The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-02-01

OmcIaI Report of the Part Taken in
the Engagement by the Indiana
10th, with a Complete List of the
Killed and Wounded.
CAMp OFeog1rE NILL spR1Nas. !

Wayne Co, Ky, Jan. %, 1862.
Col. 81. d. Manson, Com. I'd Brigade, Isl
Division, Department Ohio.
SIR have the honor to report to you
the part taken by the 10th Indiana regi-
ment ofvolunteers under my command, in
the battle fought on the 10Th inst, at Lo-
CAMS Farm, Pulaski county, KY.
On the evening of the 18th inst, ia ac-
cordance with your order, 1 sent out as
pickets, companies K and I, Capts Shorter
and Perkins, and had them posted on the
road leading to the Notifications of the enc
my on Cumberland river, distance about
twelve miles Msj. A o. Miller, who post
ed the pickets stationed company one mile
from our camp, and company K, three hun
dred yards beyond The latter company
received instructions to fall back to Captain
Perkins, if attacked.
At about half-past o'clock, on the morn
ing of the 10th inst, a courier came 10 our
quarters with information that the enemy
was advancing upon our camp, and almost
Immediately afterwards the firing of our
pickets was heard The long roll quickly
brought the 10th regiment into ranks, and
| gave orders to Maj Miller to go forward
with company A, Capt. Hamilton, to the
support of the picket compa MES, which or
der was promptly executed | soon pro-
ceeded, by you, ~ Ter, with the remaining
seven comI-.,.i at my regiment, down the
road in tie direction OF the picket firing.
When j got within seventy-ive yards of
these companies, there holly engaged, /
formed the regiment in line of battle and
rapidly disposed it for fighting. Five COM
panies extended through the woods on the
right of the road and the remaining COM
EAarlina tha lAft regiment nf -rAhala
were advancing in line of battle, and their
reasonable colors were seen Haunting in the
breeze. Having selected as good a position
as practicable, | took q stand and ordered
the regiment to fire, which order was in
stantly obeyed. The firing continued with
out cessation for more than an hour, during
which time we engaged three ofthe enemy's
regiments, and held them at bay. The bat
tie was at its hottest, and our ranks were
gradually becoming thinned and. mutilated
when ] perceived a regiment of rebel caval-
ry attempting TO flank on the right and
an infantry regiment on the left. / command
ed Capt. Gregory's Company to take posi-
ton to meet the cavalry on the right, which
it did, and opened a CALLING fire upon them !;
but they were fast closing in upon us, and
saw myself completely outfanked on the
right, and that re-enforcements must soon
come to my relief or | would be compelled
to fall back. | was eventually forced to
order my right wing to retire, when just as
my order was being executed, the 4th Ken
lucky Regiment, commanded by Col Fry,
came up and took position on the left of my
LETT wing, and opened deadly ERE on the
enemy. | now rallied the right wing, the
men, with the exception of those who had
been detailed to carry off the dead and
wounded, quietly taking their places in the
line. just at this time, a heavy force APP
peared to be advancing on the extreme left
of the 4th Kentucky Regiment aad a per-
ton Of Col. McCook's brigade, which had
arrived, engaging the enemy on my right, l
was ordered by Gen. Thomas, to the ex-
treme left of the Fourth Kentucky Regi-
ment. ] moved the regiment through the
brush and over logs to the place designated,
and coming to a fence parallel with my
line, we holly engaged the enemy, and
after hard struggle of half an hours du-
ration, drove him before ms and put him to
flight with great loss. A part of my left
wing still engaged on the right of the 4th
Kentucky, against great Odds being strong
ly opposed, | was again ordered by General
Thomas to their support. I forthwith
obeyed this command, and in doing so
brought my right wing upon the identical
ground it had been forced to abandon dur
ing the earlier part of the engagement.
then moved forward the whole right wing
and two companies OF the left and soon got
into fierce contest with the enemy in
front The whole regiment from right 10
left was now warmly engaged, and slowly
but surely driving the enemy before them
when | ordered a 'tcharge bayonets ~ which
was promptly executed along the whole
liue. We soon drove the enemy from his
place of concealmeut in the woods into an
open field, two hundred yards from where
ordered the charge w hen we arrived al
the fence in our front, many Of the enemy
were found lingering in the corners. and
were bayoneted by my men between the
rails. | pressed onward, and soon beheld
with satisfaction, that the enemy were
moving in retreat across the field but
| suddenly saw them halt in the
southeast corner of the field, On a piece of
high ground, where they received considera-
Bile re-enforcements and made a last and
desperate effort TO reDuse our troops. In
the meantime the gallant Col McCook, with
his invincible 9th Ohio regiment, came in
to our support, and for twenty or thirty
minutes terrific struggle ensued between
the opposing forces. j never in all my
military career saw a harder tight. Finally
| the enemy began 10 waver and give back
before the shower OF lead aud glittering
steel brought TO bear on his shattered
ranks, and he commenced pFecipitate re-
treat under storm Of bullets from our rad
vancing forces until his retreat became a
perfect ront. ordered enough men TO be
left to attend to cur dead and wounded, and
receiving a ne@ supply of cartridges, (the
most OF our boxes being entirely empty
the men re- filled their boxes, and according
to your Order put the regiment in motion