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}Letter Iron the slot Iidtaat HefiontCamp Near Cmab Obcrabd, Kt., October, 16, 1862.Dear Maynard : 1 no# take the opportunity of writing to let yon know how ! | we are getting elong with oar duty m soldiers. We have had a hard time of it since we left Cannelton, especially since we entered npon oar daty in Kentucky; we have slept under the canopy of heaven since we left Camp Noble, (with the exincluded, was sent out on the left to do picket duty; we passed a weary night.— At daybreak, next morning, commenced the btfotning of cannon which plainly told of the coming battle. In about an hour the firing grew heavier and heavier; about ten o’clock commenced the rattle of musketry, all this while onr regiment was out on picket, expecting to be attacked on the left, as the enemy moved in that direction. We were about half a mile from theception of a few days, while in the city! scene of action; I could plainly see theof Lonisville); we have endured all the hardships of a soldier’s life, yet the men are perfectly resigned to its endurance.— We have had no tents this six weeks, and sometimes two days without rations, andbattle, which continued all day. About three o’clock we were called in tbt field and took up our positiou on the right, as the enemy were gaining upon as, by one Brigade giving way; bnt they did not comethe water has been in a manner both meat in our direction so we were disappointed and drink. We have tome fifty sick and in having a round at them. We werethey are going back to Bardstown.1 will try and give you a small detail of our campaign since we left Lonisville, on the first of October, *62.The whole of the army, called the “Army of Ohio,” left on the first of October, on its destination; I should thiok about; 80,060 men, as near as I could get at thenumber from hearsay. It was a grand sight to see that moving mass of hnmsir beings, all equipped for war, well armed and well officered. I cannot tell how many Divisions there are, as you \riflmoved forward about five hundred yards but the enemy receded as they caught it frogk the left of our Division; we being the center of the army the right was not engaged at all, as the enemy inclined to the left all day. We captured two batteries and several trains of ammunition and about two thousand stand of arms that were left by some regiments that run. The number of killed and wounded we cannot tell, but the enemy’s must be about five or six thousand, including missing or deserted. We were confined to one placeknr.w better by this lime (hen rre do. but! nDtil th* de*d *“ burned. In tbemom-; we hear tell of them on all sides of us,I but wc don't know much beyond onr own | Division. The 81st Indiana is in Mitch-|el’s Division. In marching from Louts-. ville, our corps of the army, commanded | by Major General Gilbert, took the Bards-•town road; the first day we marched tening skirmishing commenced on the loft and we moved in that direction bnt it ceased in about au hour and the enemy had broke and run and tbe fight was ended. Then came the scene of eamage; in going over the field I saw a great many dead rebels, uftfinried off the third day after the battle. 1 went to several rebelmiles and encamped on an open plain,tho next day we m.rehed twelve miles end , boajaUb wher# our Surgeon, end rebel! encamped on Ced.r creek; we suffered J Sar8eons '“nd *rm8 fmuch from dost end heet end went of w«-:'n «!»'«* 5“ »« »ful lt;° “e ,h*ler, nntil we got to the creek. The fo| 0d*d surfer until our Surgeon, wentlowing day, we began our march at five o’clock in the morning, and marched on under a burning sun; we forded the creek, as the rebels had burned the bridge, weto their assistance. Home shot through tbe head, heart, and legs. The enemy carried off a great many of their wounded. We have been chasing Bragg ever! m.rehed . diM.nce of fourteen mile, to; sint* ,bc on lhe CTcnin» of tho l4th i. point of Salt river, died the Rolling! we c»me across • PortVon of Morgen’sBend; here it wee we firat got scent of thei c»T*lry «i'h some .rtillcry; wo had a rebels. Onr cavalry came npon an on. j sharp skirmish with them which lasted campment of rebel cavalry, about 2,000 i •bout five hour, and ended in the rout ofstrong; onrcavalry took a section of abattery (two guns) but they skedaddled on the firing of the first shell or two.