The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-03-20

YouNG's PoISr. La, Mar. 9Th,


EDS PALLADIuM:-Any thing in the
shape OF news Is very scarce. assure you,
and what We do hear We are afraid to be-
lieve, for fear the next bulletin will make il
out such An awful ish story, that We are
ashnmed to have ever thought OF telling it
for the truth. In consequence thereof, i,
has become a crime of the most G. imiual
character. and punishable to said offender,
for such act. with 1.-THE drinks all round" for
telling anything fearful or desperate.
The river still continues to rise with
frightful rapidly the water has broken
through the embar kments at the canal, and
is pouring through with a rapid current
whether sufficient for passing any Of our
boats down or not | am not informed. as it
Just broke through last night. Concerning
the fate of the gunboat Indiahola. which run
the blockade some nights ago. there is a
hundred and one rumors. The latest and
most reliable is that the engineer of the In
dianola has Just returned, aud reports to
Gen Grant that about leo miles below this
the boat was attacked by The rebel gunboat
Webb. two transports. and ram Queen of
the West, which the rebels now have in
their possession. She engaged them for
about three hours, making a running fight.
The Indianola is a very slow boat. and has
but two guns. From the engineers state
ments, it was q very amusing engagement.
While the gunboat Webb KEEP. our boat
busy, the ram and transports kept constant
ly bntting her in the rear. till they worried
her out. Ike lndisnoia sunk the transports,
but was forced to surrender; but before do
ing so, the crew scuttled her and run up the
white flag just in time for the crew to get
off on the ram, when our boat went down.
The engineer and another man escaped by
swimming to the shore. He also reports
that not more than FIVE minutes after the
Indiauola sunk, the rebel gunboat went 10
the bottom, SO badly had size been used by
our boat. He reports further that the Indi-
anola sunk in 80 feet water, and thinks she
can be easily raised when the river falls,
and that the rebels have not the means Of
raising her. 1t is claimed by our men at
headquarters as decided victory, and with
al big thing. al can't see it,
The Goth were forced TO move their camp
a few days ago, on account of high water.
The peculiar nature of the soil permits the
water from the river to rise through the
ground. to the same heighth as that in the
river, the levee notwithstanding. But be-
fore the 6a;h has moved their camp. let US
take peep at them and see what the boys
are doing. They are in line as if for dress
parade; ''but bark /" they are cheering
with will that denotes something new.
The Col. is making them a speech. They
are giving three times three hearty cheers
for the ladies of Richmond, while their caps
are flying in the air as though a whirlwind
crying while others are laughing-they have
all their hardships and privations.
and such glorious good jubilee has not
been known to them for many months and
he who knows not the thrill of exstacy
some little token of remembrance can bring
to his heart after months OF absence, amid
hardships and privations incidental to cam
is ignorant of one of the purest
sources of happiness of our nature. But
amidst all our joys there must be intermin-
gled tears of sorrow. There was many lit |
tie delicacies, with names upon them traced
in the delicate hand OF a mother or sister,
and alas. there was none to answer to those
names. wondered within myself whether
beside the hearth and board there might not |
sit some whose thought were wandering far
away, calling up some trait Of him who was |
the idol of his home, whose closing lids |
some fond mother has watched, above whose !
peaceful slumbers her prayers have fallen, |
but whose narrow bed was now beneath the |
cliffs of the Chickasaw, or beside |
the rolling waters of the Mississippi, and his |
sleep the sleep that knows no waking.
In thanking the ladies for all their good /
things, speak but the voice of the entire
regiment, and in doing SO we feel sensibly /
he ineficiency to call up words or language
10 express our heartfelt thanks to them. It
,an but nerve each arm to more noble
leeds, and while we feel that We are sustain !
I'd by the fair hands of the dear ones at
home. the gallant Goth will never turn its
back in dishonor to al enemy, SO long as
here floats a rebel flag. And let each fair
1onor feel that in return there ascends from
zach soldier prayer to the throne Of eternal
Tod
We assisted Perry. our gallant Adjutant,
q distributing the many nice things, con-
aimed 10 those two boxes, directed to his
are. and "was tired clean out" on not find
ng any thing marked expressly for Quilp.
We did not know We we're entirely forgotten,
but alas, such are the misfortunes of war.
Nevertheless, We seized and possessed our
selves OF can Of peaches, donated by Jen-
1ie-naay her shadoac neuer groU less and
when all was satisfactorily dealt out to the
boys, we stole silently to the silent precints
# the Adjutanrs tent. and there discussed
he good qualities of the fruit. intermingled
With many kind reflections of the loved
ines at home, and is would not have been
wholesome for anybody to have said Just
hen that they didn't love the women, or
We would have been very unkind to them.
The mortality # the regiment ir slowly
Twenty-Five sick and discharg
d soldiers. from the 69th. start for home
o-day. There are others who should be /
discharged, and not kept here to die. just
because there is power to do so. However
his may be. our gallant Colonel is not to
blame. He is ever watchful for the interests
It his men. lis no wonder the 69th stands
s one of if not the best regiment now in
his army, noted for its good discipline, !.
cleanliness of person and camp, aud gene
al good behavior, while under the charge
# such officers as Col Bennett. Perry, Fin
ey, and Chaplain Hobbs The !" Parson "
oes more work than any thirteen Chap.
-. L.