Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-10-24
Army Correspondence Delaware Gazette.
From the I2Ist Regiment.

EhhA 4AsLES d ~ OSb- 4~t1s AOO-'
The march from Louisville to this place, old
army officers say, was decidedly severe
Wednesday was en exciting day. On our
march Of that day We could hear cannonadiBg
THAT is occasional reports) all day, The peo-
pie along he road seemed to be intensely ex-
cited, There were crowds of men and women
all along The road.
On That morning vas appointed tempo
rary) Division Surgeon, and had to be along
the whole Division. Early in the afternoon
DR.. McMecus and myself went on and selected
place for our headquarters. Cfhe Brigade
and Regimen,Rl headquarters being in the
rear About this time the cannonading be-
came decidedly brisk. We could see the
rebels distinctly on the opposite bill. Soon
the l2lst was marched in accompanied by DR..
Scovile, They were led by guide sent by |
one Of the Generals in command. The guide |
got lost Or confused once or twice and had to |
return for Instructions. Finally he found he |
had got farther out than he designed, and told
Col. Reid (who was between Il rebel battery
and his Regl to go on and get behind tree
himself. Col. Reid called to the guide to
coma out at once and dire c. the regiment to
the place designated by the Gen. in command
The guide refused to obey the Col. when one
Of the Captains (Yager) caught him by the
arm and drew his sword and threatened to cut
him down, when the guide made his escape
Before the regiment got this position, the
Battery Immediately in front was taken
About this time Captain Oder of Logan Co.,
was killed, elso Lieutenant White OF Union
county. About twenty FIVE are wounded;
/ some seventy or more yet missing, some per
haps killed, and Capt. Lloyd and ten or twenty
taken prisoners. Among the wounded Is
Sheriff Waters brother, who is slightly Cuund-
ed in tie shoulder. At the time above named
Gen Me Cook seeing the exposed condition OF
/ the regiment, ordered it to retreat, which they
/ did. and again rallied and laid on their arms,
aud again went out before daylight and re-
mained in line of battle all day. The whole
| of the left wing fell back. The place selected
! for our headquarters was held 10y the enemy
in the evening 1t seemed for Il short time
that our whele army was on the retreat. Our
ambulauces and wagons had to fall back nearly
a mile. Some Of lie ambuances were shot
into though not by design. About that time
such yelling as there was from the wounded IN
the ambulances never heard. 1t was hard to
tell which was the safest place, IN front or IN
the rear, as the cannon bulls and shells were
thrown over the entire crowd. At dark the
firing ceased. and next day it was ascertained
the rebels had gone. The Major and both
BrIradier Generals were killed. Col. Reid
remained OF horse back nearly all who did so
were killed Col. r. was the last Of this regi-
ment to leave the field. Gen. Jackson's Di-
vision lost perhaps from five 10 eight hundred,
or perhaps more than that. We do not know
what the loss has been. L have seen no one
who has had The time TO make the inyestiSa-
ton. | presume no one got much sleep on
that terrible night All the houses for miles
were used as Hospitals; not only the houses
i,Yt tie wards were also full. About midnight
son,e of the officers came to one OF the Hos
pitals ard reported that the enemy were
forming in line that would expose some o!
the hospitals. | was sent out TO appropriate
. some more buildings further away. apPro
priated a Church ard some other buildings q
mile or two further on, and all the ambuiauceS
we're used to remove the wounded to a more
secure place. 1t was distressing TO hear The
moor fellows beg TO he put in the ambulances
as they bad 70 uthtr way of getting out Of tht
way of the rebel guns. The enemy, however
concluded not to make the attack for thC
present
The wounded are now being renoged tC
Perryvilie, nice looking little town abou
scventy-fvc miles from Louisville, aud aboa
two miles from where the battle commenced
although there were several shots fired into
the town. All the churches and seminariE!
are used for hospital purposes, aud this after
7 L; o.,l l,,1t ba Il -c1l If
chief to appropriate the principal Hotel, wher
l am at this time; aEo o use some rooms oc
cupied by suffers. The suffers were driving
! luyge trade; they were selling cheese at on'
dollar per pound, and other things in proper
tion. Gen. Reid gave lhem fifteen minute
to pack up and leave OF have their propcrt,
confscattd, Col. Reid is acting Brigade
Gcncral and is B command of the post. =
Since the battle is over the l2lst is to be sup
,, piled with gurs that will shoot, ana on tia
: account we may be here several days.
1t is Strange that the Generals i'll commaEt
! would send new troops into the advance whc
: they knew tlat Tie men knew that their gun
were worthless. But the new troops wcr
! hurried mp to make a dash, when there wer
! plenty Of older troops, with experienced Gen
erals aud gocd arms , left behind. l do 10
know LUw long we will stay mere; it may be
! few hours or u few weeks. The suffering {
! tie so,d.ers is ildcscribabie. | did not hav
! time to 80 on TO the battlefield until Friday
; when passed over portion Of i! il goirg
! different hospitals aud in going from the hos
! pitfalls to this place. here were, at that lirn'
! a large plumber of the dead unburried. 1t
said the battle Of Wednesday, While it lastct
, was the severcst of the war. AS it did uC
! commence in earnest until near three ocloc
, and closed at dark. l have met many OH
men and other friends and acquaintances. w
do not get many papers, so we do NOT kno'
S what is going on. Our Chaplain was the onl
one saw around during the battle. lie wa
moving about constantly. 1t is getting late;
have a chance to sleep in bed Tonight
Since the battle, when l have slept it was o.
the ground with a rubber blanket, or on
floor with room full of wounded soldiers
My health was never better than since l le
home.
T. B. WILLIAMS.