The Evansville daily journal., 1861-12-24
THE BATTLE OF mUMFORDs-
VILE.
DESPERATE GALLANTRY OF
OOL. WILLTCH'S MEN.
interesting Details OF the Fight.
From the Louisville Journal, Dec. 10.

From the Louisville Journal, Dec 10.
We have seen and conversed with several
gentlemen who arrived last evening from
Mumfordsville, the scene of the skirmish on
Tuesday, some particulars Of which we have
already given. Among those with whom
we have conversed are the surgeon of Gen.
Rousseau's brigade (who was at the scene of
the fght) and Mr. Henry Myers, who par
ticipated in the fight, both of whom are
gentlemen of unquestioned veraeity. Their
statements are both to the same effect, and
present the skirmish of Tuesday as one of
the most brilliant exploits of the campaign
on the part of the Federal troops.
The skirmish lasted about forty-five min
utes from the commencement of the attack
by the rebels to the close, at which time the
rebel cavalry fed precipitately, leaving
their dead on the field.
1t should be borne in mind that the four
companies from the 32nd Indiana regiment
Col. Willicb, under command of the Lieut.
Colonel, crossed TO the south bank of Green
River upon the bridge near Mumfordsville
and were thrown out as pickets in squads
of eight or ten upon an open meadow at a
distance of about ona hundred yards from
the river bank. At the Mumfordsville de-
pot there was concealed battery of three
3
force about mile dI ant, in a southeriy di-
rection. There was belt of timber skirt
ing the position of the four companies from
Indiana. When the batteries opened, the
Texas Rangers made charge for the tim
Der, and about the same time an order was
given for the Federal infantry to rally upon
the same point. The Indianians executed
| the order under a CALLING fire from the
batteries. They thus reached the wood,
aud under cover of the trees did fearful
execution in the ranks of the rebel cavalry.
The loss sustained by the Federal troops
was incurred under the effect of the first
FIRE. The rebel cavalry dashed in among
their ranks before our troops had time to
! form. Once formed, however, they gall
lautly advanced to the wood against fearful
odds.
The fight for few minutes is described
by an eye witness as desperate encounter.
The gallant Iudiania1s resorted to their sa-
Der bayonets, forcing baud-to-hand COM
bat upon their enemies so long as the rebels
could be induced TO stand up and face cold
sseel hen the Iadianians finally gained
the wood, they opened FIRE upon the
| Rangers, who fed precipitately, leaving
their dead upon the field, including the
body Of Colonel Terry, who was killed by a
musket ball, which entered his lower bow
! els. Col. Terry's body was sent back to the
rebel camp yesterday morning under flag
of truce.
The rebel loss ia even greater than at
| first supposed. There were found upon the
firid -si a. three dsAd bodIes ana Jne bodies
OF twelve or fourteen horses. In addition to
the bill Of mortality, large number of
| rebels are known to have been wounded.
( The Federal loss was thirteen killed aud an
equal number wounded.
Two regiments of Federal troops, the
Thrty-sixth Indiana and the Sixteenth
Ohio, came promptly up to the relief of the
four companies from the Thirty second In
diana, but the rebels had no taste for a re-
newal of the fight.
Some instances of desperate daring are
related of various members of the Thirty
| Second Indiana Regiment. An informant
assures us that be was witness to the fact
that youth of seventeen, who Joined the
regiment at Cincinnati, but whose name be
could not learn, threw off the restraint of
the company drill for the time, and stationed
himself behind a tree. From that point he
fred fourteen times during the engagement,
loading and firing with as much coolness as
if he were out ducking, every shot bearing
a message Of death to some misguided rebel.
The body of the gallant Lieut.. SAKE of the
Thirty-Second Indiana was inferred near
MumtoFdsville yesterday morning.
Theodore Schmidt was killed by the same
volley which fatally wounded Lieut.. Saxes
He W shot through the head and died in
stsntly.
Our troops are exultant over the result of
the skirmish of Tuesday, and are eager to
renew the fray.