The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-04-24

their army biscuit and salt junk. 9th
ers had only just turned out, and were
putting on their pants. In the officers
tent the ham was broiling and fresh
eggs frying, or fat chickens fricaseeing.
Their coffee was hot and some of them
were discussing the probabilities of
making an attack upon the enemy the
coming week. Not one of them, SO far
as it appears, dreamed that it was pos.
sible for him to change his policy and
come out of his entrenchments to
meet US.
They seemed to have forgotten, or
disbelieved that Beauregard was before
them,--the spirit that above all others
IN the rebel army who was pledged to
an aggressive policy of war. They
seem to have expected that after hav.
ing lain for weeks within easy march
of the enemy, he would let them lie
there till reinforced so strongly that we
had but to open our jaws and gulp him
down at our pleasure.
This charmed sense of security may
not have extended to all the divisions,
and, indeed my informants may be at
fault. / only speak of things as they
are represented to me by many witness
es-men who speak with Difference to
their officers-and are reluctant, evi-
IDENTITY to tell the whole truth, lest it
should seem discreditable to soldier.
But am not arraigning men, only
glancing at peculiar state of things
previous to the fatal Sabbath, the
events of which sent death pangs to so
many hearts in our land, and death
struggles to many stout frames.
A Lieut.. in the - Ohio regiment
went out early that morning for walk
IN the woods, returning hastily, he told
the Colonel of his regiment, that the
rebels were planting battery almost
in sight of their camp. The Colonel
innocent of harm or danger, and &C.
customed to take his coffee before he
went out to his days work at home, re.
piled, "I'll see to that after ] get my
breakfast
The rebels must be accused for some
thing unfair in their mode of warfare,
for they sent bullets through the Colo
nel's tent sometime before he had
finished his breakfast. g
A little while after this the Colonel
and all his regiment came rushing pei
nell through the encampment of the
1lth Iowa. They had let the rebels
take Dresser's battery and concluded
they had better get out Of the way, OIL
probably were going down the river to
have their breakfast fixed up in order.
The following conversation is related
by one who says he was present and
heard it. 1t toccurred between the Mis-
souri, Colonel before alluded to anG
Gen. Prentiss the head of that division
The General rode up to him some
hours afterth engagement commenced
and said" Did you send out bod,
of several hundred men this morning
to provoke this attack %
" sent out small force to dispers,
what was represented to be strong re
connoitering party of the enemy abou
daybreak, very near our camp, after in
forming you of the nature of the case.
"You have brought this engagement
before we were prepared for it, and
shall hold you responsible for it.
Whom shall we pity most-the Gen
eral who was not prepared and is nov
a prisoner-or the Colonel who becam,
vigilant and has gone hurridly to tn,
bar of Eternal Justice!
There are good many things abou
which non-military men may refrail
from entering into judgment. l shal
not say that policy may not have beel
discovered by which it was best for ou
army to keep quiet and refrain from
posting pickets out for miles, as use,
10 be the practice of great generals
and as is supposed by common pcopl
to be the usual practice of all good gen
erals. Only this. 1t did not work we
this time. a2ea .
i One of the rebel prisoners says tha
they were in strong force SO near ou
encampment on Saturday evening tina
our tattoo for the roll call at sunset wa
distinctly heard by them, and CAV
them degree of confidence of bein,
. able to surprise and cut off our force
before we could receive reinforcement
as nothing else could. They fairl
chuckled over it at their suppers.
SABBATH EVENING.
There has been no Sabbath here tc
day. The wounded were to be care
for. The names of those who had su
fered to be gathered and sent to thei
! friends. Relief extended to those VIII
! were moneyless and must 60 home
Information given of all particulars il
teresting or useful to anxious friends
Men are working here to-day VIII
), never worked before in all their live
on this day of the week. Who ha
not thought Of the havoc of battle n
church time to-day. And how coul
one think or write, or talk, or read Q
anything else? THURSTON.
- | T. L.