Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-03-28

tAray oursespoaasnss q rhs Delaware oaa-.s'l
I'VE RaVs Gained q Vsstory."
Car, near NEw MADzID, No,
Friday, Mar. L. 1862.
Our Friends At Homs-
Bully for the Forty-Thirdi We have hcen
in Rghtl viii give you an accoant OF the
battle. Night before last Te were called up
at IL o'elUck, p. m, with ksaPsarhs aud guns,
and were formed into line. We lten started,
We didn't know where Report said we were
going to throw up breastworks- We march
ed two or three miles through the woods
Presently we learned what we were TO 90.
II you will take the map you viii see the
position ofthe battle ground. You notice the
Iown-NeN Madrid-is situated in kind OF
horse shoe, in the bend of the river. We
went 70 the west Of the town where the battle
was 10 progress When We arrived there We
we're put iO work The FIRST thing we did was
10 get up the large guns They were '-aso.-
busters" There were three thirly-foar pound
ers, one sixty -;our pounder (mortar) aud many
small guns. six and Twelve Founders. We
worked hard mounting the large guns. They
weighed over Ave tons. Guns mounted, ne
went to work on the parapets. While thus
employed, tie rebel pickets fred at as. wEs
on the top OF the right Parapei, leveIing and
6nishing.
The 6rst shot passed over our heads. The
next struck IN the bank where we stood. This
was pretty near. Presently the report came
that the enemy had driven in our pickets.-
This report proved untrue. We, however
took up our guns aud remained in arms all
! night Morning at last dAwned and the ball
was opened
Our batteries worked briskly, as well as the
encny's The firing continued, with intervals
all day. We we're in small skirt Of woods
in the morning. Al about eight O'Clock the
enemy got our range. We then moved into 4
eorntield, to oar left This WAS al ten, q. IN
We then lay down, and here we lay till after
dark The enemy threw shells at Va all day
but did us no harm. TLey burst all around
US. We finally kept the field all night. During
the night VIC had severe thunder shower
Oh HeAYens what rain Such wet, mud
dy, tire-s-snd s!cepy set of boys you never saw
This made the third night we had been up and
we were jaded
God helped ue, kno", for we have driver
the enemy from his fort, aud doubtless killeJ
many.
About our loss We had seven or eight
killed, and about twenty-five wounded. Prov
dence did certainly protect US, for the bombs
fell thick all around us. One man was killed
10 our regiment {43dl, and three wounded
! Our Lieut.. Colonel, Wages Swayne, had his
| horse killed with piece OF shell. Elb.- wri
| teris bIoiher--was close by the eide o
the Horse. He escaped narrowly. /, too
came near losing my head. a six pound shel
came whizzing along II lodged down--it pass
cd near my head, and killed a man two rod
behird me- 1t struck him in the breast, going
through him and tearing out his heart. lie
never moved a nusc;s after he was struck
The three men who were wounded in our reg
| iment had limbs broken. Ode had both legs
broken, and will doubtless die.
| The mail will leave Tomorrow morning so
will finish my letter. cannot give you all th'
| items now, but will write soon again. 1 mus
tell you about a skirmish we had with tht
rebels Friday, 7tb, We we're ordered out Il
try them. Our Capt. (Parkl picked thirty
six Of his men to act as skirmishers. l Wa
one of them When we were within one mill
Of the town, we were dep!oyed as skirmiShers
Then we marched forward with caution Wher
we were within Eve or six hundred yards ofth
/ town, we were ordered to slUCt every man be
! fore US. We had not advanced far before tn
rebels fred at us. The balls whislled preit,
near to us, SO that we had to dodge. We re
turned the FIRE which put them to flight Thb
was our FIRST shot at tho rebels. ] think VI
cut pretty close to thsm. OIe Of our Cap
| taius said he bel eyed that Capt. Park's meI
! would have marched right into the fort il the.
had been ordered. We are the boys for tht
sccesh. The enemy fred at us with artillery
but did little harm wounded three or four
| About the middle OF the afttrnooa we march
ed back to camp. Here ended our skirmisI
| this time.
| More about yesterdays fght. This morn
| ing we were marched back to camp. We hat
not been there more than an hour, when thu
| news came that New Madrid was evacuated
How like splitting the boys yelled. The 43,
| don't much like to think it was not the first Il
march into town, after working go hard to ge
| it. There are thousands Of reports. We can
| tell what we have done. Our Quarmasier
| Cochranc, says there were two hundred and 81
! " barrels Of molasses. and one thousand bush
els Of po' atocs taken. We have made a "bii
haul" Horses. mules, large guns, in fact ev
Eerylhing was taken. Tha rebels are abou
done in Missouri There were good NAM
killed. Report says there is much blood il
the fort. We saw where they had burric
many men. Besides they took away boa
load of killed and wouaded. We gave it /
them like fun.
l will write again soon as we get dow
to the river.
ALFRED.