The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1862-04-02
lco'respondence Of tho Jasper Courier. ]
Letter from Dubois Volunteer.
SroAR CRrrx YALLrY, BEsrox CO..,
AK. M arch Ia. 1870.

/ SrcAR CRrrx VALLEY, BEsrox TO-,
AK. March IA, 1853.
Ma. EDroRt Amer : long sllenc'
= lsit down to give ycu . short sketc
OF our travels. fights. hair breadt
2. escapes, andsuch pastime incidents I
ia soldiers life. We left Ottervill
:; Jan. "a, for, we knew not where, bu
! elated with the hope that we wer
,fgoing East; but after two days marcel,
fling, through snow, we were extremcl,
mortified to find orr march Law to
!, ..ward Springfield. (of all pisces il
! Missouri, the most detested by the
] Western army but there was nc
help for i. So we moved along thr'o
mud and snow, over the toughest
country on Gods green earth. We
crossed the Usage river, Feb. 5th, ar.
rived at Lebanon, Mo-, the 9TH, where
We Joined Gems. Curtis and Seigle.-
We moved on towards Springfield.
On the 10th, we drove in the enemy's
lpickets. On the 18th, camped in 81
miles Of the city. The next morn
ing we marched into Springfield fully
expecting a fight, when 10! and behold.I
we found that they had "pullcd stakes''
and left; leaving all their sick and all
that they could not carry with them. |,
The next day we followed in pursuit.
Of them, and kept it up for six DAYS:
our advance fighting with their rear
every day. During the pursuit wei
had nothing 70 cat only parched corn,
and not enough Of that. We marched
lay and night. AS Colonel Crockett
would say, such marching might suit
poor folks, but did not suit us."AI,
We gave up the pursuit and went in
Q camp on Sugar creek, Benton Co.,
Ark. We stald around that neigh Il
'orhood till the 9th inst, having
'othing to eat only what we clay n
'awked." On the night Of the 5,h ;
t March, General Curtis fell back a
rom bis position at Cross Hollow.
nding that the rebels werc advanc- n
ng towards us. On the 9th, Ger. :,
eigle wasdriven back to our position J,
. Sugar creek. That night the com.
ined force Of rebels got 10 our rear. m
he next day the fight commenced. "
I'D continued Tor two days, with
reat lesson both aides. The s.bloodyl
Sth' acted . very conspicuous part "
J the grand drama, taking battery Be
2 the 9TH, and driving the rebels from 30
mother on the 9Th, and running them
miles at the point Of the bayonet.-'''n'
e we're highly complimented on the|,h,
title field by Gen. Davis. The re.
'ls fed in every direction, leaving CHI
cir dead and wounded on the field
"a Dubois county boys came out ou'
fright, not one Of them hurt. Lieut. Ell;
2yles Of Huntingburg, had 4 hole dou
OF through his clothes. Our com. We,
ny had 3 killed and 8 wounded syI,
'e names Of those killed, were Ser s
ant hurry. Corporal Wilson and lf.;l,
Gorge s. McMahan. The enemy !. !,
q about 5000 Indians, but thew al
re mo co. as it was all in the :. \,
'ods, and the "Hoosiersr were found -.
De as good ct ''bushwhackingr AL -. -,
? Indians. In battle everything ~ =
ds its level. Isaw ono General q
jsa.ptain and Private, al behind one '', q
ding six inches through. The most !. =
nPlaint among the boys was that q. q,
Y could not get deep enough 10 the enc
'und: ! will cay here, | believe a
: Col. Washburn, COMMANDING the man
q, saved the day. On the 7th Q,
% we were entirely surrounded 800
22d Indiana had gave way, and W
rebels were 10 possession Of orr : nmn
cry and were Smelling us, We were y y
70 contend with five times orr BsnI
9, ne stood perfectly regardless Of shes'