The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-08-07


GooDRICH LANDING, La,
July 23d, 1868.
DEAR CoUsIN:-A favorable opportu,
nifty having offered to send you few
lines, embrace the pleasure CT doing
so. Your kind favor of June only
reached me few days ago, and then !
found it in the 10th Louisiana regiment.
know many of you are interested in
the destiny of the 1st Arkansas Hoosiers,
the officers being mostly from your State.
thought would drop you few notes
of the fight at this place on the 29th and
Both of June last; although rather old to
us, perhaps it may be somewhat interest
ing to you. Most of the officers were on
board of the steamer Bullittt on visit
to the Paymaster, who had brought US
some green backs About 10 A. NJ, the
piekets discovered a large cavalry force
in line, advancing across an open field.
The plantation hands came running in
the greatest confusion-men, women
and children crying sesech in the widest
excitement Col Wood, who was on
sick, bed, got up with his usual prompt
ness, ordered the men in line, and with
two hundred and fifty men advanced on
double quick to meet the enemy By
this time the artillery of the enemy was
playing on the cotton gin of q Mr.. Mon
tague, about half mile from camp
Presently the whole country for miles
orano1 III
Still the little column advanced to good
position. Col Wood came in full view
of the enemy, and estimated their force
from 1000 to 1000, we'll mounted, with
four howitzers. The enemy fell back to
the woods; the coming up of the gallant
250 was exceedingly opportune, as it
saved the dwelling house of Mr.. Monta-
que. While these scenes were encircled
around Goodrich Landing, far more
thrilling scene was going on about four
miles on, an ouCposC caiIed tne mound
Place,-whArA- -tun- -enrnnanias-4were- sta--
toned in strong position, commanded
by Capt. VIM B. Wallace, Co. E, and
Capt Hugh Maxwell, Co. G, of the lst
Arkansas, and numbering $50 men.
This little garrison was surrounded by
nine regiments of infantry, Is pieces of
artillery, and 1000 cavalry. After a
desperate struggle of four hours fight.
ing and ammunition exhausted, Capt w.
was forced to come down and surrender.
Firing ceased and Capt. W. went down
and made conditional surrender-that
the men were to be treated as soldiers
and exchanged the first opportunity
Capt. W. went back up the mound and
told the men of the surrender, but the
blacks would not adhere to anything of
the kind. They said they would hold
them at the point of the bayonet until
the last one of them should be killed.
Finally, after considerable parley, they
prepared to march down, when the reos
made an attempt to ascend the mound.
The blacks brought their guns down to
charge bayonet, and told them not one
of them could enter the top of that
mound until they had their arms taken
away The rebs had to cave and 90
back. By night Col. Wood had pretty
we'll aseertained that the force of the
enemy was large, and ordered all the
ammunition, Quartermaster stores, etc. +,
inside the tort. That night the 10th
Louisiana and lst Arkansas lay on their
arms all night During the night Gen.
Elicit, with the Marine Brigade landed,
and at daylight we advanced with the
whole force to the mound place, just in
time to see few flying rebs, and learn
the sad fate of our companions in arms.
Our forces advanced twelve miles to the
Bayou Tensas, where we found the
enemy in strong position. The cavalry
advanced briskly until the artillery came
up, then Gen. Elicit spoke to them in
LANGUAGE not coon 10 bo forgUTCen. The
rear guard of the enemy destroyed the
bridge early in the morning, so that we
could not follow them. In this raid the
enemy succeeded in destroying the plan
tations completely, and carrying off at
least 1000 to 1900 negroes-plantation
hands. But what is the greatest mys-
tery of all is that, with nine regiments
of infantry, 20 pieces of artillery, and
1900 cavalry, they did not try to take
our works, as they well knew, as we
have since ascertained, that our availa-
BILE force was only about 800 men, and
not one piece of ordnance.
In regard to the fighting qualities of
blacks-I must say as one, who you and
many others know previously had but
little confidence in them-that they will
fight. and that most desperately and to
the last, and this the rebs well know by
this time. The men behaved with the
utmost bravery, enduring forced
march without rations or water, and on
the field acted like veterans. Whenever
Col Wood appeared it seemed to inspire
them with courage Not a man ainched
We cannot ascertain the loss of the
enemy, but deserters say it is heavy
| Our loss is but small. Many of the men
are missing. Surgeon Patterson, witt
Assistant Surgeon Martin, examined
the woods and cane brakes completely
yet the fate of many of our companion
in arms is unknown Both officers ant
men feel that they owe their presen
safety to the gallant conduct of Colone
Wood in advancing and thus showing
bold front.
Three deserters came in this morning
They appear to be intelligent men. The
tell us that the rebels took the two CON