Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-02-27

grand mothers had patched years ago.
new bed quilts. which in mistaken patriot
ism had been given to the sinking cause.
Guernsey cloth blankets, pieces
OF cotton and woolen carpeting, which had
evidently been seized upon in some store.
Just beyond was the commissary's de-
partment- There were barrels of flour,
sides of bacon. and low barrel, of beef
Here Floyd took steamer and made his
escape. Here was a crowd of hungry
straggIers, who had been left behind in the
fight. and who had come down from their
regiments to help themselves to q break
fast.
Some were cutting slices of fat pork,
which were devoured with a relish, such as
DIR. kane's companions might have had.
Some were lying at full lengt on the sacks
of corn. unmindful of all that was going
on around. thinking. dare say, of peace.
ful homes they had left, and Of the unex
pected disaster which had overtaken them.
l could but pity the poor wretches.
The Tennesseeans were more cheerful
than the Mssissippians. Iconversed with
them. One said lac was glad it was over.
tie didn't care what became of him, only
he was glad he had not got to fight any
more. A Mississippian wanted to know
If CID Abe was an Abolitionist All
wanted to know where they were to be
sent.
Passing up through the village, l look
ell into building in which the arms had
been deposited. which had been collected
from the people. Perhaps the Tower of
London may contain like nondescript as
sortment, but no other building. They
were mostly condemned arms. Many
would be quite as fatal to him who hell it
as to the enemy.
The village is a little struggling place, Of
twenty or thirty houses. with brick court
house. and church which war has turned
to ITS own use. Everything was dilapida-
ted. l saw no attempts at pillaging pri-
vate dwellings. heard no insulting
words from the Federal troops. They
were mingling freely with the rebels and
were in friendly chat over the fierce fight
OF Saturday. each telling how the bullets
whistled and what they would have done,
etc.
Desiiing to obtain correct view of the
fortifications, proceeded in the direction
OF the fort. 1t is situated on the West
si.le of the river, about one-half mile
North. or down stream from Dover land.
ing. About sixty rods from the landing a
ridge comes down to the river. There is
room enough between the ridge and the
river for carriage way. The ridge is
narrow and about fifty feet high. At its
northern base little creek, crooked as q
serpent. comes down from the West
Crossing it on log, passing through ar
orchard and corn field. l came to tn,
southern base of the ridge. on which stand,
the Fort. The hill. or ridge, is not
bluff. as You might suppose. but come.
down with a slope to the river bank
Climbing it through the mud. l reached
the fortification. At the angle nearest tn,
river a plank was thrown across the ditch
enabling me to reach the inside. Com
mencing at the angle made measurement,
sufficient to determine its general outline
There was manifest attempt on the par
of the engineer who planed tt to see wha
could be done in angles. counted NOR
than thirty. There was nothing in tn
nature Of the ground to demand such
line. 1t was more an exhibition of fanc]
on the part Of the engineer than display
OF common sense or scientific attainments
Such work. unless defended by o larg
body of men. would be an element o
weakness instead one of strength. In fiele
fortification there must be concentration
instead of dispersion. Ispoke of the gum
in the fort in my letter of yesterday.
Descending the hill l reached the waite
batteries. and commenced at the lower on,
nearest the river. | could but admire thu
position which had been selected-needing
SO little labor to make an approach by the
! river an impossibility. l looked along
the immense l2S- pound gun. adjusted viii
great precision. and couli imagine how
easy it would be to bore successive hole
through any gunboat which should hav,
the tenerity to approach.
The eight 32-pounders were ranged abov'
me like successive steps of stairway. i
was easy to see that il a shot from the gun
boats should strike foot or two below th
embrasure of the trench. it would prov
harmless. and equally hsrmle IS if il shouls
strike above. l wondered that Commo
dore Foote was able to silence the lowe
guns. and | also wondered that lhe boat
were not all of them sent to the bottom.
Continuing nv ramble, l came upon
rebel Kentucky regiment. which was bury
ing Its dead. There was six corpses lyinl
IN pile. thrown together as you woul1
toss sticks of wood How strange it i
that man becomes Indifferent to the dealt
scenes of the battle field. The regimen
), paid no heed to the dead. The men VIII,
were digging the shallow graves wer
smoking their pipes and laughing, to 81
appearance as unconcerned as if digging
post holes.
] Passing on / reached the outer line o
defenses--the rifle pits where Lauman'
brigade covered themselves with glory.
fear that in my account yesterday | dis
not make sufficiently clear to your reader
the movement by which the rebels wer'
routed. His whole brigade moved up tn
ascent-not simply one regiment, and t.le,
moved with . determination and q vii
which could not be resisted. As q gener
al rule il requires more courage to receiv,
a charge than to max, one. To stsns
still and see men moving in solid columns
with glitering lines Of bayonets right upol
you. requires great courage. Few mel
havo fha xerva fov f1.f Rnf svho~ v,,os