The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1861-09-28
A Short camnntgn.

ner's letter to parties in Greensboro, urging
them to destroy the locks on Green river,
called for prompt action on the part of the
military authorities in our city, and we
are happy to state they took steps which
prevented the contamination fthe foul deed
On Sunday afternoon Capt, Cochran, of the
Union artillery, was directed to have de-
tachment of his company with one gun in
readiness for marching orders. In the
evening the command was given to march,
and with an old white coat swinging on our
arm we Joined the "squad," and started on
our first campaign. Horace Greedy wears
an old white coat, but Horace never joins
artillery companies Our gun was placed
on the v " Gillum where we were joined
by two companies of Col Cruft's regiment
which had been encamped on the river
bank. The city was full of all kinds of
rumors and not few of the boys left the
wharf under q painful apprehension that
| they gazed upon many familiar objects for
the last time. The boat showed out and
away we Observation-Disclosures to protect the
property of Kentuckians from the ravages
of Kentuckians.
Coils. Jones and Cruft both accompanied
the expedition, as did also engineer Sand
ers. The infantry companies were COM
manded, respectively, by Capts Arne and
Smith.} Without accident of any kind the
boat arrived at lock No. l, SpottsvilIe, when
we were received with music and three
rousiug cheers by two companies Of gallant
Kentucky Home Guards from Rumsey and
Henderson. They had anticipated US some
what in providing defense for the lock-. but
were apprehensive of an attack at the time
I of our arreai ana were much relieved by
the sight ..i-ouEcannon. Our forces were
landed Immediately and attaching a rope to
our qua we commenced dragging it up the
steep hill somewhat after the style
in the pictures representing Bonaparte
crossing the Alps, but minus Bonaparte
and his prancing charger. 1t was
a long pull-but with a strong pull and a
phil altogether, we succeeded in gaining the
summit where we bivouacked for the re-
mainder of the night. The next morning
Colonel Jones and the other officers made n
Reconnaissance and selected location for
our camp. 1t was on a beautiful hill
which overlooked the locks ahd dam, and
could only be anDroached in such man
/ ner as to give our little gun squad an ex-
/ cellent opportunity to receive our friends
with cordial greetings, or our enemies with
plentiful supply of grape and canister
The Gillum returned to Evansville and
with her our two Colonels, leaving Capt
Arne in command of the post.
Our first meal was obtained under diff
euties. We had plenty,of meat and bread,
coffee and sugar, but not single vessel of
/ any kind in which to mal1e-or out of which
/ to drink-coffee, or cook the meat citi-
zen of the village volunteered to make our
coffee, and with commendable perseverance
and by not being at all particular as to the
amount of ashes eaten with it, we sue
ceeded in broiling sufficient quantity Of
bacon to satisfy hunger. We need not en-
ter into particulars as to the quantity. By
| large, old-fashioned iron soap or ash kettle
| in which we boiled our meat and potatoes.
In the afternoon we dug down tie side
of the hill and threw up the dirt in the
form of breast-work, in front of the gun,
which presented to the eyes of young cam
paigners quite formidable appearance, aud
which our boys insisted they could hold
against very superior numbers. We were
assisted in our labors by detachments from
the infantry companies. Our little plateau
and embankment was unanimously christ
ened ''Fort Cochran" in honor Of our gal
liant captain. The camp was called Camp
Arne, we believe, in honor of Capt. Arne.
We also erected during the afternoon board
shed to keep off the dew, which we found
here to be almost equal to rain-wetting
through the thiekest of blankets and over
coats. Our shed, set upon four dogwood
forks, kept off the dew. Our bedding con-
sisted of loose fodder gathered in an adj !
Joining cornfeld. For co7er we had only a
few comforts and overcoats. To keep warm |
we were compelled to lie close together.
We had but one alarm during the night
This was occasioned by the discharge of a
pistol within the lines of our sentries by
some thoughtless soldier. There was no
drum in camp to beat the long roll, but the
artillery boys were reused from their sIum-
bers by their captain who commanded them
to spring to their posts. This was done
promptly. There was considerable chatter
ing of teeth in the little party, which, of
course, could only be attributed to the cold.
The source of the alarm ascertained, the
boys again retired to their slumbers and
were not disturbed any more during the
night.
Tuesday forenoon was spent in drilling
and liking matters comfortable in camp.
We had great many visitors from the ad-
joining country, most of whom were en-
for the Union The cannon +
Ea t,o