The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-10

Ing water to his wounded captain McCaa,
was wounded by a ball striking his thigh
and breaking It. When the Yankees came
up to where he and his captain were "
ing, a large red-headed man with big
beard, after looking him over, said 1T
was a id shame to be shooting at a lot
of boys" Captain Walthall, who SO
bravely held his place, though his COM
pany suffered severely, when the flank
ing rush was made seeing Federal
creeping through the brush to get shot,
undertook to do some stalking to head
off his enemy. Just when he raised his
pistol to fire, he was observed by a COM
pany Of advancing men. one of whom or
dered him to halt and surrender. Run
ming to cover short distance to the rear
he got behind tree where a ball passed
through his boot, causing the blood to
flow. He sat down by Private Derrett,
who was bleeding to death from a wound
through the femoral artery. With the
blood of the dying boy he freely covered
his leg and hands, and when the adj
yancng party came up, Derrett was dead,
and the captain was nursing his leg In
such a way as to Indicate that 1t was
crushed, The man who assumed leader
ship said to his comrades, leave him
alone, men. He is done for" Just then
the bugle sounded the recall, when the
captains lame leg greatly aided his flight
to the rear.
On July 10, Rousseau finished his
work of destruction, and without fur
Their molestation, reported to his COM
mander at Marietta, Ga, With a small
body of cavalry well commanded, the en-
envy could have been greatly harrassed.
and the destruction of valuable property
and much-needed supplies prevented.
From Report of General Rousseau.
At Ten Islands, below Greensport, he
was met by the Sixth and Eighth Ala
bama cavalry, under General Clanton.
These he swept out of his way. killing
fifteen, including the acting adjutant gem
eral, and capturing the Northumberland
and major of the Sixth Alabama cavalry.
He rapidly moved on Talledega, where
he destroyed oil stores gathered there,
including the depot.
As to the operations of July Is, 1864, he
reported as follows AT the same time
Major Baird, of the Fifth Iowa, was sent
with a detachment of his regiment and
of the Fourth Tennessee cavalry to Che
haw station, twelve miles south of Loach-
apoka, to commence destroying the road
there, and work back northward. Later,
information reached us from Major
Beard that he had a superior force of
the enemy near Chehaw station, directed
Colonel Harrison to send the Eighth In
diana forward to his support, which was
promptly done. Colonel Harrison him
self proceeding forward with the regi-
ment, and an advance was again made.
The enemy stubbornly contested the
ground, but were driven back by Major
Baird, until they gained shelter In a ra-
vine Except on the railroad, we were in
an open field, where they maintained
their position until a detachment of the
Eighth Indiana, sent by Colonel Harri-
son, turned their left flank and gained
their rear, pouring in a heavy fire from
their Spencer rifles, whilst Major Baird
assailed them In front, when they fell
back in confusion, leaving about forty
dead on the field. Official reports of our
casualties have not been received, but
the loss was small. not exceeding three
killed and eight or ten wounded. This
loss was principally sustained by the de-
tachment of the Fifth Iowa, under COM
mand of Major Baird, which was directly
in front of the enemy, and behaved gal
lantly."
From this report, Major Baird, with
his Fifth Iowa, and Fourth Tennessee,
was engaged by Companies A and B.
Company A did not leave the skirmish
line until all firing had ceased, and was
ordered to take position on the left No
doubt the long slxirmish line persuaded
Colonel Harrison that he was In the
presence of a large reserve force In rear
sion except where the left companies
were hanked and these only retired to
the position they ought to have occupied
all day We remained to bury the dead
slept in rear of the line of battle, and fol-
lowed the enemy the next day. Four
Federals were found dead near the rail-
road where Colonel Harrison made his at
tack with the Eighth Indiana. Major
Baird was in the wood-covered hill, and
If his loss was in proportion to Colonel
| Harrisons the enemy's loss In killed was
greater than ours. There was one cadet
badly wounded.
After the battle we marched to West
Point, Ga, and then returned to Pollard
We never saw General Clanton and his
cavalry brigade, though we We're inform
ed that after General Rousseau had dis
appeared he was on the line of the de-
| stroyed railroad. If, while we were fight
| ing. Colonel Harrison, with his Eighth
| Indiana, and Major Baird, with his Fifth
| Iowa and Fourth Tennessee (union),
| Clanton could have struck Rousseau at
| Notaselga or Auburn, Rousseau would
have made a different report to his COM
| mander
The story of Chehaw ought to be better
| told, but no report from our side has been
| found. Such was the first battle fought
in the great war on Alabama SOIL