nness of such ruffians as are found in every army.

Our brigade, after receiving ammunition, executed a flank movement
on McClernand's left, next the river, while General Pillow was
holding their attention in front; this came very near surrounding
and capturing the Federal force. For five hours the battle raged
with varying success, the Rebel forces on the whole gaining upon the
Federals. Our regiment charged and took a part of the 7th Iowa.

A charge is a grand as well as terrible sight, and this one, to my
inexperienced eyes, was magnificent. I had often witnessed, with
wild delight, the meeting of thunder-clouds in our western storms,
the fierce encounter, the blinding lightning, the rolling thunder,
the swaying to and fro of the wind-driven and surging masses of
angry vapor, the stronger current at length gaining the victory, and
sweeping all before it. With an intenser interest and a wilder
excitement, did I watch these eight hundred men, as they gathered
themselves up for the charge. At the word, every man leaped forward
on the full run, yelling as if all the spirits of Tartarus were
loosed. In a moment comes the shock, the yells sink into muttered
curses, and soon groans are heard, and the bayonet thrusts are quick
and bloody. Brute strength and skill often meet, and skill and
agility usually win.

The Iowa men were overpowered, and threw down their arms, some four
hundred of them, and were sent to the rear, and afterward to
Memphis. It was reported that this Iowa regiment had murdered the
sick men early in the day, and it was said that some of them were
bayoneted after they surrendered. I saw nothing of this, but it may
have been so. If so, the author of that accusation was responsible
for the barbarity.

I do not doubt such cruelties do sometimes occur in the heat of
battle, as there are in all armies some brutal men; but I must do
the Rebel officers the justice to state, that they always condemned
them, and warned us against acts not sanctioned by the laws of
civilized warfare.

The Federals, though fighting well, so far as I know, commenced
falling back between two and three P.M. The retreat soon became a
rout, and was a running fight to their boats, some three miles. The
Confederates pressed them hard, and recaptured several pieces of
artillery lost in the early part of the engagement, and did sad
execution on the running men; even after they reached the
gang-planks of their boats many were shot. I kn