Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-07-31
AROUND THE
CAMPO IN
FIRE .g A42=Ea
@Wa&nHE
SD ILLINOIS FIRST FIGHT
Attacked by General JEFF Thompson.
the Noted Guerrilla, and One
Whole Company Captured.

In September, 1861. the Thirty-third
Illinois left Camp Butler, near Spring
field, H., for the front On arriving at
Pilot Knob, Mo, where Colonel Thayer
of the First Nebraska was in com
mand three companies Of the Thirty
third Illinois were stationed on the
Iron Mountain railroad Company K
Captain Lippincotft, with 90 men, at
Lswsoa's Station: Company E leap
tain ELLIOTT. at Big River bridge.
about ten miles no-th CT Lawson's Sta
ton, and Company 3 ct Victoria. 80
miles from St Louis.
Ia addition 20 she regular govern
ment ratioHs, abundance of fresh
mIls. batter, eggs. chickens, etc, were
obtained from the country folk, and
the boys got fat, writes William H
Edgar of Chicago. in the National
Tribune.
Late n October, one morning, while
the company was at breakfast, two
soldiers came running into camp, and
reported 70 Captain Lippincott that
Company e. at Big River bridge, had
been attacked by Gen. Jeff Thompson
the noted guerrilla, with 100 men, and
needed immediate help. The captain
called for so volunteers to go to the
relief of Captain Elliott. AS we pro-
ceeded up the track occasional shots
were heard in the timber from Thomp-
sons pickets. and soon after. following
a big curve in the track. we came in
sight of Blackwell's Station, about
half a mile distant, with a straight
track in front, cornfield on the right
full of corn shocks and a deep rocky
cut extending the whole distance on
the left of the trac.z. a switch. with
some cars, were standing on it, and
some woodpiles about the station,
which afforded shelter. The company
proceeded cautiously. when suddenly
a fierce Volley came from the corn
field, and it was apparent at once
that the Johnnies had captured Com
pany E. and were moving down on
Company K, and were massed behind
the cars. station and woodpiles, and
were we'll secreted in the corn shocks
on the right. The company at once
deployed along the cornfield fence, a
few feet distant from the track, and
directed its fire upon the corn shocks,
which seemed alive with Johnnies,
And there for 20 minutes the boys
with the cid Fremont nluskess in their
hands learned about hot shot all
they cared to know.
When the captain saw that the
enemy was surrounding US he ordered
a retreat. A number, including the
first lieutenant of the company, were
taken prisoners, while those not taken
began a hasty retreat DOWN the track,
encouraged greatly by the bullets of
the pursuing Johnnies,
About q dozen OF the boys took
refuge in a cave. Several squads OF
Jonnnies passed ard repassed the
place, until finally the first lieutenant
Of the company, with several men
who had been paroIled, came along,
and he ordered the men ito come ont.
This they did. and were, passed into
camp as prisoners of war The John
MES fearing reinforce nents from the
south did rot pursue the company
very far. and on arriving at ygaI1Tp
tents were struck and the company
marched to Mineral Point, ten miles
to the south. where 1000 Union sol
uiers WeTn cneamped
Captain ETfiotis entire command was
captured and at once par0led. On
the day following the writer, in charge
OF a squad, proceeded on a hand car
TO the cave. and secured the guns and
equipments he had left there It was
pleasure later for this company to
participate in the battle AT F'reder-
lc2Sstown, which put Jeff Thompson
and his raiders to flight, and drove
them out of the state.