The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-11-24
BY Captain GEORGE L. KILr1BR, Late
u. s. v,
copyright by American Press AsBooia-
tion, 1911

uon, lall'l
~ N Nov. Z. 1861, two officers OF
comparatively insignificant
rank made their bows to the
American people as leaders In
battle. One was U. S, Grant, a brig
adler general Of volunteers; the other
S. Il. Dupont. commodore Of the Unit
ed States navy. 4 different fortune
awaited them, for, although Grant
failed in his undertaking at Belmont,
he arose 10 the head Of the army. Du-
pont succeeded at Port Royal and was
a stubborn fighter when commanding
the south Atlantic squadron, yet IN
the end the chief honors Of naval com
mand went TO another.
At Belmont, No. opposite Columbus.
KY, the Confederate general Polk,
had established camp Of observation,
occupied by one regiment Of infantry,
a battery of artillery and squadron
Of cavalry. In order to command the
approaches to this position by the
Confederate batteries on the high
ground at Columbus, the trees had
been felled for some distance along
the west bank. and the fallen timber
had been so placed as TO form an
abatis capable Of obstructing the ad-
vance of an enemy. This camp Grant
the staff were unhorsed. Grants
horse was shot under him. Grants
plan Of attack was to keep the left
flank near the river TO prevent re-en-
forcements from crossing over from
Columbus and by spreading out the
line partially surround the Confeder-
ate camp. A united effort in the ma
ture Of a charge, but prevented from
being one by the roughness Of the
ground, drove the enemy from the
through the woods to an
open space around the inclosed line.
When Grants excited soldiers saw
close at hand the defiant flag waving
above the guns and Confederates run
ming back across the field their en-
thusiasm knew no bounds.
The spreading of Grants line Great
ed a gap in the ranks opposite the enc
my's battery. The Seventh Iowa rush
ed into the space and in a few mo
ments drove the gunners from their
pieces with a hot fire Of bullets. A
rush of the whole line precipitated a
in the enemy's ranks, and
Grants men swarmed about the flag
pole, tents and cannon like bees around
an upturned hive. 1t was their first
fight, their first victory and first seizure
Of the spoils OF war. officers and sol
diers alike jumped upon the gun car
riages and platform and delivered flow
cry speeches to their comrades, who
decided to attack. Accordingly, at
about 8 o'clock on the morning of the
7th, he disembarked his force on the
Missouri shore, some five miles above
Belmont, and ordered the gunboats to
lrop below and engage the batteries at
Columbus. Quickly forming his col
INN, Grant pushed for the Confeder-
lte camp, hoping to take the Confeder-
ties by surprise.
Grants Foe Reinforced.
In this he was partly mistaken, for
General Polk, who was at Columbus,
lad been notified Of the landing of
Federal troops on the west shore of
he Mississippi and promptly dispatch
ID General Gideon J. Pillow with four
egiments to succor the threatened
amp. This reinforcement raised the
defenders of Belmont to about 5000
men, with six cannon. Grant had
bout 5000.
After marching a mile through a
wooded swamp the Federal column
cached a cornfeld, and the Seventh
owa deployed as sl1irmishers among
he tall stalks to the farther edge of
he field. A company of Confederates
vas in hiding beyond the field and
red at the Iowans, killing one man.
/ line Of battle was quickly formed,
nd the whole command moved on
yard through the woods. The fight
lg was steady and continuous from
hat point atQfthe Confederate worksS>
he way was '6bstIucted by heavy un-
erhEush,aand fallen, trees, . and: the 4
leMhadl to- oliInb over or crawl under
las ;ibest they could, the
While keepingia a lookout for the enc
lysG,t, Inssi places the ground was
wampy.l and between fighting. find
lg a road and waiting for the cannon
0 be dragged along with the column.
he, march was slow and difficult.
officers Chosen Targets.
The. delay gave the enemy time to
elect positions and get in good shots.
It the end of a mile the whole line
yas held up by new obstacle, sort
f secondary river bank that formed
natural breastwork fo- the Confed-
rates. Grants column had also got
7ithin range of the fieldpieces at Bel
lont and Of the heavy guns at Colum-
us, and shot and shell tore through
be forest, giving the farm boys
lste of real war. The Confederate
idemen were favored with picked
hots. and Grants officers and men
ell rapidly. General J. A. McCler-
and, second in command to Grant,
ad three horses shot under him one
fter another. Colonel Lauman of the
eventh Iowa lost his horse in this
ctlon and was afterward severely |
himself The mounted men
7ere chosen targets, and several Of
heered themselves hoarse, and the
attic, as Grant himself declared, was
oon turned into a Fourth Of July |
rgy of bubbling eloquence.
But the Confederates had not aban-
oned the Missouri bank--only dropped |
own under the bluff out Of range
10 one demanded their surrender, for