Towards evening some prisoners were captured and were taken to General Grant, who examined their haversacks and found them well filled with rations. The General reasoned from this fact, that the enemy were preparing to make their escape, which they did try to do the next day.
Soon after dark some of us were detailed to dig trenches and assist in erecting breastworks for the artillery. The Seventh Corporal was detailed to take charge of the squad, but it being so bitter cold he feigned sickness and turned the squad over to Will. He took his place and did the best he could, getting no sleep at all during the night. The next morning Jim asked Will how he liked his job. “Oh,” said Will, “the job was all right, but I’ll tell you, Jim, I think less of that Seventh Corporal than I did before, because of that little trick of his.”
During the night the Confederate Generals held a council of war and decided to mass their troops on our right the next morning, and cut their way out and escape.
Just as the first faint streaks of light came over the hills, so also came the compliments from the enemy, in the shape of iron shells from their cannons. McAllister’s battery returned the salutation in earnest and the battle was on again. Saturday, February 15, 1862, the enemy massed 10,000 troops opposite General McClernand’s division, on our right, and advanced upon our line, the pickets being fired upon before dawn.
The order, “Fall in,” was given and in a few minutes the woods rang with rattle of musketry and the roar of cannon. The enemy were determined to turn our right flank and escape. The battle raged fiercely for an hour and a half, and then came a lull. Colonel Forrest with his dashing cavalry made a charge on our lines at one point and captured one of our batteries. The fighting at other points all along the line that stretched for over three miles was heavy. About 10 o’clock our troops upon the extreme right ran out of ammunition, and Gen. Oglesby’s brigade had to fall back.
General Lew Wallace now came up with fresh troops, their cartridge boxes full, and those that had fallen back having now received plenty of cartridges re-formed their lines and again took part in the fight to drive the enemy back into their breastworks.
On the left of our lines a charge on the works had been ordered by Gen. Grant, and Gen. C. F. Smith, leading the boys in blue, placed his hat on his swordpoint and holding it aloft, cried out: “This way, boys; come on,” and the boys followed their courageous leader amidst a terrible hail of minie-balls and cannon shot. The 2nd, 7th, 12th and 14th Iowa and the 25th Indiana Regiments engaged in this charge, planting their colors on the outer works, the enemy falling back to an inner breastwork. There was more or less fighting all day, but we finally drove the enemy back into their fort and had them cooped up and nearly surrounded.
During the battle in front of our lines, one of our company was wounded and went a few rods to the rear and sat down behind a tree. The Lieutenant Colonel seeing him there and thinking he was skulking went at him fiercely, saying: “Gill, get back into line.” Now, Gill was an odd genius, slow of speech and having a peculiar drawl in his manner of speaking, replied: “I guess not, Colonel; I’m wounded.”
“Where are you wounded?”
“In the breast, Colonel.”