The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1910-03-11
TAKEN FROM CIVIL WAR
NOTE BOOK OF I'M. LEACH,
CONTINUED from. last Week.

on SOnle u1CucS c-Se "a eiic VI
Colonel Gates has been camped neal
Edwards Station. This morning We
had a fight with Grants advance
guard We were marched out to the
breastworks and lay in them all
night.
May 1S.-At 3 O'Clock this morning
we moved two miles south OF Ed
wards station and formed a line of
battle on a hill in an old field. Ist
Brigade on the right and End on the
left. 1t is reported that General john
son is in Jackson with $4,000 recruits.
General Pendleton is moving troops
out OF vicksburg. There will be a
fight in a few days or somebody will
run.
! May 16.-Yesterday evening and
las. night we moved back TO Edward 5
Station and took the Clinton road
and marched four miles and formed
a line Of battle, Lowring on the right
resting on the Raymon road, General
Stevison on the right on the Clinton
road. our division occupied the CEN
ter. We went into our places like we
were going into camp. No orders for
silence no advance guard Some men
built fins and laid down just as If no
enemy was within fifty miles Of us.
when in fact they were close at hand,
not but a few hundred yards. Al
day break We got UP and eat break
fast, but very early they made point
on our right, when in fact they were
sending a large body of troops 70 our
left. At 10 O'Clock General Stevison
was attacked by a very large force
which drove him back and little
while longer our whole tarmy would
have gone up. when our division was
brough; into action just as Stevison's
division gave way our first fire seat
hem Keeling back in disorder. When
We were ordered TO charge but had
not gone over 400 yards when fresh
troops were brought against us, but
in a few minutes they were also
rou.ed. So We continued 10 drive them
/ for near three hours. When our ammu-
milton gave out, and being out flank
ed We fell back 10 the road, our di-
vision covering the retreat. Lowring's
/ division being cut off made lis way
/ % Johnson's army. We continued TO
retreat o Big Black B:idsd where We
lay on the damp ground all night. So
ended thu battle of Bakers Creek.
Il don't believe at tere we've ever
such generalship shown. We had near
800 killed, 1000 or 1.2OO wounded and
/ 200 AIKEN As prisoners. The enemy' 5
loss not known. but in killed and
wounded. as much as ours.
May live were aroused very
early this morning by picket fighting.
We were soon placed mo the djch,
our brigade on our right center was
filled up with Tennesseeians We had
been sharp shooting when the FEEDER
| ais made a charge on The center when
/ the Tennesseeians thew down their
arms and fled. This gave the enemy
/ possession of our works and all that
We could do was to run for dear life
/ for the bridge, which most of our
| brigade reached. but Green's were cut
/ off and only a few reached che bridge
about half of his men swan the river
and made their escape. We burned
| the bridges and retreated 20 Vicks-
burg. That night our army whipped
and discouraged and in some portion
disorgaDized. we'll knowing that We
would be besieged and also knowing
/ that il We were relieved from the
outside, We would have 10 surrender
! sooner or later.
June I've have been inside OF
The breas.works uwenty-cne days.
have not been able 70 keJp jouTnal,
! from the fact that my book was al
camp and We had not time 10 run
around much. but perhaps it is just
as well. On the 18th of May our
troops were coming in. in squads
from ten TO thirty, and as have
said, diSorganized, but they kept COM
ing in and hunting ttoiI Command.
Everything looked quite discouraging,
About o'clock in the evening, the
enemy made their appearance be-
fore our breassworlzs and our division
was sent out side Of the works on
the left TO watch their movements,
some sharp shooting and caponadine
but no engagement. Our division lost
3 killed and some wounded About mid
night We were moved back inside OF
the works and most of Us were held
on reserve TO support the left II
needed
May 1s.-This was a calm and bright
morning. The sun arose bright and
clear; the birds sang sweelly, and
| ALI na.rirs s-snod in n.aace Inn there