Hide Article Text (OCR)
position held by the rebels on the hill After crossing the creek the remainder of pur brigade turned to the left and formed in line of battle on the right of the Third division We continued our march by the (lank through the cornfield, constantly annoyed by the rebel skirmisher* and tdiarp shooters .who were concealed in the woods and behind fences, until we had arrived in the open fie hi beyond where we halted in line behind a rail fence In (hissing through the cornfield one fences (hithe summit of the hill at intervals of perhaps half a mile y^ere farm houses and beyond them a heavy forest of timber The rebel army were posted on this high ground, their advance line occupying positions behind fences. On the summit uf the bill at buildings along the side of the hill Lieut Marr with three pieces of battery I*\ First Missouri light artllery. was posted on our left and filled up the gap between ray regiment and the 3Tth Illinois. There were, no forces of our own army posted on our right and we therefore occupied the extreme right of our army Twenty men of Company A, ,under Lieut. Drake, were thrown outas skirmishers to protect us from surprise in the rear, and operate on our right flank Opposite the left of my regiment on J.he hill was a large farm house and an orchard on the north with a big stone fence intervening between that and the house The house itself was occupied by rebel sharp shooters who kept up a steady galling fire on us while we remained in our first position their bullets striking tne rails in our front and falling among our men as we lay behind the fence Lieut Marr now advanced his bat-i tery and we were ordered forward to its support Our men promptly arose at the order, climbed the fence and fired a volley into the Stubblefield which sent the rebel skirmishers hastily back up th« hill Alter moving forward a short distance the battery was ordered back and at the same time a cavalry force was discovered forming in the field on our right By order of Col Mr 15. Dve the regiment ini me diately faced about and changed front to meet the expected charge on ourright flank, but the cavalry proving tobe the advance of Gen Blunt’s forces we resumed our former position The firing by other portions of lt;ur brigade and the Third division was now heavyand continuous and a charge by the 19th Iowa and the 20th Wisconsin was made, tney advanced gallantly under a galling fire until the rebel battery was reached and captured, when the enemy raJUed In overwhelming numbers and drove them back with heavy hiss The 26th Indiana and the 3?th Illinois of our brigade now moved up and made adesperate attempt to break the rebelline, but after a sharp and almost ahoDfl.f A- HanH fl nleoback, followed by the rebels with deafening yells.This was the most critical moment of the day Under these successive dfsasters the morale of the troops composing our left wing was weakened and had rebel Gen. Hindman now availed himself of his overwhelming numbers to follow up the repulse by advancing his Hoes to the charge, our little army would have been pulverized(Continued Next Week.) —- c
Newspaper Details
Moline Weekly Mail
Moline, Illinois, US
Thu, Sep 21, 1899
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 29 Sep 2022
Other Publications Near Moline, Illinois
Moline Daily Journal
Moline Evening Mail
Moline Evening Mail and Journal
Moline Daily Dispatch
Moline Review Dispatch
