Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-01

SUB. DEPARTMENT. GIBBoS's BRIGADE,
CAxP on SHEPEEDsvILLE BATTLEFxLD.
Wednesday. Sept "a, ls62}
DEAR P: few DAYS ago-Sunday I
think-we received a huge mail, aud IL was a let
ter from you dated August {. only month and
half old; but nevertheless was pleased to see
your familiar chirography and learn Of your faith
IN our ultimate success. But ] would like let
ter written just as the news reached YOU that
Popes grand armv had arrived safely behind the
Notifications OF Washington.
Ropes are IN bad repute in this cOuatry ard
trembling in the old. imagine you felt a world
more than you expressed. Did you have any ink.
lings Of despair about that timer How did YOU
all feel generally! How did YOU suppose we feIts
As far ! heard soldiers and officers exr7-ess
themselves, they felt il TO be splendid Joke on
Pope. Pope had become so unpopular with eve
rybOdy under him that all disasters were hailed
and welcomed with delight We felt all our de
feats were victories 1T could only get nd of
the self-conceited old ignoranus, and the happi-
est day 70 the army was when he was sent 10
hunt the Sioux and their chief Hole-in the Day
nope the old chief will bag, fay and roast him.
But our idol u again ia command and for an ev-
Idence that the army loves him, and and will
night Tor him, | refer YOU TO the bloody DAYS at
South Mountain and Sharpsburg. General Mac
styles Kings division among the ueterans of the
Ny dear fellow. il you have an eve for the
excitement and furry of the battlefield, | wish
you might have been here on the 18th. The
battle OF Sharpsburg, when the truth is told will
be classed the bloodiest and most hotly contested
of the war, thus far at least and how men could
stand up better and murder another much
faster | can't imagine. Mcclellan carried ont
his pet idea of massing Cannon: one hill from
which, Hooker drove the enemy early in the
morning was occupied by seven of our batteries
OF various calibries and supported by near 20 900
Infantry. The rebels resolved TO occupy that hill
again; whole brgades charged that battery, and
were swept away like snow fakes IN May morn
ing sum- Others rose in their tracks bat to hasten
TO their last account A regiment of cavalry
(Col. titz Hugh Lees dashed at TIE bill; 10 900
rifles and a round of canister from forty cannon
lett BOYS in undisputed possession. The
piles and masses of dead and wounded on that
hillside was the most horrid sight ever beheld.
In corn lot, mile nearer Sharpsburg, men
met them face 10 face forty YARDS and drove
them step by step into the woods. Sixteen hun
dred men were counted in that field in MANY
places you could trace the line of battle by the
dead. | could get along very well if it were not
for the wounded and suffering fellows and no pos
sible way OF caring properly for them. l crossed
the held last Sunday, three DAYS after the fight,
and saw several rebels aud some of our own men
moaning and begging for water. Great God.
such sights would melt the heart OF one OF
Stoughton Fletchers iron lions. Every house,
barn, shed and cover in this part OF the country
is flied with wounded. The citizens hereabouts
and north and east of here have done nobly.
What they have done for the wounded of both
sides would fill book. In a rebel hospital on
the river bank | found a man by the name OF
John West, who was raised in indianapolis; some
ten years ago he removed TO Plequimine, Looisi-
ana, and WAS there drafted into the rebel army
He knew Dunn and Cottman, and was very glad
to meet old acquaintance; we took him some
soft bread, tea and sugar, but he will soon get
marching orders for kingdom come he has
hole through his lett breast and is swelling rap
idly, blood accommodating inside, with cold extrem-
tiles and other symptoms OF fastening dissolu-
ton.
| have no idea of the loss on either side, only
detail from our corps buried $500 of their dead
in one day (Monday.) All the stories about
"kiliing three To their one" is ''in my eye;" if
can judge from appearances it nip and
tuck" But we drove them from Maryland, and
If the citizens hereabouts are to be believed, they
are heartily glad they have gone.