Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-05-27
From I'd Cavalry.
CAMP OF I'd o. V. CAVALRY,
Somerset. XIV, Nav 10th 1856,

CAMP OF I'd D.. V. CAVALRY,
Somerset, KY, May 10th 1863.
Messrs. Editors-Here is an army Of
thousands of Soldiers under the command
Of Gen. S. P. Carter. He has seen about
forty, or forty-five years, has some grey
hairs in his head, is very gentlemanly
in his address, and decidedly a moral
religious man. A meeting house quite
convenient to our camps, is used for Court
Martial purposes. l asked him if we
might have it on Sabbath for religious ser
vice. Certainly" he replied, Eve will
not use it for any other purpose on that
day, and will have things in order for
YOU" A citizen called on the Sabbath
to arrange some business matter with
him, and was told he must come on an
other day. He has selected n compa-
ny from our Regiment as his body-guard,
and the Captain, pike, tells me all pro-
family has been forbidden under penalty
of arrest. This we consider quite a COM
pliment.
Ere this you have learned some of the
particulars of our reconnaissance over the
Cumberland river. Soon we met the en-
envy coming towards US not expecting to
meet us, and we skirmished about fifteen
miles. Had n engagement in which
our regiment shared a part. l was told
by a citizen, that the Rebels said they
did not want to meet the I'd o. V. c.,
again. They did not know how it was
we could lie down, and fire all day with
out loading. eve are armed with Colts
revolving rifles, six shooters ; and Burn
sides carbines, breech loading.) Their
loss was not less than two hundred. A
Baptist Minister with whom l took din
ner, told me he could take an oath that
he gave water to one hundred wounded
rebels at his door, and it is believed their
loss on another road a little west of this
this one, was as great, so say the citizens,
besides this they lost in dead and prison
ers at least thirty. They retreated in
great confusion. Throwing away loaded
guns, sabers, ammunition, saddlebags &C.,
some even leaving their horses, and
mules, and running into the bushes. We
lost one man, killed, a bugler of the 9TH
o. V. C. He was with the advance, and
as they turned into Monticello, a sharp
shooter sitting on his horse at the Court
House picked him. He fell was carried
to the door of a house, asked for a drink
of water, and fell over dead. He, the
rebel, turned his steed, and riding thro'
town, his girl met him, and kissed him,
for having accomplished his promise, to
kill a Yankee before he left. But the
assassin is among the wounded, and a
prisoner, and will no doubt pay for his
iniquity. One of our men was slightly
wounded, but not disabled for duty. We
had one horse killed, none of our men
were taken prisoners. Repeatedly did
the rebel officers try to rally their men.
But they were so demoralized it was i'm
possible. We followed them to the Tenn
essee line, and they took over the noun
tains to Knoxville. So we returned to
our camps at this place. The army occu-
pied three days in recrossing the river.
1t had risen during our absence, of FIVE
or six days.
One of the saddest casualties of the war
happened to the 9th N. Jersey Regt.,
while crossing the river. There were two
boats crossing by ropes, stretched across
river, and three or four men working
the ropes standing in the boat. These
men let 60 their hold, from the upper rope.
The boat foated down to the rope below,
which was caught by some men in the
upper side of the boat, which caused it to
lip water, and turned almost over. Not
than fifty men fell in a mass into the
river, with guns, blankets, shelter tents,
orty rounds of cartridges, and various 9TH
II articles upon them. Capt. Alexander,
md thirty-two other men, sank together,
md were seen no more. About five men
till held to the rope, which with their
on it, touched the water. The
current was so swift it washed one of them
n had such a death grip that
hey had to cut off his fingers of one hand
@ get him loose, and take him into the
boat. / do not know whether he is alive
n not. A few swan to shore with all this
upon them, and five or six were
aved with the boat. This was the most
scene l ever witnessed, but very
title assistance could be given. Those
Who were saved, as soon as they were able
o speak, said. "Where is the Captain ?"
Where is the Captain? ?" His men low
d him. l asked myself, are they ready?
md my hearts desire assembled t God
or support, and comfort to their friends
t home. Their time of service would
ave expired by the 18th of June. But
hey are already dismissed from these ex-
seem MAY it please the God of
to preserve US from another
UGH an occurrance?"
Since the above, / have visited the dead
'uried under the ground, in sight of our
amp, some two, or three hundred sol
Iiers lie here with head boards bearing
descriptive inscriptions. Side by side are j
these Bonus' can get f6em ~ ~ lame
Ill lHU IAmR