The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1861-10-04
cediDg the surrender.

! they commenced on Friday mornin
} a new system OF approaches. The
} secured the entire region for it's sta
pie, hemp in bales. These were thor
r oughly wetted as a safeguard agains
: red-hot shot, and then we're skilfull,
used to mask tho batteries of the re-
bells, and rolled forward as they mad
their advance.
The fight went on thus for severa
days, the enemy bringing more o
their artillery into action. Follow
ing the skirmish of Thursday, Mul
ligan ordered a portion of the ole
town on tue East to ue burned 1,
prevent the rebels from gain ng there
from the advantage OF shelter. --
Meanwhile, the little garrison al.
ready worn by labor on the entrench.
ments, began to look eagerly for The
looming OF reinforcements.
On the 10Th, Colonel Mulligan had
sent Lieutenant Rains, of company
x, OF the brigade, With squad o.
twelve men. on the steamer Sun.
shine, to Jefferson City, 100 miles
distant. pressing the necessity for
reinforcements. Forty miles below,
the Sunshine was captured, and
Rains and his men Brought back to
New Lexington, and lodged a. pris
oners in the old fair ground. Other
messengers were sent off to suari
agains: the failure Of any one.
The enemy were IN sufficient force
to throw out parties to intercept the
federal troops en- route for the relief
OF Colonel Mulligan. Thus. a de.
tachment OF 5000 strong met and
turned back 800 Iowa troops from
Richmond, sixteen miles from the
river, they retreating, it is reported =,
TO Saint Joseph. Our informant
says heavy cannonading was heard
at distance several times hy them
IN various directions from Lexington.
which they understood to be encoun
ters between the enemy and these
relief parties.
The situation OF the fe leral troops
grew more desperate "a day after
day passed. Within their lines were
picketed about the wagons and trains
large number Of horses and mules,
nearly three thousand in all. now a
serious Cause o, care and anxiety, for
as shot and shell plunged among
them, many OF the animals were kilt
ed and wounded, and from the etrug-
giles OF these latter the danger OF a
Eegular Stampede was imminent -
Inc havoc In the centre OF the en-
trenchment WAS immense. Wagons
were Knocked to pieces, stores scat.
tered ani destroyed, aud the glonnd
strewn with dead horses and mules.
On Wednesday the 18th, an evil,
from the first apprehended, fell upon
Colonel Mulligan's command. They
we're cut off from the river, and the
water gave out. Fortunately heavy
rain came at intervals, greatly to
their relief. But to show how severe
the straits Of the men, the TACT may be
stated Of instances occurring where
Soldiers held their blankets spread
ont until thor nghly wet, and then
wrung them into their camp dishes,
carefully saving the priceless fluid
thus obtained. Rations also began
TO grow short. The fighting at this
time, from the 10th to the 2lst, knew
little cessation. The nights were
brilliant moonlight, and all night
long the roar oi the guns continued,
with an occasional sharp sortie and
skirmish outside the works.
From the first but one spirit per-
vaded our troops. and that was no
thought or word of surrender, except
among some of the home guards,
who had done the least share of the
work and ,he fighting. The cavalry
behaved nObly, and could the full
details be written up. some of their
sharp, brave charges on the encmy's
guns wonld shine with any hattie
exploits on record.
I General Price sent Colonel Mul.
ligan summons 10 surrender, 10
which the gallant commander sen,
refusal saying, "lf yon want us you
must take us." But the detection
and disheartenment OF the home
guard intensified daily, and on Fri.
day, the 2lst, while Colonel Mulli
gan was giving his attention to somt
matters in another portion OF the
camp, tho white flag was raised, a
his own instance, by Major Becker
Of tue home guards, from the portior
OF the intrenchment assigned to him
Capt. Simpson, OF the Earl Rifles
called Colonel Mulligan's attention
to Major Becker's action instantly
and the jackson Guard, Captain
McDermott, OF Detroit, were sent I,
take down that flag, which was done
The heaviest part OF the fight of til,
day followed in u charge upon th'
nearest battery OF the enemy, th
Illinois cavalry suffering severely.
! The home guards then lett tn
outer work and retreated within tn
; line Of the inner intrenchmsnts, abou
, the college buildings, refusing T.
, fight longer, ami here, again, raise
{ the white flag, this time from th
: center Of the Notifications, when th
, fire Of the enemy slackened an
8 ceased. Under this state OF affair
( Colonel Mulligan. calling his officer
t into council, decided to cap!.uIat.
( and Captain McDermott went OF
4 IA Aho a.a..Ax,ia liz. .riaL m ha