The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1862-04-03
CAEP NEAR RuDDLE's Poi.T, Mo-,
March 23d, 1852.

DEAR JACK: We
left Calhoon the 18th of February
and went to Owensboro, where we
got on board steamers, and ran up
aud down the Ohio river, from
Evansville to Smithland and Cairo,
three times. We finally ran up
the Mississippi to Commerce., where
we landed and marched across to
Benton, Scott County. W. re-
manned there a week, and then
started for New Madrid, where we
arrived March 4th, after three and
a half days marching through
swamps. 4 y The rebels
were strongly fortified at New
Madrid, Island No. 10, and Column
bus. Com. Foote was on the Mis-
sissippi with his gun boats, expect
ing to clean out Columbus and Nc.
10, and Gen. Pope brought his
division down for the purpose Of
getting possession OF Madrid, SO
that he might be ready to receive
the rebels as they came down the
river.
After one weeks cannonading,
we got up one morning and found
the town empty, with the excep-
ton of one or two sick, and the
picket guardG of the enemy, who
were unaware of the move OF their
friends until morning. They left
every thing - provisions, tents,
clothing, and everything just as it
stood.
In a day or two Gen. Palmcr's
subdivision of the army started for
Point Pleasant. The enemy had
evacuated Columbus, and Com.
Foote had been laundering at Is
land No. 10 for several days. We
were moved from Point Pleasant
to Riddles Point, for the purpose
of preventing the rebels from cut
ting across the point, from the
Island to Tiptonville-we have no
artillery hal will reach across the
river. The night after we got
here our men succeeded in planting
one gun, IA 24-pounderl, and dug
rifle pits el.ough for 25O men. In
the morning our men discovered
five gun boats and a Revenue
cutter lying at the little town of
Tiptonville. The boats also dis
covered the gun, and three Of
them came up in direct range and
opened fire upon our one gun
The gun was well protected, being
in a large pit, and soon caused the
three boats to back down the river.
They soon came again, however,
accompanied by the other two
boats and the cutter. For two
long hours these six vessels poured
their shot and shell as thick as
hail around that one cannon. The
brave boys that stood beside our
gun gave them all they could
;hey were frequently compelled to
lay down in the pits for twenty
minutes at a time, but whenever
the gun boats stopped for an in.
slant they were up and blazed
away. They fired their gun 156
times during the fight. Three Of
the boats. retreated in a crippled
condition ; one other boat and the
cutter soon followed, and the re.
naming boat made q desperate
attempt to run ashore. A mar
stood at the bow with a cable il
his hand, ready to jump ashore
Then it was that our boys arose
from their pits /; two hundred rife
shots rang along the shore, ant
e ery rebel in sight fell a corps'
), upon the deck. That boat soor
left, and they have kept a respect
full distance ever since. 80 per
fectly were our men concealed b.
their pits, that not a single maj
was killed. Theonly inconveniec'
they experienced was from the dir
thrc wn upon them. The house
and trees suffered immensely TO
100 bnlF mia honk X ;