The National tribune., 1900-05-10
THE BELMONT FIGHT.
With Glimpse at Champions Hill-Facing
the 30th Ala.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: My
regiment assisted in the capture of the
celebrated Watson's New Orleans) Bat
terry at Belmont, Mo-, Nov. Z, 1861; but the
9th Ill. brought the guns off the field,
two of them, and know that the 9TH Iowa,
22d. 9th, Both and 31St Ill. all took a
lively part in that capture, for / was there.
This was the first battle for Gen. Grant
in the rebellion; he fought nearly all day
with the above-named five regiments
and one tWo-gUn battery and company
of cavalry against IL regiments OF rebel
infantry.
We left 81 dead, something over 10C
wounded, and 3S prisoners, but got away
on our transports, protected by two little
wooden gunboatS; then went back next
day, and (by permission) buried our dead
This was our introduction. Some com
rade speaks about Fort Donelson, but
nobody says anything about capturing
any batteries there. But we did capture
several hundred guns, large and small
as well as $4,000 rebels and muskets.
Now, as to Champions Hill. 1t ap
pears as though the comrades did not al
see alike. l know our brigade was lying
down in a rye-patch, and the S1st Ill. and
the rest of the brigade to which it belonged
marched past our position to our right.
heard John A. Logan tell Col. Dollens to
hurry up with his regiment the S1st),
to support that battery" which we could
plainly see near an old log house in the
open field. A battle line of Johnnies
came out of the woods in its front, crossed
a rail fence at shoulder arms, as though
they were going in to hoe corn, halted, and
formed line to charge the battery. just
then came the S1st Ill to the battery S
assistance, with the rest of the brigade.
The last we saw Of that act the Johnnies
We're going south without orders (unless
from Gen. Logan.
1p,,A al
thing in our own front. Gen. Leggett,
who commanded the brigade, yelled: AT
tention! Second Brigade! Forward-guide
center, "and the Goth o., Both Ill.-and GSth
and 18th Ohio had all they wanted to at
tend to the rest of that day: l know the
Both Ill. and Both Ala. stood face to face
for two hours, when to our great joy the
heavily, as did Hovey's people on our left
and Gen. Logan'S on our right.
Now comrades, while we do not claim
to have captured any battery, we do claim
to have helped to capture several. l think
that out of all the fights was in for -four
years, Champions Hill was about the
prettiest Of them all. There We're about
25,000 engaged on each side, the flower OF
the rebel army, and you all know what
Grants army was. 1t was nip-and-tuck
for long time that day, until good move
was made for the enemy's left, when the
Johnnies soon hunted Black River, which
gave US all rest until May 19, when we
invested Vicksburg. Then it was an
everyday fight until July 4, 1863.
l think every true soldier did his duty
as he was sworn to do. Why can we not
obtain our rights by going to the ballot
box and voting as we shot? And as Sc
many comrades have been making nomi-
nations, my ticket would be Hare,son for
President, Hon. Webster Davis for Vice.
President, and Gen. NJ. d. Leggett for
Commissioner Of Pensions-LINDSAY Y
STEELE, Captain, Co. Z, Goth ILL.,, Chester,
Ill.