The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1862-04-26

The following letter is from our felow-citizan
Jerry Hide. to Irwin Reed, Esq. Jerry is pc
liar in some Of his exprs ssions, and rather
disposed to use the plain language:
CAMP SHrLoH. Pittsburgh Landing, ,
Hardin Co.. Tenn. April Is. 1869.
Thinking few lines from this famous
field might interest you, ard having little
leisure and in wriIic g mood. | propose 10
give you few items as they occur to me.
This hrs been the most sauguinary bat
Nc ever fought on this continent General
Grants forces were taken by surprise on
Sunday morning while at breakfast aed
routed. IL seems to have been the aim %
the rebel Gen. to whip Grant before the
rival of Buel's forces which were on the
way from Nashville. In this they nearly
succeeded taking between Q, 500 and 1880
prisoners. aHd killing large number Of
our men and driving the rest before them,
occupying our tents on Suoday night; but
the arrival Of Gen. Nelson that night. and
Gen Wood on Monday morning turned the
tables and drove the enemy back Our
brigade was 90 miles back, we were ordered
to throw havcrsacks and double quick over
the worst reads ever saw to Savanna, then
| 5 miles by steam to the scene of action
! We arrived at noon just in time to turn the
third attack and win the day. Our brigade.
the 2lst, composed of the l. 9Th, 4Oth and
!57th Indiana, under Gen. Wagner, charged
the left wing of the enemy miles from
the landing-,be 57th ahead. Not a man
hinched. although running over dead and
diving, through perfect shower Of grape.
canister and shell, an, came out with but
three men wounded, and them not badly.
OIL H. T..
were as cool as il on dress parade while
talking with the men. Capt. McGraw and
Lieut.. Finney showed themselves to be
soldiers. Lieut.. +. had com nand Co. c.
Al did well and are entitled to equal praise,
which they received from the Commanding
General The victory, il such i, may be
called, cost dearly. not only IN the loss i'll
killed, wounded and prisoners. which will
not fall short of 8 900. but in the suffering
which all our men endured.
This morning, Tuesday, our wagons have
not come up; oIr men exhausted hare to
lie down on the wet ground--it has rained
every day and night until yesterday -witli
out blankets, on short rs'ions and without
cooking utensils, until those curses Of camp
life-pneumonis and diarrhea-haye reduced
our regiment to 300 men, and all are more
or less afflicted with it. Handreds will die
who might be saved If our careful Govern
ment would suffer them to go home and all
this in consequence or the powers that rule
US. We are compelled TO carry our supplies
in four wagons that load SO heavy tha, with
he best roads 10 or Is miles dav is hard
10 make; such roads as we have miles is
hard work. and only 2 ambulalces to carry
6 men each. with provision for horses,
which necessarily gave out on the road; not
q ilnapsack allowed to go on the wagons.
This | take to be damnable policy.
| can hear the murmurings of pent up
thunder in the midst ei 100, eco meI who
are suffering around me to day. Men will
not be made to bear every thing, especially
the loss of manhood.
You may think this is strange
language, but could you see what | have
seen. and know what | know, could you
hear all night the groans Of men for whom
months of association has created attach
ments equal TO old associates, and to see
them suffering and dying from neglect of
the powers that should protect them and
minister to their wants, instead Of wasting
their substance in contributing to the CON-
fort of our enemies who are the cause of all
this suffering. in even more than men can
stand. The policy seems TO be to aid re-
be.iOn. 4 have seen our men suffering for
wood and compelled TO guard the fences Of
the vilest rebels in Tenn, while they were
tainted by the owners and not permitted to
enter an enclosure for water, belonging to a
G. S A, ard that in sight Of the place where
Union men have been stripped of all and
their farms laid waste. l have known
Union men to ask for a guard and be reius.
ed. while The Confedrrates property was
guarded with religious care, and the men
refused by these same scamps TO enter their
premises for cloth to dress wound, al
though three prices are paid for everything
we ee, of them.
These are some few of the iottings from
my diary. Could see you on Sunday, l
could tell you more. but let this suffice for
the present.
My health has been good generally.
have not had my boots off for ten days, snd
have slept on the ground for week.
cannot close this without a word for the
best man in the Government Gov. Morton.
God bless him, lie Is here doing all in his
power for us. Gov. Todd. Of Ohio. is here
also. l will write TO you again after the
next battle, if | am in writing order. Il
will be but few days at the most. and will
Eclipse this. The result viii tell the tale
for many Of us. Be assured their will be no
ilir ching in the 57th. j. II.