The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-11-26
UNITED STATES STEAMER WAcHUsErT.

EAMEh w AShOSE11s
$4,000 strong of the enemy made its appear
ance under Gen. Holmes. After continu
Gus battle of five hours duration the enem,
| fell back and gave up the contest, leaving
his dead 400, besides 1000 prisoners, in on
hands. Gen. Solomon and the brave mel
OF his command are entitled to the credit o
the repulse of the enemy at Helena.
With force of about $500 men, he sue
ceeded in holding at bay and virtually de
feating force of at least $4,000 well-disci
pinned soldiers. Being protected by theil
| works, the casualties were light-two killed
| four wounded.
The regiment left Helena on the 11th &C
companying Gen. Steele in his expedition
against Little Rock, Ark, which place they
reached Sept. 10, where they remained unit
Oct. 26, when they joined in the pursuit Of
Gen. Marmadukes forces towards the Saline
River, proceeding TO Rockport, on the
| Washita River, where further pursuit wa.
abandoned, and the regiment, after having
marched over 100 miles, returned to Little
Rock on the 1st of November.
From there they were ordered to Pine
Bluff. Here on the 10ih of November they
went into Winter quarters, and were en-.
gagged in garrison and picket duty until the
9th of March, 1864. Lieut-Col. E. B. Gray
was placed in command of this post, and
companies A, ID, F, G, H, and /, under COM
mand of Capt. L. j. Smith, with an addi-
tional force of infantry and cavalry, left
Pine Bluff on an expedition intending to de-
stroy the enemy's pontoon bridge at Long
view, on the Saline River.
On the TO lowing day the expedition ar
rived a, Mount Elba. Here the infantry
l~c, A. l. -
airy pushed forward to Longview. The
infantry, less than 500 in number, were at
tackled on the Both by force Of the enemy
! $40 strong. The six companies of the 2Sth,
depioyed as skirmishers, held the enemy in
check until recalled to the main body.
Shortly after the rebel charge was CALAMITY
repulsed, the enemy leaving 100 killed and
wounded on the field.
AT this juncture the cavalry, which had
been sent to Longview, came up, and the
enemy was closely pursued, distance of 10
miles, to CenterviIle. Next day the expedi-
ton returned to Pine B uff, bringing in 800
prisoners the infantry having marched IS
miles. detachment of $50 men OF the 2Sth
under command of Lieut.-Col. GRAY, left
Pine Bluff on the 28th OF April, under orders
to proceed to Mount Elba, lay q pontoon
bridge across the Saline, and guard the pass
until the arrival Of the expedition intended
to convey supplies to our forces at Camden.
Information having been received that Gen.
Steeles forces were retreating in the direc-
ton of Little Rock, the detachment returned
to Pine Bluff on the Both.
Since the establishment of the armv
on the line of the Arkansas the 2Sth had
furnished heavy details for outpo,ts and
guard duty, and during the months of June
and July they were occupied day and night
in labor Oh the defenses of the post.
The regiment left Pine Bluff on Jan. %.
1865. accompanying Gen. Carr to Mount
Eiba, marching 100 miles, and started on
their return to Little Rock on the Both.
reaching camp on Feb. 4. On the 18th they
EN- barked on transports, reaching Algiers on
tue 10th, and re-embarking landed on Mo-
bile Point, where the regiment was assigned
to he Third Brigade, Third Division, Thir-
teen,h Corps, taking part in the move
ments against Mobile.
On March II the 26th marched to Fish
River, and on the 9th took position before
Spanish Fort, where they remained, engaged
in the siege and picket duty, until the
evacuation, on April 8. The next day the
regiment proceeded to Blakely, reaching
there too late to take part in its capture.
The movements of the 18th after the can't
ure consists in the occupation of McIntosh's
Bluff They left on May 8, and proceeded
to Mobile, where they embarked, and ar
rived at Brazos Santiago, Tex, June 6. On
the 10th they marched to GAINESVILLE. and
on Aug. 3 to Brownsville. where thew were
mustered out of the service. Embarkinu
on transports on Aug. % they reached Madi.
sou, Wis, on Sept Is. where. on the ord
they were paid off and disbanded.
And now, reyerting to the Helena hattie
1 want to say it was the LIST Ind. Cav. the
2oth WIS.,, and section of Haden,s Iowa
battery that saved US all from being killed
or captured that day. The battle was well
planned, and would have resulted very diff
ierently if the 28th Wis and the 1st Ind
had not peppered them numerically az
they passed by on their way to capture Fort
Curtis, about half-mile in our rear.
We had line of rifiepts around Helena
nanked by two gun batteries from our
right TO our left, say, half mile apart. and
resting the extreme right and left on the
Mississippi River. OF course. our line-of.
battle was thin one, and our 3. 500 men had
to defend these works, which extended fully
four miles.
When the charge was made on our center
Battery G had to leave their works and their
two guns and retreat to Fort Curtis. Now
the rebels, after capturing Battery C. sup
posed they had Helena, but our two reei-
ments lay in their way, about half mile
apart" and through this gap the rebels
victorious from their charge on Battery C.
came howling past our two regiments Hay-
denis two guns and 500 from our 2Stb boys
spoke as one as they came in range and the
Indiana boys were just as brave and gave il
to them just the same.
Hayden's two guns and the guns from
Fort Curtis soon had them corraled. and
nearly all of that brave command that made
that gallant charge was either killed ar
taken prisoners and thus ended the battle
OF Helena.-E M. Dep.