Year: 1863




more lsve Al the upper end OF the town sne oiun u
tSins s highest elevation. and on thb fo Known =
Fort A. which commands the river and the towa sseu
Back Of this and oa lower hill, s Fort b, which com
mands long slope Of the country inland, and V tssu
dominated byS Fort A. At tho southwestern corner
OF Vie town d Fort @, which sweeps tne
country before Il, and is itself commanded py
Fort D. situated hill south Of the town, and overlook
ing the river There is. therefore, no approach 10 the
town that cannot be commanded by some OF these FORTS
Fort especially oveslooks the Jackson or
road by which the brigades under Marmaduke ad'
vanced and Fort dominated the Bloomfield rosd where
Bsrbridge was expected to come In. s.
y. TIE RsmL POSITION. ~


From tho Bloomfield TO the Jackson road there are su-
bye farm paths eadtog across many Of tlssn
passable for artillery. One mile from town s small
creek which runs nearly parallel 70 the river On
this creek the rebels formed their Line Of BATTLE being
protected by the forest which lined s banks. One Of
their batteries moved up tine Jackson rd while
another took position on sal smiuencs near the Bloom
field road but out Of range Of the fort IN that quarter


DISPOSITION or N'Hm's FORCES.


General Mcneil had placed his forcos outside the forts
but had 90 disposed them that they could fall back
rapidly and surely In case the rebes upon them
overwhelming numbers. half mile in front Of Fort G,
on tho rgbt Of the Bloomfield road the First Wis.
oonsn and Second Missouri cavalry. discuntcd for the
time being TO act 40 infantry In ressrve 10 rear
OF them were four companies Of enrolled miIitia who
were brought out TO be used in an emergency. short
distance to the right OF this force were placed three guns
Of wefreys battery supported by two companies Of the
First Nebraska, while s further to the right and in
front Of Fort B. the other three guns OF wefreys
battery supported by the remainder Of the First Ne
braska and by the Thirty second Iowa. in reserve Tho
hill on which this force placed lower than Fort
80 the guns OF the ater could act simultaneously
with those OF the light battery. M


our LIHR or sKRMsaERs.


Two companies Of infantry undcr Captains Kibbe and
Gillette OF the First Nebraska, had been picket duty
along the bank of the creek the edge Of the timber
and as the rebels made their advance in the morning
they encountered this small force. They held their
ground for time, keeping up brisk hre, until they
found they danger Of being surrounded they
slowly Withdrew their to the main eghtng as
they fell back This was the OF the at.
tack and the firing quite brisk As soon as Captains
Kibbe and Gillette fell back the rebels appeared in strong
force both on the Bloomfield and the jackson roads,
well as upon the half mile more Of ground that inter
vened.


REBEL BATTERY OPENING.


The rebels had battery OF rifed three Inch guns
which they placed 70 the e OF the Jackson road and
opened upon wefeys battery In front Of Fort Bee The
latter promptly replied and was joined BY Captain
Miner In Fort B., Captain wefrey firing at long
range for his small guns and Captain Miner using
his heavy artillery at distances whore Il Is difficult to
obtain much accuracy. Notwithstanding this disad
vantage they managed to plant their shot ana shell with
such precision to silence the rebel battery in fifteen
minutes killing nine horses. which still lying the
ground. There are indications that several men belong
ing TO this battery were either killed wounded and
the report Of prisoners Is to that effect Most OF the
ammunition thrown by the rebels from this battery
pearsd to be Of English manufacture i-,.


srrsCr or OUR FlRs.


The rebel battery had been planted close 70 the ts>su
OF Mr.. Lacy promineut sscessionist Of this vicinity
and this gentleman thus made to suffer from the pre-
sence Of his friends may here be permitted TO remark
that this gentleman, although known as secessionist
has been OF the most promnet recipients OF govern
snt favor the Department Of the Tennessee When Gen
Sherman was in command at Menphs he gave Mr.. Lacy
the first permit to bring cargo Of liquors to that city
and for short time he enjoyed monopoly OF the trade
For several months past he has been below cotton
dealer and enjoys extraordinary privileges under Genera
Grant He was In Memphis ax the timo Of the battle
His house received loss than four projecsies from
artillery, ode shell bursting In the pantry
and damaging the crockery 70 serious extent. Th
windows Of the house riddled with mis bals,
give evidence Of q severe engagement.


ANOTHER BATTERY.


Al the same time the rebels opened the right u
line they brought . battery to bear left wing
where the remaining three pieces Of wefreys batter,
planted supported by two companies Of the FRS
Nebraska aud with the disEounted cavalry in reserve
simultaneously their rnemeu were advanced against
Infantry, and brisk discharges Of musketry snsued Th
rebels made their usual mistake Of overshootng and 1t
probable that most Of muskets aimed too high
At a events cannot account for such small loss
our own sds and the finding Of Few dead and wounded
rebels with such prodigous expenditure q ammunition
except on the above presumption.


PROGRESS or ACTION


These were the positions as they taken at thu
commencement OF the battle, hafpast ten ococl
90 Sunday morning. There material change dur
ing the engagement which OF three hours duration
The rebel battery the right forced to change III
position but only to appear in some new localit,
not far away. once OF Its guns dismounted,
could be Distinctly seen by our officers who so for
tunate TO be armed with field glasses but II some
how slung under axle and drawn away. Twice tn,
rebel (dismounsd infantry attempted to up th
left and were repulsed and sent back the timber OF
the bank OF the little creek Thus was tho car
ried on. A little artillery lighting and considerably
amount OF musketry. Tho sharp rattle ant
roll OF tho small arms would be FOLLOWED
by the clear ringing report OF the light guns an
that In turn by the dull deep boom Of Miners sn
Jacoby's heavy thrty-two's in the fort To persons
the town there was little apparent ntermssion in th
firing when the guns silent p portion os III
field they were sure to be At work in another.
A RxBu cAxR


The rebels at one time set trsp--a very transparen
one-n the hope Of capturing Of infantry. o.


small elevation few dozen yards back from the edg
OF the timber, they planted two pieces Of artillery
Iet them without support, supposing that troop
would rush forward and attempt TO capture th
guns As there was no occasion for the withdraws
Of the support, General Mcneil suspected that al
was not right and did order charge well tina
he did not The rebels, according TO the statements
prisoners, had placed four regiments In the timber
such way that had men charged upon the batter
they would have rushed straight into trap They car
not understand why We should hesitate 10 attempt Oh