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exclaimed, “ There’s a Yankee, my boys, if youwant to try your aim ! ” The last Federal steamerwas just unmooring, but Grant’s horse slid downthe bank on his haunches, a plank was thrown out,and the general trotted aboard amid a hail ofmusket-balls, which for the most part flew harm-lessly over the deck. As the men were all em-barked, the gunboats now poured grape and canis-ter into the Confederates on shore until they soughtshelter in the woods. Late in the evening Grantreached Cairo , having accomplished his main pur-pose in occupying Polk’s attention and divertingreinforcements from the Confederate army in Mis souri . The wary hishop now kept his men to-gether at Columbus in anticipation of furtherattacks.
Whether in the life of Grant or in the historyof our Civil War, the fight at Belmont was but aslight incident; yet at one time it provoked muchdiscussion. Both sides claimed a victory. TheFederals claimed it as having won the morning’sfight, as having effected their object, and as havingcome away after inflicting a heavier loss upon theenemy than they had sustained themselves. TheConfederates claimed it as having at c omment3 on