Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-02-07

WI IL. 4+Hat if--t ll' 'A''tL a. " AuV
spirit 90 the writer. 1t read:
I decline TO surrender the forces under
ny command or the post without an ef-
fort TO defend them.
4. g. HARDING.
Colonel Commanding
Forrest had with him 800 men. and
Whlrtou's force numbered 500 sa-
bcs, Both columns attached stimuli
taus0usly. three Confederate batter
&c: rainnd shots upon tn Eederals,
p, king the tine lengthw.-'. IN hi1
4r.. rush Forrest carrie. the outeS
trenches. but Harding safely Withdrew
his men and guns to shorter line.
To prevent the removal OF the guns
the Confcderates aimed ut the horses
and shot down all but the wheel team
Of one piece. After seeing the other
guns safe the cuuuoueerS returDnd in
the face OF Whartpu's ouruShiug line
10 recover the one III danger. cutting
loose the four dead animals. the driver
mounted. but the off horse was in
=taLtlv shot leaving the gun helpless
The cgurun"er> fought. with ran -ners
a!d spikes uni. overpowered.
Meanwhile the Illinois men poured a
biting rife ire upon the charging
ranks. FORESTS horse was shot and
fell with his rider. Surprising theiI
leader killed. the troopers turned and
fed
With the repUlSe Of Forrest. Hard
iugS men again occupied the old lines
\ thirty-twO FOUNDER siege gun was
brought 10 bear upon the threatened
point and double shotted with canister
FORESTS men rushed forward. to be
met with the canister at ten PAGES.
Colonel McNair Of FORESTS staff and
several other officers. together with
scores of men. fell. Harding had
massed 800 men on the ridge near the
guns.
Forrest Sounds the Retreat.
Against this new line Forrest rode
with a dozen men Of his escort TO with
In thirty PAGES. But his brigade had
been wiped out. \ second time his
horse was shot under him. and the
sturdy fighter. who all along had Op-
posed the attack. reluctantly sounded
the retreat
WARRIORS attack was not less deS-
perate than that of Forrest. but owing
10 the formation If the ground and
the lines in that quarter the defenders
kept the a>sailants at a distance Aft
er the loss OF the gun Colonel Harding
sent two more pieces into action
against Wharton. His infantry in their
rife pits w.thS:ood the assaults Of en-.
emieS mountaineering them ten to one.
During the heat Of Wharton's attack
Colonel Harding stripped the line
around the siege gun where Forrest
had been checked with fearful car
mage Of its defenders and sent them to
the points If danger That WAS For
rests opportunity. but his brigade was
out Of the fight for good.
So rapid had been the firing of the
Federal infantry that their ammu
milton was nearly exhausted. fh+
only reserve supply at the post was il
81 section that had been cut of Ivy the
charging Couf"dpratoS from the mali
part Of The garrison around the siege
gun and near Colonel Harding'S head
quarters, Three out Of nine Of the Hi
moi, companies were in rife pits neaI
the ammunition Adjoining these wer,
some rifle pits which had been aban
doued early in the fight.
Second Demand to Surrender.
Just ut shutdown the IlHuoisans 4
headquarters arose from their pit!
with yell ANA started at double Quicl
. .,r,.r.ttsV.5+=..r.
ateS who lay i'm the pathway ran from
the field without IN attempt at resist
ance. aud when darkness fell the CARR
son held the same works rs at tn
opening ~ the attack
soon AFTER DARK " neeier again sum
moned Colonel Harding to surrendet
saying that he had not vet put half hI
force into action and would renew tn
attack Again Harding spurned tn
idea OF yielding.
But the danger was not over. For
rest had penetrated within short can
lister range of the siege gun in his bold
est charge. and the advance line o
the enemy lay within 100 yards of tn
main rife pits. The guns were shOr
} Of friction primers, and the siege piece
being too heavy to remove, was spike,
4 and abandoned.
4 council was held in tbs ConfedeI
ate biyouac which decided to suspen
the attack. Later. word reaChe
! Wheeler that a feet Of transports wa
coming up the river loaded with Fed
s eral troops and conveyed by six CUR
boats which. toward the end of tn
fight. had aided the Federals. Warne
by this and the stuhbOrnneSs Of tn
I defense. he ordered a general retreat
Colonel HardiHg's loss in battle wa
! -ixty four killed and wounded. a trif
= comparison with that of the Cor
feierates. Whartons command los
eighty-five killed and wounded an
Forests over POO
Grants Plight at Vicksburg.
The rainy mid winter fifty years as
3 overlook Grants army in the low DO
tom lands Of the Mississippi. the road
OF which were submerged in places I
such an extent as 70 prevent all NOV,
ments over them. Vicksburg. in from
was unassailable by direct attack. an