War of the Rebellion: Serial 008 Page 0180 OPERATIONS IN MO., ARK., KANS., AND IND. T. Chapter XVIII.
Almost simultaneously with the receipt of the above General Trudeau, chief in command of artillery at this place, rode hurriedly up to my quarters and gave me to understand that he had every reason to apprehend an attack on our battery by an infantry force from the rear, and directed me to proceed with all possible haste to prevent the consummation of such a plan. A few moments only elapsed before my regiment was in rapid march for Battery Numbers 1, a mile and a half or two miles distant, the greater portion of the way, owing to the flushed condition of the river, being from 2 to 3 feet deep in water. My men plunged this with an alacrity which bespoke hearts filled, with the high resolve to meet the enemy in whatever manner or on whatever element he dare present himself.
By the time we reached the battery, between 8 and 9 a. m., the enemy had already opened a brisk fire from their gun and mortar boats on our battery, and the shot and shell were now falling thickly around us. Despite this we pressed on unwaveringly forward, and amid the wild whistle of rifle shot and terrific explosion of enormous shells, the fragments of which fell like hail around, I formed my regiment along the cremaillere line on the right of Battery Numbers 1, there to await the anticipated attempt of the enemy on our battery by assault.
From this time the enemy's fire grew fiercer and fiercer, the entire fleet having taken position about 2,000 yards distant, with the view of concentrating their fire upon this, our weakest battery, intending no doubt to silence it before making a demonstration upon any of the other lower batteries.
Our battery did not at first respond, hoping by silence to entire the enemy's fleet within a more destructive range; but failing in this, and finding our battery was beginning to sustain considerable damage from the enemy's rifle shot, Captain Rucker, in command of the battery, at length opened a slow fire on them. This seemed to provoke the enemy to a more determined effort to silence the battery, and by this time-12 o'clock-the conflict had assumed a most terrific aspect. The enemy's heavy shot and shell, aimed with almost unerring accuracy mainly against the battery on our left, poured an almost incessant volume upon our meager earthwork, riddling the parapet in front of our guns, plowing up the earth in every direction, and tearing down immense trees in a manner baffling description. The scene was the most terrific conceivable.