The enemy
advanced to the bank of the river below the point to which our men had
retreated, and opened an artillery-fire upon the town of Columbus, to
which our guns from the commanding height responded with such effect as
to drive him from the river bank. In the mean time General Polk had at
intervals sent three regiments to reenforce General Pillow. Upon the
arrival of the first of these, General Pillow led it to a favorable
position, where it for some time steadily resisted and checked the
advance of the enemy. General Pillow, with great energy and gallantry,
rallied his repulsed troops and brought them again into action. General
Polk now proceeded in person with two other regiments. Whether from this
or some other cause, the enemy commenced a retreat. General Pillow,
whose activity and daring on the occasion were worthy of all praise, led
the first and second detachments, by which he had been reenforced, to
attack the enemy in the rear, and General Polk, landing further up the
river, moved to cut off the enemy's retreat; but some embarrassment and
consequent delay which occurred in landing his troops caused him to be
too late for the purpose for which he crossed, and to become only a part
of the pursuing force.
One would naturally suppose that the question about which there would be
the greatest certainty would be the number of troops engaged in a
battle, yet there is nothing in regard to which we have such conflicting
accounts.
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