The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-01-19
FURTHER FIR OH THE HAIR
PETIT SHOALS 4FFAIR.
Illustrations of Davis Civilization.
Stealing from Sick and Wounded
Soldiers.
COWARDICE AND TREACHERY OF
LIEUT.. VAN DORM. - -

sllSutll WOuHuSu III biO pf'''iN VI ~
freesboro, in the arm and side, and who
was subsequently captured and paroled
by Col. Wheeler's command at Harpeth
Shoals, being then en- route to this city.
From him we learn minute particulars
of the capture and destruction of the
three transports and the gunboats. LIT.
Steele states that he was passenger on
the Hastings. The Trio was about two
miles ahead of the Hastings as they came
down, and when the Hastings came in
sight of the point of attack, the Trio had
already landed, and her wounded had
been taken ashore.
As the Hastings was floating down,
she was hailed and ordered to land, and
at once commenced rounding to, and
while in this act she was fred into by
the rebels, the cannon ball going COM
pletely through her, wounding some of
the already wounded en- board. Musket
and rifle balls were also fred, from which
some of the wounded were ininrAd- Ih'~
was done in-cruelL Nyantonnose by the
rebels while the boat was in the act of
rounding to and landing, her hospital flag
flying plainly in sight. Upon landing,
the purpose to burn the boat was freely
made known.
Among the passengers on the Hast
ings was Mr.. Gaddis, the correspondent
of the Cincinnati Commercial, who found
an old acquaintance in the person of Adj
jutant Buford, of Wheeler's Brigade, the
rebels engaged in this barbarous outrage
being under the immediate command of
Col Wade. After much pleading with
the Adjutant, and representing the
cruelty to and certain destruction of the
wounded, Mr.. Gaddis prevailed on the
rebels to agree that the Hastings should
be let off with the wounded on condition
that size shall never again be used in the
service of the Government, and that the
cotton on board should be pitched into
the river when she arrived at Louisville
BY this time the Parthenia hove in
sight, and in turn was rounded to, made
land, and was thoroughly Quilted. The
rebels, being many of them drunk, acted
like demons, shouting and reveling like
Bacchanalians, destroying goods and
furniture, robbing the sick and wounded
of their money, clothing, blankets, &c.
While this scene was being enacted,
and before either of the boats had been
set on fire, the gunboat Siddall hove in
sight No sooner had she made her APP
pearance than the rebels took to their
heels in the widest confusion and alarm,
few artillery men only remaining at
their guns, the others takinn rnf''~--- l.
IITuu tue IIIlIs.
The Siddall came on down, the men
captured on the boats expecting every
moment to see her open wi tn her guns on
the terrified rebels. But they were
doomed to shameful and bitter disap-
pointment As the Siddall came nearly
opposite the rebel battery it opened on
her, firing three shots, when Lieutenant
Van Dorm struck his flag and surrender
ed without firing a shot, the man who
obeyed the pusillanimous and cowardly
order of her traitorous commander being
wounded in the leg while lowering the
flag.
The gunboat was dismounted, her guns
and ammunition being thrown overheard
and then she, with the Trio and Parthe-
MIA, were set fire to and burned
Lieutenant Steele fully confirms the
report of the shooting of the negroes on
the boats in cold blood
There is no doubt in the minds Of any
with whom we have conversed, who wit
messed the affair, that the rebels could
have been driven away and the boats all
saved had the officer commanding the
gunboat possessed loyal and courageous
spirit 1t is some consolation to know
that he is in the hands of the rebels, and
may chance to be hung by them. If his
conduct was as is represented, and we
have every reason to believe it true, it
will certainly be the duty of our Govern
ment to hang or shoot him when ex-
changed, if he should ever be exchanged.