The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-14
Our Army Correspondence.
LETTERS FROM KENTUCKY.
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN THE
SECOND REGIMENT.
CAMP CUMBERLAND, Jan, 81, 1861.

SECOND REGIMENT.
CAMP CUMBERLAND, Jan. 81, 1861.
To the Editors of the Pioneer and Democrat
sent you short account of the sweet
little fight we had with the rebels at the
Cumberland lat first called the battle of
Logan's Field and of Mill Springs). The
affair has been misrepresented about as
much as any that have ever been ac-
quainted with. The doctor of the Indiana
10th saw no deaths or blood but that of his
own regiment, whilst the Cincinnati
Commercial and New York Tribune have
slipped up in every direction, and the New
York Times congratulates himself upon his
Soferino laches having been completely
eclipsed in point of accuracy or connection.
Schoepff has been brought into the fight
when he had nothing to do with it, as his
force arrived at two, A. NJ, the morning at.
ter the fight, and came up with the Indiana
10th, 9th and 18th Ohio, 18th and 18th
Kentucky,l LIST and I'd Tennessee Regiments;
Companies B and G LIST Regiment Ohio
Artillery and Ohio 9th and End Minnesota,
whilst resting on their arms Part OF these
were engaged in the fight the Indiana
10th, 9Th Ohio, 4th Kentucky, Minnesota
End, Woollord's Kentucky Cavalry, aud
lew scattered TeDnesseeans, who came in
with the Minnesotians and fought like men.
The Cincinnati Commercial has an article
which seems to have been written fer the
purpose of putting Brigader McCook and
his two Aides. McCook is an able and
vigorous officer, but was out of his place on
most important occasion at the commence
ment OF the rebels fight and the terminus
ton OF the contest. st this time when
Colonel Van C!eve had ordered the firing
| to cease, ne could 70 where be found, and
the orders of advance and pursuit were give
en- by the General of Division, Thomas. to
our Colonel, Van Cleve personally. l do
not wish you to infer from this that | lay
any blame on Colonel UcCook, except that
of not being in his right place at an i'm
portant moment. and am of opinion that
had the pursuit been commenced at an ear.
lier period, we might have captured any
number of prisoners and probably some of
their field guns.
In former letter l spoke somewhat
slightipSly of Colonel Van Cleve, as re>
garded his want of Uina, but his cool gale
lantry at the battle changed the opinion of
the regiment on that head. l state this
from sense of duty and wish to pen no.
thing but the truth. l entered the army
as private and shall leave it as such, and
am in such position, thank heaven, that
can independently criticize the conduct of
any officer, and praise or blame him as it
seems fit, without feeling any charge of par.
TALLY OR prejudice.
10 set matters right as to who fought,
who did not, and what those who partici.
P"'0o III lho Solio"t uiu w, WISH simply
to state that the battle commenced on the
evening OF Sunday the 18th ult., ZolIicoffer
attacking the 10th Indiana and Woolford's
cavalry and gradually driving them back
to near the camp of the former. The 4th
Kentucky (some 400 participated in the
combat, and after a contest OF about
an hour and a half, the Minnesota Second
Regiment came up and were with the Ninth
Ohio ordered to attack the enemy in
support OF the Tenth Indiana, who were
out OF ammunition. Upon getting into
action, we found the Indiana Regi-
ment, with some of the Kentucky, were slow.
ly retreatiUg, but coolly and courageously
Some oil the boys supplied them with what
ANN milton they could spare, and they
went in again with US. We were Just in
time, as "a long fence of chestnut rails sepa-
rated US from the Mississippi Tigers, THE
l5th) and the 10th Tennessee and formed q
shelter IN some manner and check to q bavs
onet charge that tie enemy were just about to
make on the Indiana boys and Kentucky,
and which if it had been made would have
driven them, tagged and ont of AMMUNITION,
down upon US and created much confusion.
Instead of this the Minnesota I'd fresh FAST
ing and blue moulded for want of batin"
went in and delivered such scorching
volley from their powerful weapons that the
enemy fell in heaps and were brought to
check and finally broke and run in the way
in which you are already familiar. In the
mean time the 9th Ohio had been playing
the mischief with the enemy on our right,
stopped their attempt to outhank and sent
them headlong with fixed bayonets. From
this time the whole was race by the enc
my to his camp, followed as fast as we could
get up; that evening we lay on our arms
after having thrown few shot and shell
into the Entertainments. At two A. NJ,