The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-01-03
Army Correspondence.
GALLArIs, Tenn, Dec. 20, 1862.

'ALiAIih, lehn., Zee. ", ISO-.
To tie Free Tradsr-The storm of excite
ment caused by the surrender of the 59th
Brigade having subsided, seize upon a
few quiet moments to give the readers of
your valuable paper a brief statement of
events ,Incs that eventful day.
On the % day of December, received
the appointment Of Brigade Quartermaster,
and on Saturday the 5sh took active pos
session of that department, aad started
with my December estimates for this place
with train of wagons and aborf 60 head
Of horses and mules which we had pur
chased fer the government at Hartsy:ile
l reached this place with my train that
evening Lieut. Wm. Strawn, our Brigade
Commissary, also came through with a
train for stores for his department. We
had with Us two companies Of infantry,
consisting Of some 80 men from Captain
Collins Co, Il from Capt McKernan' 5
Co, and about l5 others detailed from
other companies of the l04th Rgt.; about
60 men from the Tooth and l0Sth Ohio
regiments. So mounted infantry, selected
from the different regiments of the bri-
gade, under Lieut.. Fit..immons, ami 90
men from the I'd ky. Cavalry, making in
all, adding teamsters, about $50 men. On
Sunday morning we commenced leading
our teams, but before we got through We
received the information that they were
Sighting at HartsvilIe, but as we we're not
ordered to desist, We kept on loading un.
til we were through. BY this time, 10
o'clock, the town was full Of rumorS about
the battle, but they all agreed that the
brigade had been gobbied up by the rebels,
but as We had received no orders to stop
the train from moving, We had our teams
hi.ched and were getting ready to start
at about Il o'clock. While at dinner,
ever, received an order from Gen. Du-
mont, to stop the train until further or
ders, and was about the same time was
officially Inform that the whole brigade
had been captured, and were then on
their way south.
About o'clock the refugees from the
field commenced coming in. Bat as most
of them were from the two Ohio regiment Is,
aad had left the field either before or
during the fight, could get no definite
information from them as TO who was kill
ed or Wounded
Anxious about the fate Of our wounded
I applied to Gen. Dumont for permission
to proceed to HarstvIlle and aid IN taking
care of the sufferers, but he reminded me
tina. had large amount of Government
property here on my hands, and it was
not improbable that the enemys success
at our outpost would be followed by an
attack en- this place, in which event it
would be necessary for me to be here and
attend to the property in my charge. Still
felt anxious to 60, and o.. Monday again
applied for permission, but was again re-
fused, the General informing me that
there were certain reasons which rendered
it absolutely necessary for me to remain.
which he could not then explain. This
of course dispelied all thoughts had of
visiting Hartsville, as | was also informed
that all the killed had been buried and
the wounded were probably cared for.
By this time quite . number of persons
had come through. Lieut. Col. Hape-
mans boy had arrived with the Lieut..
Col 8 horss and saddle; Col Moores man
had como through with hiskhorse; Lieut..
Green, of the I'd KY. Cavalry, had arrived
with nearly all of Capt Skaters men, who
had made their escape through the enc.
nys lines by a bold dash, during the con
fusion Of the surrender, Capt. S. being
taken prisoner, and some ten or dozen
officers and men Of the Ohio regiments,
(among them . surseon) had Al rived and
were sauntering arousd town, but could
End no one from the 10th, nor could
learn fioni aEy of those who were killed
or wounded, all agreed, however, that the
slaughter was severe. ...l,.-..,
Towards evening, saw . negro who
made his escape after the surrender-
From him l learned all that sent you in
INV former letters. That, Monday evening
/ was ordered to take charge of the 60
v.rrnoeat seek at GalIatia, and after sup
nlyine the different cavalry commands
| with horses, and those Srigades that were