brl tiite, Whicn made bEt 4.
fiitt resistance. NOT half vigorous thai e
the morning. ana disappeared a second riIns
N was necessary. however To lose no time. or
rciufDrcemcntS We're Still crossing the river IA
large numbers. Grant pushed on 40 the landin.
and getting most ga hls force aboard. sent "A a.
tacauGent 10 gather up The wounded. He was
occupied thus for am aoUr, without disturbance,
hut owing To the ineNorriencr al hiS o:lic A..
not one oi whom was a professional soldier. bs
hao nearly everything Il do in person aud MS
obi ged fa superintend the execution of his own
orders. The main body WAS nearly embarked
when he rode ba TX with Sinct" staff uiii,rrf,
Withdraw tae btti Hon lac ils,l posted IA tho
morning az a guard u the tran 7port-, aIi
/ which he supposed siiil covered Tie mrn whp
were bringing in wouadcd. But the reserves
aS as the rest of the troops, and when
the others were drawn i'm. they too had thour ht
prpDcr to retire. without aay orders. aud
without reporting their action. they had -
position was protected 10y TIM gEIi.,aiS, but
simply out of ignorance and inexperience.
GRANTS NAIRow ESCAPE.
Grant was therefore completely outside Of his
own troops At this moment he rode up on a
knoll and discovered Immediately i'm his front
the whole rebel force, now greatly augmented,
and advancing upon him i'm line ofbattle. Tlta,
enemy had formed a third lime nearly parallel
tp the bank. and was extending his own left 80
: To cut off the national Transports bv getting
H. ~ las, i.ess In
the stream just there makes n peninsula II
the Missouri shore, and rendered this manU.-
vre easy 10 execute. The rebel line in .
cofn-iield, not fifty yards from Grant. and
already hiring on his transports. He still
for moment To observe the situation, and pre-.
sented an easy mark u rebel rifles; but ths
morning had been damp and chilly. and ha
wore a private oNercoat, ana was not rccog-
n,zed Tor an officer. He SAW at once that IL was
impossible TO save the parties who were still ous
in search OF the wounded, and completely cu
of: so he turDed his horse. riding back TO the
transports slowly, i'm order not To attract a
fire. Getting, nearer, however, hc put spurs
to his horse, and galored hard To
the bank. the animal sliding over the brink ON
his launches. The rebel fire now hot, and
the transports were about Ia push OF, leaving
Grant ashore. He, however, rode rapidly up,
and plank was put out for him, over which lie
trotted his horse aboard under "A heavy mus
kerry fire. The convoy al gunhoats then opened
on the rebel ranks, which had by this time al,-
preached within fifty or sixty yards. Grape
and canister were poured into them with good
effect, moving the men down in swaths. The
enemy fortunately fired too high. and a storm
oi shot passed over the hurricane deck, but
wounded only three men and killed none. BY
live O'Clock the last transport was out of range,
officers ana men equally ciated with the idea
of having gained a victory.
The next day, under "A flag of truce Grant met
an old West Point comrade, vino had become a
rebel and was serving an Poli<'s staff. Grant
mentioned having ridden out and met the
rebel iEe. Was that you:' said the other. We
you, and Gen. Polk called to some of his
troops, There men, Ia Yankee. III YOU want
ta try your aim;"' but all were intent on hitting
The transports then, and nobody fired at
a. ant"
District Government Affairs.