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A Page of War History—Take two Prisoners. From the Richmond State Journal, Nov. 2) A friend who happened, by the fortunes of the recent war, to be placed for a few days under the command of the late Confederate Gen. Hindman, of Arkanso recently ao asassinated in that State, supplies us the following page of unre corded history: “Did I ever meet with Hindman in my war,ex perience? you ask. Yes, I met him once, and had no wish to meet him again. “Tyrant” was marked in every lineament of his handsome face in each haughty curl of his proud lip, and waved in every ringlet of his fall, flowing, Absalom like rocks. It was late in the evening, on the 21st of Gen. Halleck had been wast ing more than a month and a half in makingg his advance against Beauregard, at Corinth, by slow approaches, plank-roads, entrenchments and parallels, while the Confederate army was melting away by sickness, and almost perishing for want of water. Beauregard saw his army dwindling day by day, and knew that his only alternative was to force a battle or to retreat. On the evening mentioned he determined to bring on a general vngagement, and made his dispositions accord ingly. The entire army was put in motion and marched out fof the entrenched camp of Corinth. We halted on the brow of the half way between the two camps—the Federal army then occupying Farmington, three miles from Corinth. The country was thickly wooded and undulating, and a small stream meandered through the ravine which separated the hostile hosts. Our forces were disposed in three lines of battle in the same man ner as we began the fight at Bhiloh. Price and Van Dorn, with their Missouri and Arkansas troops, had been sent to attemptsecret move ment, by which it was contemplated the left flank of the enemy might be turned, and the thunder of their guns on our right and the Fede ral left, the next morning, was to announce the success of our plan, and be the signal for a gene ral assault all along the line. I was in the first line of battle, acting-as- file-closer, the left being in front. The sun was setting serenely. In the west, o8 is usually the case, and betokened a goodly day on the morrow,when a “solitary horgeman” approached the head of our column and reined ™@its enperb-waar-steedt within two paces of where I stood leaning on no musket. He at once commenced talking. “‘Men, said he, ‘in to-morrow’s battle firelow. It is as important to wound the enemy in his legs, and even more important than to kill him, for it will require two sound men, at least, to take care of the wounded. Be calm, and be sure of your aim. Don’t waste your ammunition. Keep your for mation, remain always with your colors, be careful not to straggle or get separated, and always push to the front. Never mind your wounded comrade, for ample provisions have been made ‘to remove them from the field. You need not take any pri soners. I do not want them. They will only serve to embarrass the army and weakenour strength. Obey my instrections—stand by your colors—and to Morrow’s sue will set upon one of the most glorious victories ever achieved on the American continent,” and, bowing gracefully, he passed on, leaving us to wonder. As he wore no uniform, carried me sword, showed no military insignia, save a revolver in his belt, and was un known to the command, his address somewhat surprised us, and the inquiry, ‘‘Who is he?” was pretty general. ‘Why that's General Hindman, your new Division Commander,” said the Bri ade Adjutant, ‘‘and you'd better believe that fe'll show us ha l to-morrow.” The reply was anything but reassuring, for we had heard that he was prone to the fault of unnecessarily exposing his men. ‘‘What did he mean by not wanting to take prisoners?” inquired a Sergeant to my left. “Does he expect us to murder them?” “That's the only construction I can give his re mark, and the peculiar manner in which it was made,” was the reply. And his division so un derstood it—but I doubt whether a single man in that line would have obeyed instructions go in human. He was 6 splendid tyrant—young and handsome, but soulless—and,no doubt, met his fate at the hands of some relative of one of the many victims to his stern cruelty, as it was his practice to shoot his soldiers..fon very,alight offences, and otherwise severely punish them. . “That night was an anxious one—as “the night before the battle” ever is to the soldier. . ‘Around the bivouse fires comrades ‘gathered 'gloomily, as the scattering shots of the “pickets, in front, and the whistling of the balls. over.our heads,. sub dued _the_.certaminis quadia...and. reminded.us that ‘ere the sun rose again the ‘combat would deepen and many of us lie’ low. Each’ confided to his friend some medenge for home'and ‘doar
Newspaper Details
Philadelphia Daily Evening Bulletin
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Nov 13, 1868
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Tanisha C.
USA 30 Jun 2026
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