The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-10-19
WAR OF THE REBELLION.

WAX VI lHE kEDELLlUN.
Continued from page l.,
Mcpherson and Hovey to hold the lat
ter back until he could hear the sound
Of McClerI.and on the left. In spite Of
engagement became quite close. Brig
Gen. George F. McGinnis. with How
ey's First Brigade-the 18th, gath, 34th
and 46th Ind. and 29th Wis-had the
advance. and was the first to come
in contact with the enemy. The Second
18th Ind. Gath and 2Sth Iowa and
10Th Ohio-came forward and formed
| on the left OF the First Brigade. and
Gen. Hovey sent messengers to Oster-
haus to cooperate. but they could not
find him.
The Battle Opens.
i At the sound Of the firing Gen. Nc
advance. and formed in support. BY IL
o'clock, in spite Of the Efforts of Gen.
Grant to hold the battle back until Nc
Clernand could attack, the engagement
became close and deadly. The 18th
Ind. and goth Wis charged up the hill
and captured four guns at the point of
the bayonet. The 18th Ind. did the
same on the right OF the road. captur-
ing two guns, while the oath Iowa
charged a battery OF five guns on the
left OF the road. driving the enemy
away. killing gunners and horses and
capturing several prisoners McGinnis
rushed Capt. Mitchell's 18th Ohio Bat
terry up the HILL where Capt. Mitchell
was soon killed, and the battery being
in danger had to be withdrawn. The
enemy was concentrating an overpow-
ering force upon Hoyey, and Col
Boomer and Col. Holmes with two bril-
gades went to his assistance from
Crocker's Division. but In spite Of the
most stubborn fighting Hovey was
pushed back. Mcpherson sent two bat
ly enfilade the enemy's lines, and they
created great havoc. Gen. Logan now
saw with soldiers sure eye an oppor-
tunity to be Of service. and he swept
over the open fields toward the rear of
| the enemy, attacking through the belt
of woods Still there was nothing
heard from McClernand.
I Logan gained a position which COM
manded the only road over which the
enemy could retreat, and while he was
there Gen. Grant came up to him. Meth
er Of them, though, comprehended the
vital importance Of the position which
Logan had gained, and Hovey calling
earnestly for more help, Grant directed
Logan to abandon his position and go
to Hovey's assistance. Logan's were
the only reinforcements available at
the moment. Hovey hurriedly massed
the 1st Mo. Battery, the 10th Ohio Bat
terry and Capt. billions Wisconsin Bat
! terry in a position to rake the rebel
lines. and they poured In terrific fire.
/ under which the enemy recoiled and
Hovey's and Logan's Divisions swept
| forward for the third time over the
ground across which the tide of battle
| had been swinging back and forth. This
| time they advanced to stay, and the
enemy retreated in disorder between 3
and 4 o'clock. Grant rode over to
i rxI,nr ~ hoI ,1
make his attack, and found the skirmish-
ers of Carr's Division just coming In,
with OSterhauS'S presently appearing
McPherson's and Hovey's men, every
| one Of whom had been under fire for at
| least four hours, were too much ex-
| hauSted by their tremendous struggle
| to make q pursuit and Gen. Grant per-
sonally ordered Carr to push forward
vigorously as far as the Big Black and
cross it If he could, with Osterhaus fol-
| lowing him.
Gen. Grant was deeply incensed at
Gen. McClernand for his failure to obey
orders and attack. leaving the whole
brunt of the fight with Pemberton's
$1,000 men in position to be borne by
about $1,000 men of Hovey'S and Lo-
cams and Crocker's Divisions. Nc
| Clernand had been in touch with the
enemy long before the arrival OF the
other troops upon the field, and Oster-
| haus's and A. ]. Smiths pfckets had
been engaged with the rebel pickets as
early as 1870. McClernand could not,
| it was felt, have failed to hear the
noise Of the battle and to take some
| action, and Gen. Grant had sent repeat
ed orders to him to advance and en-
gage the enemy. These were sent by
staff officers who were fully cognizant
of the situation, and McClernand could
| not have helped knowing what was go
| ing on.
He did nothing except to send or
| ders to Gen. Hovey to join his right
| flank, which Grant would not permit
him to obey. Had McClernand shown
any activity Pemberton's army must
| have been destroyed or captured. AS it
| was, Loring's Division, which formed
Pemberton's right, was cut off in the
| retreat and lost to him thereafter.
PembertOn withdrew his army to the
! Big Black River, which he did not
| reach until midnight, and went into
position to cover the crossing.
The Losses.
Pemberton's loss was over 5000
| killed and wounded and about 5000
| captured in battle and in pursuit, be-
sides Gen. Loring's Division. Gen Lo,
gan alone captured 1900 prisoners and
IL guns, and Gen. Hovey captured
| about 700 exclusive Of 500 sick and
wounded.
In the retreat the Confederates aban-
doned a great amount of valuable mill
| itary property, among it being 80 pieces
| of artillery, many muskets and much
ammunition.
The Union loss was 40 killed. 1874
wounded and 1877 missing. Hovey alone
lost 1900 killed and wounded, or about
one-third Of his division.
The battle Of Champions Hill was
| largely an Indiana battle, as regiments
from that State brought it on. were
most conspicuous in the conflict. and
had a large proportion Of the achieve
ments to their credit.
Among the killed was Col. w. T.
Spicely, of the Gath Ind, who. notwith-
standing his mortal wound, remained
| on the field until the victory was won.
Col. Daniel Macauley. 18th Ind, was.
after leading his regiment in capturing
a battery and performing other acts of
valor. shot through both thighs near
| the close Of the FIGHT