Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-07-31
For the Daily State Sentinel.
Our Army CorrespOadcncc--Th 18th
Indiana at the Battle OF Rich Noun
CAVE Bryrk1r. Va. July le. 1se

CAMP BEVERLY, VA, July l6, 1861.
Mr.. EDIroR:-Old time in his ceaseles, treless
round produces great and wonderful changes.
The hardened sinner of yesterday becomes the
contrie Christian to day, the assassin of yester-
day regeuerated being to Omorrow. the miser
and millionaire of to-day the poor palsied beggar
TO morrow. Many who were full OF life and hope
to-day, pass away to participate perhaps in other
new and untried scenes beyond the ken of mortal.
But OF all the changes which the old fellow makes,
none seems to me so miraculous as that which
changes an honorable man, n truthful man and
man in authority to base liar and hireling in or
der to have little temporary popularity, know
ing that in Il iew days the slow coach of truth
would come up to the point where the lightning
had flashed falsehood and Misrepresentation.
have been led to make these remarks in con-
sequence of the attempt of some persons COM
posing this brigade to mOnopoliZe all the honor,
glory and bravery of our troops in the battle at
Rich Mountain. Several attempts to claim that
the oth and 10Th regiments did all the fighting,
that all the glory belongs to them respectively.
| will not detract from the acknowledged bravery
and their courage upon the field of battle for
they showed true grit, but they shall not through
alying operator no: anonymous scribblers, detract
from the just rights of the 18th while can write.
Some of the 9Th have the impudence to say that
the 18th not in the battle, ana some of the
10th that they took the cannon. Ii is some of
the officers who have thus proclaimed it and sent
it forth to the world. | have but few words to
say to relute the assertion. There were only
f0ar and one half companies, say three hundred
men all told of the 18th in action and seUen of
them we're killed. There we're three other regi-
ments, the Sth l0Sh and the 18th Ohio, engaged
and the three lost nre men. This of itself
shows who were in the hottest of the fight
All one had to do to count the dead OF
the enemy 10y TO march over the
ground where the noble BOYS under the
direction and lead of Colonel Sullivan and Major
Foster had marched. At the log house. where
cannon was captured by the men belonging to
Captain Slgles' company, (but who were under
command of Lient. Atkissou at the ti.ne) the
dead were in several instances two deep. IL WAS
here that the artillery captain fell riddled by
seven bullets, and where his First Lieutenant Dor
set was taken prisoner, after having his psto, shot
out of his hand, and who says himself "thc blue
coats of the 18th fought like devils" Wherever
the battle ragel terrible there were the boys of
the 18th.
When it is remembered that Lieut.. Col Hef-
fren had been sent with five and half companies
to hold the Beverly road at aH hazards, aud that
they were not in the action, | am inclined to be-
leve that the battle made by the l3th at Rich
Mountain is without its equal during the war.
While | viii not disparage the courage and hero
ism of the others, intere-ted persons desiring
Office just now must not disparage US without the
expectation of being exposed
General ROsecrans has promised one of the
cannon to the 18th. which shows his appreciation
OF their bravery and chivalry and what else could
be expected when he knew and saw who took the
pieces. | was mistaken about the number of
cannon taken, it being four instead of six; the
extra two being logs bored out and mounted in
real cannon STYLE and no doubt intended 10 scare.
We now have 500 prisoners here and large
amount of captured stores, horses, wagons, &c.
Where go next no one knows vet
! This is n cold, mountainous country and the
principal productions children and tobacco,
with now and then yaIler dog thrown in as make
weight.
In wandering around the other day over the
battle ground gathering up relics, | chanced to
meet n specimen of humanity. in n slOuched hat
slip shod shoes, greyish blanket fastened about
the neck, with piece ofrope and other accoutre-
ments to fit, with pencil in one hand and sketch
book in the other. He was from the establish
ment of Frank Leslie in New York, and the
l. London illustrated Nelrs. / found him sketdh-
| ing the battle field and the prihclpalS .poiJsts
} of interest about. He is a gentleman,