The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-05-31
From the I'd Ind Cavalry.

| In FRONT OF CoRINrH. Mississippi,)
May 10th. 1869.
Eds. PdXadixns.-It is seldom that
yon or yanK readers by=way of com.
munications--indeed 1 do not desire to do
| SO. but the circumstances which impel me
on this occasion are rather peculiar and |
beg your indulgence while l defend the
brave men under my command and the en-.
tire regiment from disgrace imputed to
them by certain unprinci pied and cowardly
traitors-citizens of Richmond.
Last evening one of my company, m an
OF veracity, returned TO the regiment and
reports that a certain Mr.. -. who paid
us visit on the field of Shiloh, is giving
currency TO report probably put in crcu-
lation by himself that the whole regime u t
"a Ind. Cavalry is under arrest for un-
soldier-like conduct. cowardce and running
from the enemy. 1t has also been reported,
and the same has obtained currency in your
city, that the regiment account Of inef1i-
cheney of the men and bad conduct Of its
officers. has become demoraiz ed to such an
extent asl to render it's disbandonment essen.
tial TO the good of the public service.
So foreign to truth is the whole allegation.
that am at loss as to the best means of
meeting the charge. not knowing the motive
that influenced the mind Of the lying orig
inator.
In meeting the case shall conf ne my
self to such facts as can be substantiated By
the records of the army. and leave your
readers to render such verdicts as in their
opinions shall be just.
| Since the 10th day Of December. 1861,
this regiment has advanced more than five
hundred miles from its place of rendezvous,
having passed through the States of Indi-
ana. Kentucky aud Tennesses. and now oc-
cufies position in front of Corinth on the
Mississippi line. During this long march,
we have occupied fifty-one distinct enc amp
ments, and no less than twenty nights of
our numerous marches have the men laid
upon the ground without shelter, exposed
to storms; first 1t rains, now a snow storm,
next pitiless slee. followed by sudden free
zing. AT all times when in camp we have
furnished two companies each day for picket
duty, and ever since the battle of Shiloh
we have furnished four. consequently one
third of our entire force is constantly in tie
face of the enemy. We guarded for two
weeks q line Of twenty-ouc miles of frontier
In midwinter and in the most God -forsaken
country west of the Allegheny Mountains.
We have furnished body guards for four
Generals AMI corps of men to guard one
hundred miles of telegraph line in the very
heart of the enemy's coun.ry. As to the
courage of the men l have only to say that
at different times, and under very trying
circumstances, l saw their courage pu, to
the test, and on no occasion has there been
anything in their conduct but what docs
credit to the State they represent, to say to
the contrary would be to perpetrate An un-
pardonable falschood. Col. Oaks, the in
sPector general Of all the cavalry in this
dsPartmsst. after reviewing our regimen,
prononneed it the best body Of mounted
troops 10 thc seIyice. (volunteer..) and that
1t apProsched rearest the standard of the
reguiH service of any volunteer corps that
he had met in any department.
One more facs and am done. The sue
cess OF our arms on the field OF Shiloh was
the result Of the efficiency Of the ed Indiana
Cavalry. as follows: Gen. Buelps army
was nsking forced marches 10 i.s advance
to Pittsburg Landing. In its front vas In
dian creek. stream difficult to cross and
ths bridge over which was indispensable 10
the passage Of its train, IT'S destruction
would hare delayed his march three OF four
da9s. Fous companies Of our regiment
were cent forward to prevent the enemy
nom burning il; they moved forward In
double quick time sad had bassly got is;o