The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-01-30
IatsreslIng LeIter from the ITth.

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Interesting letter from the lTth.
We are kindly permitted to make the
following exlracts from the letter ofa SOL
dier to friend in this city. It will be
found interesting 10 many particulars, and
especially 90 to the friends Of the nth;
soMERsEr. KT Jan. aR. '6s.
Dear Sir:
/ hasten TO inform you Of our
great victory, although ! am very tired
and sore, having marched about IS miles
since Sunday O'Clock, and over such
roads as no man ever saw before. On
Friday morning last we we're ordered
to move down 10 Hudson's Ford. on Fish
ing Creek, about 10 miles from here and
about 10 miles from Mill Springs. where
the enemy were fortified. We started
with the 3lst Ohio and two pieces ofsr>
tillery and arrived at this point about l2
O'Clock. The other division of the Brig
ade went on our old road TO Fishing
Creek and Joined Gen. Thomas in time TO
see che fight, but did no, participate IN il
but very little. We stayed all night, ex.
pecting to bear the roar Of artillery 10
the morning. but was disappointed A.
bout three O'Clock in, the afternoon we
were ordered back to camp. >
- We returned
to Somerset on Saturday night about 9
o'clock. and on the next morni,g
we were awakened by the report Of altile-
ry, and about 2 o'clock on Sunday we
were ordered with the 3lst, 35th, 38th
Ohio regiments 10 move down to the bat
lie field, or until we reached the main col.
umn Of our army. We all started, and
such confusion at Fishing Greek you
never saw; the creek wss very high, and
swift. We puta large cable over and
pitched in and waded across, about hun
dred aud fifty yards wide and up 10 our
breasts. The men had to put their Gait.
ridge boxes on their shoulders 10 keep
them dry; but after two hours work we al
got over and then pitched into the mud
up 10 our kOees aud marched 10 the battle
ground by O'clock, distance from our
camp OF 10 miles, and it was SO dark we
could see nothing but the muddy road
which had been run over that day by ar
tillsry and men. until the bottom had re.
ally fallen out. When we arrived here we
saw Zollicoffer's body which was laid out
in a tent.
lie lay entirely naked. Eta was good
looking and brave man. He was shot by
Col Fry Of the Kentucky regiment, tLro'
the heart; he had another wound, but how
he received it, or hy whom. nobody
knows. We then started 10 join the main
column which had driven the enemy into
their forli6caiions at Mill Springs, which
we're IL miles from here. We pitched in.
10 the mud and then came the sickeuing
part of our journey-to cross the field ol
battle where the dead and dying lay-s
scene which never shall forget. II was
awful TO behold; they lay in the road ant
beside the road and some had crawled in
to the fence corners to die. The sigh
that dark night was awful. / stumbled
over dead man beside the road aud at
ter that walked in the middle of thu
road.
Our regiment by this ime,. wal
about run down. We had not more thar
200 men, they strayed all along the roat
for miles. | walked right behind III,
, Colouels horse and Capt's Bulter6eld ant
r Ricketts, and a few straglers were all lba
> were in sight. So we we're ordered b,
the Co.. 10 halt. which we did at 8 o'cl'
f about one mile from the battle field an,
made fires and laid down to rest until tn
e moon came up. About l2 o'clock til
s. ColOpel called us up 10 start on our joul
+ ney, We all started, it being partly moon
+. light, but the road was awful TO behold
! 1t was all road here, no iences, bat on
4 broad track of mud and destruction. =
:. TIE roadside was far deeper than til
It road, our army having marched in battl
r line the whole way. But finally we reach
s ed the main ,lumn at about 8 o'clocl
a They had built fires and laid down o
their arms just as they had marched W
d in battle line. We halted and laid dow
10 sleep few hours, expecting TO have
o Zig fight in The morning, storming the
h Notifications, bu, were awakened by I'll
l.. boom Of our artillery firing at the enem
r as they were crossing the river, they ha'
10 ing never stopped in Il cir breastwork
but commenced crossing the river liz tt
At night. We were now about two mill
r. FROM the river, and wo we're all,ordered
i. move up in line of battle, expecting
,e have fight for certain. We did NJ
know that the enemy had left until v
ID were 10 sight of their breastworks. v
g. halted in sight Of them aud awaited Il
10 attack. but were doomed 10 be disappon
ed. Wa then went up to their camp;
this time our artillery was numbering
IN them on the other side of the river al
id some yet crossing, but they sent aag
,o truce over and We stopsed firing, tn,
" having been routed entirely. The A'
was from the few citizens that lived
... the other side. to prevent us from firing