— The next morning we had to ford Sslt river at this point—they having horned all the bridges they conld. to check our1 the enemy; this was about two miles from Lancaster. In the morning we took possesion of the town, our regiment being in tbe advance; we marched in tovru with the cavalry skirmishing ahead of us. We wero formed in line or battle and or-advance—wa moved on. under a forced dcrcd lie down until oor battery come march, to Bardstown, here onr cavalrv! “P »nd took a position, Sut tbe enemy fledbad a brnsh with the rebel cavalrv ojjq'o ‘ at the first shell, then wc cbasod them asstrong. The rebel, were concealed in far as Crab Orchard; here we have come wood; they made a charge on the center to a full halt, lor some reason; we haveof onrcavalry and routed them, capturing jbeen here two do.y‘’ 1 is ,08ivcsome forty, and we hurried up on double » liuIe re6t’ as Br»Sg hurried past to quick time and captured twenty-eight or 8et 0lU ^e State. We are like Her-more of the rebels; we would have gol! cules resting from his labors.more bnt thev bolted across the river and i 1 incIot* * Mce,h lovo letler wh,ch 1 bnrned tho bridge. Here we passed eav.1 found in a knapsack with a great manyeral dead horses, and every thing wore the appearance of war; deserted bouses, shattered windows and deserted rebel camps.At ibe close of the evening, we marched through the town to onr encampment,abont two miles beyond the town; here we heard that Bragg, with his whole force of sixty thousand men, was encamped about twelve miles from the river. At two o’clock we were aronsed from our •lumber, on Mother Garth, on the bank of a creek, aod moved on in chase, with-more. Thero were thousand of them found on the field, serne of them would make you lsugh heartily as to what they would do with the blew bellied Yankees. I am called away to issue some blankets.Respectfully yours,SAMUEL WILD.Lieut. 81st Indiana Regiment.Some six hundred rebel prisoners were at our landing on Tuesday en route for Vicksburg. They seemed to he morecontented and happy than ought to be ex-out breakfast; we marched ten miles and | peeled of men who had been engaged inthen halted while each mao boiled a little destroying the best government the worldcoffee, in our small tin cups, and partook of some hard crackers, (or shingles, as thehas ever known.men call them). While sipping onr coffee, £ST The condition of society iu Texaswe came across some four rebel cavalrypicketsabd they willingly gave themselves up to our regiment. The bugles sounded to march, every man was np and ready; we hurried on for a few miles and thenis reported as deplorable in the extreme.t3T The number of general officers in the Union army is 250; in the rebel 134.t3T The Mormons have gone into cot-we heard a little skirmishing going on (on raising extensively, and this year’sbetween oor advance and the enemy’s rear} crops are represented excellent in quality, guard; here two light field pieces shelledhis rear and they os. We marched twenty-two miles, chasing and shelliogthe eneCapt. Semmes, of the rebel ship Alabama, (“290”), after capturing a shipmyall day. The nekt day we followed i waits till night before setting it on fire;him closely; we passed several dead horses and three wounded men, aod one re-then the fire attiacts humane seamen, who seeing it, bear down towards the burningbel dying in a log hut which told that wreck with the hope of saving life, and our shells had some effect; but theirs had | 8°^ themselves iu the same box, and thenone on ns. I picked up a six pounder, roond shot, about six yards from me, while we were halted in the woods. Onnext night their ships share the same fate.tW Some people are offering a pre-. i a i mium of five per cent, for Kentucky bankour march we captured a great many r . '' , ,,w , , ■ |, notos, over government “legal tenderprisoners. We encamped for the night and rested on our arms, with no covering but the stary heaven; even the stars seemed to smile upon ns. In the morning we heard that Bragg had mado a stand abont seven miles ahead of us, at a place called Chaplin creek, about tbreo miles from a town called Perrvville. He kuowiog that we wanted water the worst kind, and we heard that he bid been reinforced by Kirby Smith. We had aome heavy skirmishing that evening and tbe rattle of mnsketry continued all night. We took np onr position npon a hill in the woods; foor companies of our regiment, our companynotes, called “green backs.” The Louisville Journal thinks snch speculators should be imprisoned.Read the army correspondence on tho first page.t3T 'The 93d regiment, now in camp at Madison, has only about 700 men.tar Wc learn that the Rev. Captain Jerome Hpilmaa succeeded in getting bis horse from the Rev. Capt. W. H. Cornelius. This, we hope, will enable these brethren to dwell together in unity.
Newspaper Details
Cannelton Reporter
Cannelton, Indiana, US
Fri, Oct 31, 1862
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 11 Apr 2019
Other Publications Near Cannelton, Indiana
Cannelton Mercury
Cannelton Indiana Weekly Express
Cannelton Express
Cannelton Reporter
Cannelton Telephone
