Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-10-03
From the Jackson Union
Battles near MunfOrdvilIe.

From the Jackson Union.
Battles near MunfordviiIe.
Mr. EDITOR: As there are many conflicting &C
counts in reference to the battles near Muniord
vile. and the surrender of that place have been
requested by numerous friends to give the facts
they TRANSFERRED This will do as near as pos
sbe
The rebels. about 5000 strong, with seven
pieces of artillery and five mountain howitzers
commanded by Gen. Chalmers. made their ap
peirince before fortifc,tons on Stturda,
evening, September Is. and through a Colonel
Scott demanded vi our commandant, Col. Wilder.
unconditional surrender of all our forces. This
demand was promptly refused by our gallant Col
onel. The rebel Colonel then took his leave, re
marking. To-day weplrt friends; to morrow
meet enemies; they will be proSpered who
are on the Lords side "
Our commanders Immediately disposed of their
forces and awaited the issue
About o'clock on Sunday morning the rebels
commenced driving in pickets. aud at day
light the fight commenced in earnest, raging fer
about five hours: At which time the rebels sent in
lag of truce. asking permission to bury their
dead and remove their wounded This occupied
them the remainder of the day, when under cover
OF night they retreatei.
Our forces consisted OF the 9th Indiana. Col.
Emerson; e9th Indiana, Col. Murray; one com
company of regulars, like numDer of cavalry,
and II lev Home Guards, IN lking in all about
400 men, with four pieces of artillery.
Col. Durham. with 40 of the 5tlth Indiana
came to our rescue just rs the battle was closing
They were received with shouts that struck terror
into the rebel ranks.
Some of the Colones men had. an opportunity
to exchange shots with the enemy. Our loss was
eight killed and thirty wounded; seven have
since died. The rebel loss was from 073 TO
/ 500, killed and wounded. Their loss in officers
heavy. One regiment, the mississippi I'll
gers" lost every field officer. Our men fully
sustained the fair name gained by lndianians ON
previous battle fields. Every officer was at his
post, and fought with unsurpassed bravery. while
every man. with perhaps half dozen exceptions
fought with desperation. The first to yield up
his life was Corporal George T. Ramey, oil Capt
Appewhites company.
We sustained an irreparable loss in the de ,th
Of Major Abbott. A braver man never met the
foe. The enemy charged breastworks three
times, and often repulsed. Lieutenant
Mason, of the artillery, showed great skill in
handling his guns He never fired for nought.
Thus ended Sundays work.
MANY incidents of interest transpired during
the day, of which We have room To speak in
this paper. On Monday we took our dead and
laid them side by side the beautiful banks of
Green river. where thew await the voice of Him
L
TUESDAYS FIGHT.
On Tuesday the enemy again appeared, rein
! forced to about 40 900. the whole OF Bragg's ar
my. a this time we had received reinforcements.
consisting of the 9th and o4th Indiana regi
ments, and one battery. making in all about
/ 42O0 The rebels commenced firing on our
/ pickets about Q O'Clock A. NJ We sent our skr
! mshers. principally OF the 51th Indiana. who, by
! the aid of the artillery prevented the enemy from
/ planting but few batteries.
Caunonadng now commenced. which was kept
up on both sides the greater part OF the day. The
enemy generally kept out OF range of our rifles
from the notifications, but our skirmsh and ar
tillery fire had telling effect. Night closed in
and the firing ceased Our loss was seven
wounded We could not learn the exact loss of
the enemy, but it was severe.
The SURRENDER.
On Wednesday morning we found ourselves
surrounded By the enemy. they having planted
their batteries during the night They repre-
scented their force as being Large, and demanded
| of Col Wilder the surrender OF his force. Col
Wilder positively refused to surrender unless he
could see their forces and guns for himself. de
was then permitted TO 70 round their lines. and
found them in large force, with some sixty or
seventy pieces of artillery bearing upon Us, en-
flading almost every ditch and ride pit We had
but 4 300 men. and our ammunition was almost
or two hours Consequently the only alternative
left to surrender. Many of the soldiers
blamed our commander severely for this until
thev learned the facts in the case Our surrender
took place at o'clock A NJ We were then
marched out about one mile from fortihca.
tons where We were commanded TO lay down
our arms. The scene was heartrending Al
though We felt that We had fought of the
most successful battles of the war on Sunday
yet now TO have to ground our arms to the foe
when We could 80 easily have been reinforced
aud saved caused our officers and men 10 weer
bitterly. We were then m lrched some thres
miles, where officers and men were paroled.
As Col. Dunham's name has been freely used
] wish TO say that in the entire action he showed
himself to be brave man and a competent Off
Ger. The rumor that he into xicated ] dc
not believe. ! neither saw nor heard anything
Of II while there
RTIAKISG or oUR FoRrIFIcAl IONS By BUELLs
ADVANCE.
About o'clock on Sunday evening, Septem
Der Dist. General Buell's advance reached Greer
river, and attacked the rear guard OF Bragg
army. The fight lasted about two hours and re
suited in the defeat of the rebels. Our loss wa'
one killed aud three wounded The rebel los:
was nine killed including Colonel. The
number of their wounded did not learn
+ During nv STAY with the rebels was gener
ally we'll treated. but this occasion l, will
several citizens, had taken refuge in the house o
Dr.. Gardener. This house the rebels shelled
! They also threw shell into our hospital. Be
fore leaving the rebels burned the railroad ant
. pon,oon bridges over Green river
, The following il a list OF casualties of Wed
nesday's engagement:
Reuben J Ki-er. Co. b. 5Oth seriously: Cha-
: Mser, Co. A, 9th. slightly; Joseph Pritcheit
Co. q. 50ih. seriously Chss Cook. Co. |. 9th
, slightly: Lieut. c. Burton. Co G. 50th. seri
ously; VIM j. Mullen. ca. B, s9Ih. slightly
WA. H. Pearman. CO. G. 50th. seriously.
s. BowxRs.
Chaplain 67th Reg, lpd Vol