Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 7.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[386] compelled to seek shelter in the woods out of range. Immediately upon their retreating, our riflemen from all three regiments in the pits closed in upon those of the enemy who were in the ravine, from all sides, cutting off retreat. The reserve of the Forty-third Indiana formed across the mouth of the ravine, and two Parrott guns of the First Missouri battery, under Lieutenant O'Connell, were also brought to rake the enemy's position. Captain John G. Hudson of the Thirty-third Missouri, commanding battery D, then demanded the surrender of the entire force. The men at once threw down their arms, and Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson of Bell's regiment, made a formal surrender of his command, mustering twenty-one officers and between three and four hundred men, with all their arms and one stand of colors. At about half-past 10 o'clock A. M., the main body of the enemy had entirely drawn off from in front of our batteries, and the firing ceased.

Companies E and H returned to battery C, capturing some fifty of the enemy, and finding both guns of the battery turned, upon Fort Curtis and loaded with shell, but not discharged for want of friction-primers. The rout of the enemy was materially assisted by flank fires from batteries A, B, and D, and ten-inch shell from the gunboat Tyler.

Upward of three hundred killed and wounded were left by the enemy in the vicinity of this battery, seventy of these being killed outright and a great number so wounded they cannot survive. Nearly the same number were found in front and on the left flank of battery D.

The immense power of the batteries supporting each other, and with the guns of the Fort affording the most perfect concentration upon any given point, entirely demoralized the enemy, who broke at the first few rounds, and could only be coaxed and forced forward after that in a shapeless and disorganized mob. Considering that the gunners in Fort Curtis had had no target practice, the firing from the Fort as well as the batteries was in the main remarkably good, and our riflemen and the infantry supports sent to the batteries behaved with rare courage and steadiness, being in position from two o'clock A. M. until eleven o'clock A. M. without food, steadily for six and a half hours of that time.

I desire especially to mention Majors Norris and Gibson, Captains Schenck and Tracy, and Lieutenant Reid for gallantry for leading their men, upon the suggestion of Captain Hudson, against Bell's regiment. Of the men of the Thirty-third Missouri who distinguished themselves by coolness, activity, and determination, may be mentioned Major George W. Vanbeak, superintending batteries A and B; Captains William J. McKee, commanding Fort Curtis; Daniel D. Carr, three siege-guns; William M. Blake, battery A; Alexander J. Campbell, battery B; Thomas M. Gibson, battery C; John S. Hudson, battery G; Stuart Carkner, company G, (wounded;) George H. Tracy, company I; Elias S. Schenck, company K; Lieutenants Henry Cochran, commanding company H; Stephen J. Burnett, (wounded;) Adam B. Smith, (killed at his post;) Luther P. Eldridge, Isaac S. Coe, Charles L. Draper,----Lombar, Joseph W. Brooks, (killed while gallantly leading a charge,) Moses Reed, Robert M. Reed, Edgar L. Allen, Henry H. Knowlton, and James M. Conner, and gunners. Sergeant E. Bates, J. W. Welles, L. D. Alden, company F; Sergeant Henry S. Carroll, Corporal James K. Frier, private J. S. Martin, company D; private John Driscoll, Kansas cavalry, all in Fort Curtis. Battery A--Sergeants D. R. McClammer and George B. Maher. Battery B--Corporal George W. Coleman. Battery C--Sergeant James M. Freeman; privates Thomas W. Wheeler and Joseph W. Phillips. Battery D--Corporal Robert McPhate (Dubuque battery) and Luke P. Maxen. Nathaniel Leavitt, commissary sergeant, killed at his post. Color-Sergeant Patrick Collins, a regular soldier of twenty-six years standing, wounded in the face while bravely fighting over the parapet of battery D.

There were others who did as well as those named, but whose names have not been handed me. The entire regiment, officers and men, be haved with steadiness and judgment.

Very respectfully,