Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Monday, February 18, 2019
Dawn
The morning saw the armies lined up for battle. The Iowans
and Illinoisans faced the well entrenched Confederate Left. Accompanying the Yankee infantry on the Union
Right was an artillery battery from Peoria.
The Confederates were behind a skillfully constructed array of
covered ramparts. The Confederate Left was manned by hardened combat troops
from Missouri and Arkansas, as well as three green regiments from Eastern
Tennessee.
If the boys from the Midwest attacked, they would have to
charge through a swamp. In the center of
the battlefield was a Union regiment from Illinois, made up of school teachers.
They were on their bellies deployed as skirmishers.
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Charge
After an artillery duel between a small Union battery and Confederate guns, Colonel Kinsman urges Colonel Lawler to attack the Confederate works in front of them. After mulling over his advice, Lawler agrees and the Yanks charge through the watery quagmire towards Vaughan's Tennessee troops on the high ground. Meanwhile, in the center, the Illinois skirmishers begin to move forward.
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Rout
In three minutes, the Union forces sprint through waist deep muddy swamp, crossing fire from the Confederate infantry. The inexperienced Tennessee conscripts panic and run to the rear, crossing the bridge (which is quickly set ablaze), jumping into the river and fleeing. Missouri and Arkansas troops have no choice but to break through the 4th MS in reserve, which retreats as well. All CSA artillery is captured.
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