The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-11-22
Letter from Missouri.

DEAR .PARENTs
Once more / am permitted
TO take my pen and write yon few lines some
thing lew days since hardly expected We
bad quite serions trip the last week. may
as,wel give you the particulars. We wereF at
Macon City when received your letter. | had
but time to answer Eliza's aud we were order
ed away again. On last Sunday morning we
were ordered on the cars as far as Cameron,
thlrty-hye miles this side of IS 81. Jo." There
we got Off the cars and got dinner and breakfast
together, after which started on a march
Snuth. 1t commenced raining after got off
THE cars, aud continued nearly all afternoon.
We all got as vet as could hs. We marched
len miles and then rnt up in az open field
/ We were very glad 10 stop any where. We
got plenty OF hay to lie upon 50 we did well.
The next morning. We started again and march
ed some twenty ailes. On the third morning
We started about two O'Clock and arrived at Lib
eFty about SIX o'clock. Liberty is a pretty
good sized town, very wealthy and secession to
/ a man. There We learned that three thousand
fof the enemy had passed through the evening
before We sent out our scouts and were IN
Efmed they were crossing the Missouri River
With large amount Of stores taken at "St. Jo."
We held position above town on hill, with
good view oil the surrounding country. More
Of our scouts coming in told Us the Kansas boys
We're engaged with them and wanted Us TO re-
Einforce them. immediately started on quick
time, and marched three miles, then halted and
rested for we were nearly all worn out, having
been on a forced march for the last SIX weeks
We rested and got drink OF water; then our
company aud one Other were sent in front as
right and left skirmishers. We were on the
left and company J were Oh the right. We
marched through the Missouri bottom where
THE bushes and under brush was so thick we
could not see man ten feet from u.s. We had
only marched about | mile, when our Captain
spoke TO the Colonel aud SAID he thought he
heard orders given by the enemy. The Colo
nel thought moi, and continued on. We had
not gone ten yards when we were fred upon
from concealed enemy. We Immediately fell
down and concealed ourselves. The battle then
commenced. We had but one piece of A.tll-
lery, which was Immediately put in a position
and fred twice, when the horses were killed, |
also the cannonier and two OF hIs men. We
got onso close that their old shot guns took tre-
mendous effect on our men. We fought them
one hour and forty minutes. We were com- |
Pletely taken in, but our boys fought like tigers
There Were only five hundred of our men and
only half OF them engaged, as those in the rear
Eond mot get up. We fought four thousand |
four hundred OF the enemy. We never expect /
ed to get out alive and We determined to fight |
TO the last. They were in position to cut us /
TO pieces. They had US all in the road and |
were flanking US on three sides, intending to |
surround Us, but our MAJOR saw the movement
and stationed some of our men on our right, they
bred into them, killed their leader and caused !
rtnf Fa;r,a4iy c1eIers~ ordered
Us to fall back and gain new position. Wei
did so, hauling our cannon with us by hand a. |
mid an incessant shower OF bullets and grape. |
We retreated ii tolerable order and as they came
Eup we poured into them heavy fire which |
lmade them retreat for good. was in The hot !
ifst OF the engagement but did not receive |
scratch. Our men were good deal cut up
We lost eighty six, killed wounded and missing /
including home guards. Only eight or nine OF
our regiment were killed, aoout sixty-eight /
.wounded. None Of our company were killed, |
eight were wounded, five seriously, but all will |
recover with care At least half of our officers |
were wounded. Our Second Lieut.. was shot
Through the arm, our Captain had five holes shot /
Through bis clothes. We left all our dead and |
nine OF our wounded on the field. The enemy
took our wounded prisoners, and took them a |
cross the river. We killed and wounded one
hundred and Sc Yenty-two of the enemy, over
one hundred we're killed. They had so many
of their own TO attend to, that they sent US word |
10 60 and get our wounded. We did so. We
We also got our dead. Ii was said to be the |
hottest battle considering the number engaged |
that has been fought IN this State. got four
shots at them-thoSe were the only times |
could get sight of the enemy. We secured |
large college for Hospital and carried our
woundedto it. ! never saw such sight il |
was wonderful how the poor fellows bore up
under their affections. 1t was sight to stir up |
the hardest heart We were compelled to leave |
our severest wounded there and march towards |
+" ST. Jo." We got TO Plattshurg, when we re-
ceived message from Gen. Sturgis, who was
at Liberty, and wanted our men TO 20 back al |
50 the Illinois 10th, who were nine miles west
OF US. The Col. chose out all who were woun-
ded and sick, and sent them back 10 camp, and
took the rest to Liberty. | was not well the |
day of the battle but would 60 and consequent |
ly was completely used up. | have been un-
well ever since. We arrived at Cameron on
Saturday night, and remained all night. Yes |
tsrday morning we came on to this place where |
we stopped for few minutes and found lot |
OF home guards stationed here, among them
lot OF mr. old friends of Knoxville. They would
would have me get off and stay with them all
night. "~*
who Is the Next Governor