The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-08-14

First Indiana Cavalry In the Fight
at Cache Bayou, Acknowledged
of LIeutenanI-COIonei wood.
HEADQUARTERS, FIRST INDIANA CAVALRY, I
HELENA, Ark, July Is, 1862. !
Col Conrad Baker, Commanding 4th Brig
ade: rafi-
! SIR: In obediance to your order, on the
| 7th inst, | proceeded with the I'd battalion
llst Regiment Indiana Cavalry, and two
steel riied guns to the bridge across Bayou
de View, which we fortunately succeeded
in saving from destruction, the rebels hav-
ing built a FIRE at the north end, ready to
burn it. This we prevented by cautiously
approaching their pickets, who fred upon
US and fed. We returned their FIRE and
shelled their camp, killing three. The rest
supposed to be 500. fed in the utmost con-
fusion. aa
Iu carrying out your order we incident
ally engaged a large force of the enemy
!, composed of the 18th and l4th Texas Cav
airy, with several battalioas of conscripts
at Round Hill, eight miles north of Bayou
Ge View. When within mile of the place
known as Round Hill, we met messenger
from Col. Hovey, who said that the Colonel
had been attacked by a large force and had
three companies killed. We afterward met
squad of infantry hurrying toward our
camp on Cache river, who informed us that
they had been badly used up;" Col. How
ey, 33d Illinois Volunteers with about 400
infantry AMI one gun under the command
, of Lieut.. Depneman, lst Regiment Indiana
Cavalry, had been fighting with the rebels
and had retreated before q very large force,
. having great number of men killed and
!, wounded" Increasing our speed we ar
rived at Round Hill, and the first squad of
:. iufantry we saw ran from us supposing US
: to.be the enemy. ss
The principal part of the infantry were
standing in groups in the edge of he woods
- adjoining the road. These received US with
s demonstrations of joy, cheering us enthu-
siastically. Here we met Col. Hovey and
the gun belonging to the lst Indiana cav
alry. COL Hovey told me that the enemy
=. was down the road and "plenty of them,' =
a at the same time saying to us, "pitch into
% them" And we did "piteh into them,
O. at iull speed. The three guns closely fol-
: lowed by the battalion OF cavalry gallopeo
} down the lane in the woods where we frs
discovered the enemy approaching in thu
"a form of a V. Instantly forming our line
, of battle, with guns in battery in the cen
:. Ter. and with one squadron on the left and
Ds the other on the right we poured canistei
u into their front and shell in their rear. Al
the enemy gave way before this terrific fire
: we followed them closely, giving no respit
~ for about two miles, sometimes running uE
our guns within one hundred yards Of thei
ap lines. When the enemy began to waver
0' by nv direction Major R. NJ. ClendenuiDg
Ito with companies and G, made furiou
charge Upon their right flank, engaginl
- them in a most gallant style for sbou
twenty miuutes, icoolly receiving the enc
~ my's fire. These two companies poure
he volley after voIley from their carbines an
u n pistols, cutting up the enemy's ranks in
d dreadful manner. These two compauie
Ter deserve special notice. They fought lik
ve,aran soldiers. AT one time all the OFT