The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-04-14
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
JOURNAL CORRESPONDENCE.

the Journrl, as it makes its weekly Wis
its to our camp, is greeted withjoy by the
First Indiana, who hailing (as most of
them do) from the First District, are al
WAYS sure to find something about home
and home matters, of Interest to them,
and then the patriotic and decided stand
taken by it on the National topics OF in
terest. endears it to the heart of every
true soldier Go on in your course.
Ninety-nine out of every hundred of the
saldiers, will sustain you, and recognize
you as a friend and advocate not
only of themselves, but of the country
and flag which they have left all to de-
fend and protect.
Considerable has been said and writ
ten about the First Indiana, going home
to recruit and procure new horses. The
facts of the case, are about this: The
regiment, as you know, furnish their
own horses; they have now been in the
service twenty months, and our horses
are about worn out There is no chance
to get fresh horses here. The last scout
the boys were on, they lost thirty-eight
horses. Chasing these guerrilla bands,
is hard work on horse flesh. We have
to give big prices for horses already worn
out, if we attempt to replace them here.
If the regiment was sent on the border
somewhere, and then furloughed for ten
days, half the regiment at time, they
would all provide themselves with new
horses, and in months time, would be
ready to perform efficient service, which
thay cannot do now, for the reason stat
ed One reason of the bad condition of
the horses has been lack of food through
the winter. Oats have been plenty,
$though often musty. Hay. we have had
almost none; if we could have been furn-
ished with even half rations of hay, our
horses would now be in much better
plight. But | am afraid it will be all
talk and no action, as far as going home
| to re-furnish our selves with new animals
is concerned. The regiment is certain
ly in no condition to act or fight as cav
airy, as at present mounted.
Capts. Owen and Pace have taken
| the bars off their shoulders and replaced
them with the leaf They wear their
new honors becomingly, like brave and
gallant officers, as they both are. Major
owen is our drill master, and takes a
pride in having his mep well drilled and
disciplined. He, as we'll as Major Pace,
are liked universally by the res iment,
officers and men; and predict for them
a brilliant future They both are anA-
ious the regiment should be allowed the
opportunity to procure fresh horses, sat
isfed that their efficiency would be in
creased tenfold.
Col. Wood has been sick for some
time The hard service he has seen has
told fearfully upon his health, which is
so bad now as to debar him almost en-.
tirely from camp or field duty.
For some weeks there has been held
at the fort every Sunday evening what
we call Union meetings. Generals, colo
nels, captains, chaplains, and all Partici
pate. Some of the best speeches | ever
heard in my life l hear at these meet
ings. But the meeting of all meetings
was held to-day, to welcome Adjutant
General Thomas, and to hear what h'
had to say concerning the new polic!
about to be inaugurated, and, as we were
told, vigorously prosecuted. | arrived
at the fort early and watched as regi
ment after regiment passed inside. Sew
eral times | thought it full, but still the.
crowded in, until at last every nook ant
corner was full, not sitting down, bu
standing up so thick that it was impossi
BILE to sit. There in the hot sun the.
stood for four mortal hours, not tired
not weary, but filled with enthusiasm, a
I they listened TO the burning words G
. eloquence as they fell from the lips c
! good and true men.
First, Majo General Prentiss got u
and introduced AdjutantGeneral The
mas The venerable old man was gree
| ed with perfect storm Of applause. ID