Year: 1862

From the Anamosa Eureka.


CAMP NEAR OTrERvILLE, Mo-


Dec. 22d, 1861.


Editors Eurcka-As we have at last
had brush with the rebels, with pretty
important results, have concluded to sit
down this morning, cold as il is, and give
you the items.


On the 18Th inst, Co. G was ordered
to Bonneville as an escort to the Paymas-
ter. We returned to our camp the 14tl.
and found that the troops had all been
ordered west. we followed and reached
Sedalia the first night. On the evening
of the 10Th we came up with Gen Pope.
who had with him about eight thousand
troops. The night Of the 18th We camp
ed near Warrensburg, the county sea; vi
Warren Co. the next morning we took
the Sedalia road on our return and march
ed about five miles to Black water creek.
where Gen Pope went into camp. Here
Big Gen. Jefferson c. Davis took all the
cavalry of the command, consisting of
about fifty regulars and three hundred
and fifty of the First Iowa Cavalry. and
proceeded on full gsllop about two miles
east to a small village called Knopnoster.
for about eight miles, when we came up
on the rebel pickets and drove them into
their camp. We followed at a full charge.
The pickets killed one Of our men about
half a mile from their camp. About 90
rods from the camp We had to cross
narrow covered bridge. about eighty feet
long, Here they had near thirty pickets
and there was some pretty sharp firing
several horses were killed and few men
wounded. We continued TO follow them
until we ran upon their camp, which was
in the brush and on the bank Of the
Blackwater. The road ran about one
hundred yards from the brush in a small
prairie, for some distance butween the
bridge end the camp. Here they poured
volley of buckshot into our ranks. and
as we could not reach them with either
pistols or sabres, we were ordered 10 make
a right turn into the prairie and form for
a charge. In the meantime the regulars,
who had, carbines. had briskly returned
their fire with good effect They also
fell back into the prairie and formed on
our right. AS we went into the prairie
the rebels thought we were retreating.
and they shouted Justify the whole length
of their lines they also waved their flag
in front Of their lines as banter. But rs
soon as they saw US forming for charge
upon them they sang another tune. They
sent on! flag of truce, and after they
had been back and forth with il three tines
they surrendered uncondilionally. Our
loss was two killed and ten wounded
think their loss cannot fall short Of TWEEN
ty. Several of our boys had holes shot
through their hats but none Of them were
wounded. The rebels shot 10 high they
had loaded their guns very heavily and
held high SO as TO reach us. After the
fight Gen. Davis paid us a very high
compliment for our soldier-like conduct.
We took nine hundred and fifty prisoners.
sixty wagons loaded with provisions and
clothing for Prices army, and about five
hundred horses and mules


You may thak il strange that four
hundred cavalry could take SO many pris-
oners, but can testify that il is n fact.
They were all armed, mostly with double
barreled shot-guns and rifles. We took
three Colonels, seventeen Captains and a
great many Of their most influential men.
By the time we got into camp with our
train and prisoners il was midnight.
Their officers say there were thirteen
hundred Of them, but two hundred were
on scout and one hundred got away
There were so many OF them aud so few
of us that il was impossible 10 take care
Of them all. On this account n grert
many Of the arms which they had thrown
away, and the ammunition which they
had scattered over the camp. was lost.
When We arrived in camp we turned them
in with about one hundred and fifty
which We had before. and then the infant.
ry took charge Of them. They are now
IN camp at Sedalia.


Yours truly. l. ScHoosorEn.