Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-02-06


nent or pos; Of duty single hour since he
entered the field and having among Cur read
ers many frierds and acquainlanccs who will
be interested in hearing from him-we take
the liberty Of making the following extracts
CHIcKAsAw BLuFFs, Miss,
January lS,h, 1868.
We landed a few miles above Vicksba-g
Christmas evening. Friday afternoon skir
mishcrs were thrown out, and several regi-
menls sent TO feel the enemy. They soon
found him. aud lively fire was kept un for
some time, The gunboats in the meantime
throwing shell, &c. Bul soon all was q liet
again, and we slept on lhe boat. Saturday
morning our Division advanced mile and a
hall, which took us all day. Towards evening
the advance had quite sharp fight with the
enemy, havng two to foHr killed and nine
wounded. We Sept On cur arms, and early
Sunday morning We marched down to where
the other regiments were. We had hardly
arrived when the enemy fired upon the p;ckets
to our left. We were soon in line, and the
firing for 81 veral hours was terrific in the cx-
irene. The right Of the line and the artillery
suffered severely. About noon the firing slack
ened little Our line and artillery moved
forward a short distance, aud then one gun was
moved over the levee. Our Division was lying
behind it in reserve. One Of our men was shot
through The head and ki.iei whi1c asleep We
then moved behind the leyee for better protec-
lion. AT this lime The rebels attempted 10
I. 4 H.. Il
upon it. Gen. Morgan ordered several rtgi-
ments to charge Oh tbrm, our regiment iucud-
ed. We drove then at This time abaut half Il
mile. Thoy opened their artillery end infantry
npon Us, aHd the ihuideF OI battle on both
sides WAS truly frigAlfu!-tle men began to
TALL very fasi- on, bail brought eight men OF
the 5lfh Indiana 10 tie ground. AID three OF
them lay dead IN heap, one having bis bead
knocked off lie dead lay around pretty thick.
L was a delightful Sabbath mo.niug when we
started out - meet the enemy | expected
uotbng goo 10 come o' it. l d. pot b.Iieve
in Sabbath & ;h ing, and fell il was wrong all
the time / was engaged in it. The bullets
came thcI: and fasl, and though | saw many
of MY companions aud friends fall around me
through tie mercy Of God was spared. The
G4htirg ceased only with the d.kaess Of tie
night J slept bat litt,c, and The battle op"iied
early Monday morning, mostly with artillery.
4 bont noon it was rumOrcd HAT uUr Brigade
was Q Charge The rebel works. The men acre
il ranks, Y;th oT lis acbcd, awaiting orders.
Soon word came to 'la.l ill.," which VIC all did
cheer fully Gen. Muf9an rode up aid said
+" My boys. | went you to take thai hill l
know you can do it. put great CONFIDENCE
in you. want you 10 JUMP Ike rabbits over
thoao tIces and brush, and Yen viii win inn.
mortal glory for You selves. BY - we will
take IT," We started across fellud timber and
through water AID mud, about a mile, under
most CALLING fire Of shot ana shell from six
rebel batteries Our meu fell by dGatss. But
Oh VIC went. pressed Oh I'LL got 10 their
second bre1st-works. How goI there d1u't
know, for many a brave man il.l long before
Ills | screened myself as well Us | could be-
hiud one Of their rife pits, but They were not
made to shield Us, and afforded but littc pro-
lection. Right beside me, 10 my left, lay
young man with his brains blown ont. To
my right W one with his arm broke, and an
other with bis fingers shot olf-and Mr.. kizer
dropped down right behind ine with his arm
shut Fl. Poor mani ! can see him running
YET carrying his arm along with Lin. We
soon found IL was no use, and our met began
10 retreat | hardly knew whether 10 risk an
attempt 10 get back or not. | looked around
and could sec Leithpr Of tie wounded men |
had seen few minutes hciore. started back,
and. thank the Lord. did not get scratch.
| believe your prayers helped me. tell you
nfy 4 f,,
But thcre was little opportunity TO thiuB OF
anything, for the battle was awfully terrific at
;his time. With men falling all around, some
Wi.hout arms and otLrrs Shot through with
cannon ball, some with hands Or legs #, thiaI
you there could then be much time for lcaec-
tiou? About this time Col. Chershuer, OF cur
regiment, was >hot. Capt. Mcclure, Cunning
ham, Nandume, Miles, Ham, are all gone |
Tic rebels waited til we got pretty well up |
before they opened AL their six batteries To |
hear the sAriolls and groans Of tie wounded /
was awful. 1t rained hard all night-they |
we're in it, and remained out all next day. |
Tuesday night il was very cold ard there was |
a hard Gost. l stood picket close TO the
lear them talk aud chop, and
their baUd play the Star Spanglrd Banner Our
~0nlupu NOGC YET 0ut III me Ctlu ana tifkntSS,
moaning aud calling for water. On Monday /
evening he rebels ired on atg of truce three
times, ana tw,ce on Tuesday morning. Wed
nesday morning | saw. with huudr, ds Of others
the rebels running from one dead man to an.
other picking Il dir pockets and stripping them
Of their clothing. Our men fired whenever
they got chance. About noon on Wednes-
day cur men got in with flag of truce, aud /
had four hours to get off the Gead and wound
ed Only two or three Of the wounded were
yet living. 0nly think of il, forty-cigh hours
in The weather Without food, drink, or attcn-
tion Of any kind The wretchcs stripped ev-
cry dead man Of his boots or shoes aud cloth
ing | did not feel near so bad while in battle
ls / did at night. Many of our brave men
arc gone to return no more. Half of our reg
ment is missing. What fearful thing is war
what sad havoc it makas-it is hearirendng TO
sec how men are killed ard mangled up. | saw
IN Wednesday, afternoon about one hundred
lead men in u row laid side by side. 1t was
earlu sight indeed TO look upou-and nearly
III OF them were stripped naked by the worse
han heathon with whom we are contending
)n Thursday night we returned to our boats
lgain, and are to-day Sabbath, 4th January
1861 lying at anchor on the Mississippi river