The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-03-01
Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana,

blood, and clottsd with tho hair Of Its de-
tenders.
The field around. for more than . hun
dred Yards, WAS stained with the blood OF
the enemy: their clothes lay here and there.
saturated with their blood, and the trench
es, when taken, were filed with the dead
aud dying. They had drawn hither their
tents and spread them out to lie upon. To
the rear Of the battery = long trench was
dug. and there sleep the rebel dead. Fur
ther ca another trench designates the burr
al place of their comrades in arms. We
pa ssed on to the road taken by the 7th Illi-
nois in its attempt to fank this redoubs. aud
following it few hundred yards We turned
to the left to the field Of q most deadly co9s
fiict between Burgess sharp shooters and
the right wing of our army, with the left Of
the enemy and the cavalry men. 1t was
close to this defle that they attempted to
cut their way out. You remember that
some l 200 cavalry here made an attempt to
cut through our lines. They succeeded.
but their success was attended with dread
-ful slaughter Their dead lay scattered
over more than . mile Of territory. An op-
en- space of some hundred yards seemed to
have been chosen by thsm Tor a stand. here
the same scene was presented of deadly
conflict, for the graves Of our men. and long
trenches of their dead denote that they tell
in a hand 10 hand conflict. All kinds Of
accountrements. comn,issary stores and
bloody clothes. rendered the scene one more
Of pain than ofaught else. 1t was difficult
for me, at one time. to avoid the graves aud
carcasses of horses.
Further on We found grave here and
there of our own men. and trenches contain
ing dead rebels. OF the dead rebels then
unbutied counted ten. eight of xhom were
shot in the same place in the breast. proving
the unerring aim Of our sharp shooters. At
one place lay two rebels near their commits
sary stores, one lying with his head 10 the
north west. the other southeast. They had
built fire, and the laIter-I can draw no
other inference from his position - was
knocked over into the fire by the concussion
Of a ball He presented q most horrible
sight. From his knees to the crown OF his
head he was burnt to crisp. his hands
burnt off, and the stubs Of his arms were
sticking up the flesh having shrunk up to-
ward the elbow, leaving the bone BARE
He was not burned entirely through. but
his whole body was literally cooked. A.
round him. rs far as the eye could reach,
the woods were very dense, and there was
much underbrush, the trees were pesled by
bullets. and saplings we're cut in twain. In
our path such a scene wss presented for at
at least a mile. until, at last. when We were
upon the enemy's extreme left, We came
TO place where not tree Of any kind was
unscared. They had, It seems, fought In.
dian fashion for long time. and the outer
pickets. being d'smouuted cavalry men.
would hug the trees until some sure eye
would wing his soul TO eternity. Que tree
bore the marks OF least fifty bullets, and at
:: Tssss sS os ,i. too a.. sor .hes
and met his death. Their countenances did
not indicate any agony in death. but refrain
I'd a fixed expressien--their mouths and
eyes open, the latter having a fixed and
pale glare. These cavalry men were in a
good and uniform dress, with good boots.
and. Judging from the stores. around them.
we're well fed. A few yards further on we !.
crossed the lines. and left the last battle field
extending in length some six miles.
We now directed our course to the Fort.
passing in our way through the town of
Dover. from which Floyd and Pillow es.
capped with few thousand rebels. and
where many Of our most dangerously
are lying.
Upon the last battle field mentioned we
met Mr.. James Blake Of our city. on his er-
rand of mercy to the wounded; also Mr..
Randall Crawford Of New Albany on the
same errand. There were few prisoners
at Dover. all OF whom will be re-
moved. On reaching the Fort we were
hailed by Col. Smith and staff Of the SGD
M " ho caid
permit the Governor to leave until they had
seen him. Forward rode the Governor,
and passing before the regiment drawn up
IN line and presenting arms he received
'heir salutation. The presence of The Govern
or was enough. They wanted to realize
BY his presence that be had come to look
after and care for them. and they acknowl-
edged their gratitude by glorious shout.
Our time was up--6 o'clock. the appoint.
ed hour to rendezvous at our boat had
now come. and we bid good by to the SD
And now. since have made the circuit
Of the battle field, | end | have forgotten a
Few data incidents, which permit me to TO-
sert at this place.
In conversation with a rebel Lieutenant,
now prisoner. in command OF the first re-
ioabt taken by the 25Ih Indiana ani 7th
Iowa, he said:
In the morning when we were expecting
every moment an attack, we saw a regiment
within about . hundrei yards OF us. We
held our FIRE until they got in the edge Of
the =oods; when they hurrahed for the 25th
Indiana, then we let fy at them. They kept
coming up to us. firing into US aud killing
our boys At every shot; we repulsed them.
however and they fell back. In the morn
mo thew must have been reinforced c,r
they came At US like perfect lions. They
Ieaped upon the redoubt, and again hurrah-
ID for the 25th Indiana. l saw our bows
falf around me, but could not do a thing -
was struck motionless and dumb, and
wheE they took me l wondered how I es-
capped. for nearly every man was killed
They fought like devils, and my only won
der that escaped without scratch. When
l saw those Indianians come up before us,
and shout as they did. Iknew we would be
lost"
In conversation with other rebel prison.
ers--and you can get . true and candid