Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-04-15
cAMP 0unBERLAsD FoRD, Ky.0
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ths condition Of the Ninth Ohio Battery
connected With Che Twelfth Brigade,
made early arrangements 70 visit thi
point with q great desire to know person
ally Of thsir condition, and 20 use my hum
bic sHorts to some extent for their good
Aware thdi the friends Of our Ohio sol
diers in this Brigade, consisting Of the Sig
teenth Ohio Regiment and Wetmors'g Bat
terry, know nothing Of the haEdships e
which they have been exposed, and alike
ignorant Of their present condition, aa CD,
soldiers friend beg permission 10 furnisl
the facts 50 Interesting 70 ell, through tht
columns Of your paper. You viii remem-
Der that the Sixteenth had not reached the
battle ground, near Alill Springs, bat was
only one days mArot behind, snd thst Il
is one Of those regiments Of which our
State may well Be proud, on account Of itl
good behavior, its sanitary condition, end
tt8 discipline.
The Ninth Battery vas there, and what
e did and how are matters Of history
Brigadier General S. P Curtis official re-
port Of the battle Of Mil Springs, under
date Of January 80lh, says:
"Captain Wetnore's battery Of two how.
iiGers and tEo Parrott guns Joined me ct
Logan on the lsth, having made q forced
march over the deep roads and under a
drenohing rain from Somersst NJ troops
were without tents, the rapid rise Of Fishing
Greek prevented tia regimental wagons
from crossing, consequently the men we're
exposed to the rain and the inclemenoy Of
the weather. Notwithstanding their un-
comfortable condition, they formed in line
Of-battle on Sunday morning with alaority
70 meet the enemy. Captain Wetmore's 3
battery Of four pieces vas stationed On the
right Of the line, where il was efficiently
worked, throwing shots and she'll into the
lines Of the enemy. Subsequently two
pieces Of this bstterly were moved to the
left Of the line. to assist In protecting that
wing from any advance Of the enemy on
che road from Mil Springs, which comes
into the Somerset Road east Of The sneamp-
meat Of the Tenth Indiana Regiment.
80 At half past thFee
P. H., the Brigade (TWslfti) arrived ct
the foot Of Moulder's HiIl, where the enc
my was expected to make stand, Wesried
by long mLroh, and without provisions
during the day. Yet the gallant meh Of
the Twelfth BRIGADE advanced up the hill
viii intrspidity and spirit, but she enemy
had shandoned this important hsieht,
which commanded his fortified camp on
the hill about three-f0urths Of Q mile dis
tsnt The artillery vas brought up imme-
diatsly, and the Parrot gnns Of Captain
WetmoFe1s Battery threw she'll with great
prssiaion into the eRomy's works After
osnnonading until dark, the men lay on
their arms on MOulders Hill all night, in
patient for the renewal Of the combat.
Early on Monday morning, Wetmore's
Parrot guns were plsoed in position near
your head quarters Russell House, and BY
their precision burned, or compelled the
enemy 70 burn, their steamboat, which had
been used some time IS flag boat and his
eommissary stores on the south side Of the
river"
From the shove It win be observed, that
the March from Somerset vas forced one,
over roads muddy and bOttomless, which
Was, in fec, % continuation Of rapid msrohes
from Danville. In edition to the expo
sure Of these two days in 9 continued and
drenching rain, thstWo days Of the battle
we're also rainy, and the tents and proVis-
ions we're in the rain. TWo nights they
slept on the ground many without blankets,
and two days they we're without ratiOns
and somsEithout food. Those great fatigues,
continued rains aud want Of foed, probably
laid the foundation Of diseAre which has
more or less affected this artillery company
since. -Four have disd-but none in hospi-
tel ct camp-Three Of the four died ct the
Somerset hospital, one ct Flat Lick.
Though ct one time only only six men re-
ported Ct for duty, and but two men have
osoaped sickness from measles, diarehea,
agmp fever and such diseases, at the
present time al Gre recovering snd but two
ars 50 pEostFRte as to need much assistance.
So many have been sick, that extra duties
haVe necessarily been imposed on those
who we're reported well, and upon those
Who we're ooupalescent. The roads have
been in such g wrstohsd Ctste, 50 destroyed
/ By six days and 8 half Of rain out Of every
! seven since the fret Of January, until the
18th Of March, thar st times it was impos-
sibls to get necessary supplies, and the
horses and mules have consumed all the
forage in this part Of the country. Gov
ernment is nov paying, With the improved
condition Of the roads, equal to from two TO
three dollars for OatHin the straw.
The products Of this miserable country
ere mpletely used up, and forage is
brought one hundred miles and more, over
reads where from three to four miles was
the average daily progress. Butter, eggs,
meal, chickens, &c, are about fVe timss
their usual price, end within radius Of
thirty miles not enough could be procured
20 furnish the brigade for one week. In
coming here, saw in the last sixty-fve
miles only two bUggies, and neither one Of
these had been used in She last sixty days.
The three thousand mules used ~ the
I Government for transportation, and about
an equal number Of artillery, cavalry and
( ohcers horses, are nov almost Ealuslass
( for the want Of food and sunshine; they are
certainly not worth % per cent Of their
/ former value y Besides many have
/ died-I sm confident that there is not 3
Briqsde in the Uniou that has been &C
much exposed, and suffered so much from
/ exposure and the want Of necessities, to say
/ noihing Of the little niceties which many
/ Of them, and may say the most Of them,
I have been accustomed 10,
The wasted fences, ami sometimes large
duantities Of cornstalks, stumps and other
! debris On the mountain sides, show the ra-
f NlAAAN anu III AAAA VI A-le AAerAsAu VI nl--Aa-
aFy and February, which buried the roads
in plsees 40, and even 30 feet deep. The
l16h Ohio vas four days isolated from the
iTest Of the brigade, but fortunately the
water did not reach the top Of the Knob, or
which they we're enoamped, but they were
reduced in the meantime TO half allowance.
] en- writing in the lst LieuBs. tent, the
one nearest the camp Of the rebels ct the
Cap, snd my eye Is nov upon one 64-poun.
der, two "a. .p1uBders, one l0.pouHd Parrotl
and one 8 pound spot ana she'll mortar
some grape shot and ounce balls fired q
the 9Th Ohio, at the Mil Springs engage.
meut, and Ehils they occupied Blrod Ridge
lOns and half miles from The Gap, on thI
l2Ist end 22d Of March. Here again a
those who NsFe abe, we're exposed o raiI
az slH Eft-lAad
i