, 1862-03-12

ion In the van ef the column. Gen.
nal Curtis and staff we're passing Just
,ehInd the S6th Illinois when an explosion |
ook place, followed by a tremendous smoke. |
rhis was caused by the igniting Of powder in
me Of the caissonz OF the flying artillery, where
some had shaken loose among the shells IN
he rapid advance. Not 4 man left his plaee; |
10 confusion or fright enRued, though nearly |
Every man in the ranks supposed at the time
That rebel shell had s'just dropped in to
make Us morning call.n On we marched un-
Ill three O'Clock, but the rebels proving scarce,
We pitched our tents at Usage Springs; right
glad to rest, even after march Of only four
teen miles On such morning Of ice, followed
BY day Of mud and wafer in which thou
sands Of almost shoeless soldiers were wading
with vet and shiyering feet. The location at
Usage Springs is 4 fine one; dry as any
1t this season; water eouyenlent, and
many good farms in the neighborAood; to the
latter the hungry soldiers hied at adoub1e
quick and before dark returned bearing
" precious sheaves'' for neighing horses and.
b,asing mules; but Of headless chickens,
geese and turkeys, tubs Of honey, sacks Of
sweet potatoes, and the like, which found
their way into camp that night, the Puritanic
pen of your correspondent refuseth descrip-
ton. 4 good snooze on some bundles OF con-
traband oats brought us ints the light Of Fri
day morning refreshed and ready for whatever
might turn up. Marching orders being given
for : 4. NJ, the army were again in line at the
sound Of the buglc, and tents had been struck
and loaded when the command was given to
halt until further orders. After waiting nearly
an hour, said order came, tspiteh tents and
get your dinners. II *sThis don't look like
catching Price, said the disappointed boys,
and reluctantly retired to their second tent
pitching at Usage Springs. a butternut
came in during the day to get pay
for some forage which our troops had taken,
and informed us that Ben. Mccullough had
quarrelcd with and left Price, and the latter
was at Fayetteville. News Of the capture Of
Fort Donclson came in this evening, pro-
duc!ng great rejoicing among the troops, that
+" somebody can trap rebels if soe can't.''
On Saturday, visited Capt. Mckinney of
Gen. Curtis's staff, who has bullet hole in
his thigh and another in his cheek; Major
Bowen Of the cavalry attached to the 18th
Illinois, who has one through the left hand,
and Capt. switzler Of Wright's battalion, who
has enc through the back Of the neck, just
grazing the ccryica1 vcrtebra; al these ven
tilating apertures were opened at the des-
perate charge among the mountains
at Sugar Creek; and these gentlemen
inform me that they are satisfied that Ben.
Mccullough s Arkansas dcsperadoes are pretty
fair shots. To-day the Benton Hussars went
out on scout in the neighbo1hood
Of Bentonyine. One Of their number strayed
from tllis company and was afterwards found
in priyy, his head mashed with stones and
his body disfgured. Some whisky was found
in the place, and the boys proceeded to I'M
bibe. Before morning one Captain and several
priyatcs died Of poisoning, while one Major,
two Captains and about forty men narrowly
escaped the came fate, and have been rendered
unfit for service, for how long no one can tell
! These are CUR enemies -cut-throats, assassins
spies, robbers, poisoncr how many com.
miEsioncd officers tllink ye, good people Of The
United States, are being court-martia1cd be
| cause they permitted fire to cleanse the SIM
Of these cowardlr brutcs in twenty-five dwell
lings in Bentonville? Is there 3 man wilt
reads this dare say lie would not have had re
vensc under like cause Of provoeation2
Saturday evening part Of the army moyel
three miles farther on, and encamped near til
Cross Hollow, while on Sunday morning thre
thousand cavalry took possession Of Fayette
vile, which Price had left the day before
burning al the stores which he could no
transport, and all buildings which could b
+ available to our army. Report SAYS he Aa
retired to Boston Mountain, an inacce=sib1
position few miles TO the soutlward. e
to Sunday morning, no very serious disaster
Lad occurred in our rear, though ono mcssenge
join the army, we're reported missing, an
there was general feeling Of insecurity i
regard to our position, it being we'll know
that Gen. Mcbride, with large numbers {
Missouri rebels, had left Price at the Arkansa
line, refusing to follow him in his Dixi
hegira~ How well founded were these mis
giTipgs, remains to be seen.
On Sunday, the 25th, I.came as far as Keat:
vile, on the route toward Springfield, in com
pany with Capt. Sheridan, U. s. A, and Capt
SwitzleE. Capt. Montgomery Of Wright's Bal
talon, Of whom yon hare all heard, e6cor1
cd Capt. Sheridan's comissary train {retur1
ing empty from the army as far as Keatsvillt
where he encamped near us, and had orders
remain in command of the town for the pu]
pose Of keeping maraudcrs in subsection an
atIording protection to subsistence train
That night three Of his best horses aud tn
day I stopped at Cassyille, eight miles fartht
on, to remain a few days. During the da,
Tuesday, Capt. Lambier Of the 18th 1llfno
passed through with 4 subsistence train
si2ty-two heavily loaded wagons and a
escort Of seventy men, and encamped abo1
| fhron yri1nc ef ~
er train Of "a empty wagons comm
| east, tncamped about the same tin
just on the west side Of Keatsyill'
Lieut.. Col. Holland informed me that for
home guards had been fired upon from tt
. bushes on Sunday; that one was killed; tw
that he believed the woods were full of stra,
Cling rebels who had refused to follow Il
main army into Dixie, but that he attache
) no CREST Importance to them, and believe
) they were too eowardly to fire upon even
small body Of well armed men. he had bee
l informed that Price had stored at the Ne,
, tonia Mil, twenty-five miles north Of til
+ place, 500 sacks Of flour which he had caust
to be manufactured expressly for lis arm
but in his headlong retreat had been unab
= to take them along. On Tuesday morning Ce
t Holland sent Lieut. Moore with two wagon
all he could raise, and an escort Of about fit
men with orders to seize on the flour, a,
: wagons and teams enough to transport it
. Cassvllle. Atthe Gad1iy Mil, ten miles Of
n which the Government is running for the arr
: at pIcscnt-onc Of the teams was loaded nj
L 5000 9pounds Of -four aud Tcturne
- On Tuesday evening, not being well, I |
. ired early but was aroused by Col. Ho1la
:. about midnight, with the intelligence tia
messenger had Just come in stating that MOI
e gomery had been surprised and complete
: routed By $50 Te2an Rangers, at Keatsyiu
n that probably both trains we're in the hands
:. the enemy, who would no doubt attack ca
= vile before morning. Dressing hastily
l. home guards, and placed them behind has
T. u constructed baHicade, 60 as to obtain
~ croeE fire at an angle In theroad west OF tow
= where We awaited them till morning.
e about o'clock A. IL, we heard the rumble
II Of wagons, and soon Capt. Lambler's teau
g with their heavy loads, until before daynee
n al but three had passed our lines. 50
4 in On foot and finally
~ =. Captain himself came up His statement
IL that he had not been able to obtain the slig
est intimation that there was any rebel fol
in the neichborhood until the attack was ma
ditfon must have been accurately pointed
:, to the enemy By the inhabitants; that abt
Id 10 D. NJ, On Tuesday, several men were
ID dered to halt By his Pickets, who in reply
r the usual challenge, eaid "Friends," buf
=. not stop advaneing, whereupon, after
a. picke,s. This was the signal for the onslo1e
,c and the wretcheB came pouring out By h
e dreds from the brush, killing two men, won
~ iag another and capturing fourth; Il
ag rushing Immediately to The house wh
Montgomery's men were CHARTERED, they Fl
npo1 the houEe SeX Se ss vosy ole IN g.
IL | f,ur ,,cn cnn1d not rally md dern.9 nnt ~