Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-09-28

. portion OF which was distant half dozen
miles. But the citizen wanted to get
back, the Engineer said he ought to be
back, and my own duties in that direc-
ton were absolutely imperative. So off
we started
AT the very first note of danger our
citizen friend turned back toward Chat
tanooga. | did not blame him much.
He had been giving us information dam.
aging to the enemy, and in all probabil-
lty his proximity to the rebels caused
lively images of scaffold and halter to
dance through his brain.
My engineering friend continued with
me although he became exceedingly, and
at last provokingly anxious to avoid the
main road and take off upon any bride
path or by-path which turned westward.
A few miles riding brought US so far
enough on the way that we began to get
glimpses of that strea II of wreck, debris
mingled life and mangled humanity
/ which always Aa.vs fror, ha.tle Gold.-
For a time we asked the news of each
one we came to, and the replies filed us
alternately with sorrow, with indignation,
with keen apprehension and with hopes
One said the battle had been going on
several hours, and our arms had met
with disaster along the whole line
Another declared that although un-
successful at first, our troops at length
recovered their ground, and were now
driving the enemy
Here comes single soldier, covered
with dust and sweat Let us question
him.
"Where do you belong?' ITO the
Regular brigade. - HAS it been engag-
ed this morningY' II should think It
had" "With what result?" at was
nearly all cut to pieces. (Which regi-
ment is yours?' "The 10th United
States Infantry" 'Did it suffer muchY'
Only thirty or forty of its members are
left
Here is man with an arm roughly
bandaged and very bloody. The blood
has dried upon it and hangs to it in
great black clots ''Who are youY'
Private - of the 38th Indiana
"What news have youT' bad news
enough Has your regiment been in
the hghtY' IF it has not no one has"
with what result?' "One-third of it's
numbers are killed and wounded"
"Wele yen wlipps sd?' "Our brigade.was
left unsupported, overpowered by mum
bers and compelled for a time to give
way. Is Colonel Scribner safe ~ $50
far as know, he is
Another with ghastly wound in the
head has upon his jacket the red stripes
which show him to be an artilleryman.
"Whose battery do you belong top
"Gunaher's" "Why that is The regular
battery belonging to General Kings
brigade; what has it been doing?" at
has all been taken by the enemy"
''Can it be possible?" 1T is, but / have
heard since that it was retaken." GLOW
came it to be lost p "The infantry sup
ports gave way. and the horses being
nearly all killed of course the guns were
ca ptured
The stream grew stronger and strong
lances, filled with wounded, came IN
long procession from toward where the
battle was raging. Men with wounds OF
every imaginable description not affect
/ ING their locomotion, came staggering by
on foot, and scores even of those who
/ had been shot in their lower limbs, hob
bled slowly on through binding masses
]
thing from view
At length we reached the hospital for
Gen. Brannan's division Toe house had
already been filled The outhouses had
been brought into requisition, and large
numbers of sufferers were lying on the
ground in the yard In one corner was
an operating table, beneath which lay
the Isnal quantity of legs, arms, hands,
feet. fingers and toes. Here and there
, among the wounded were some cold and
, stiff, the seal of death upon their coun-
+ tenanccs. These had died after being
;arried to the yard.
During all this time the roar OF battle
v in front of US never ceased for a mo-
e ment, and now we began to get authentic
: intelligence of the progress and lnci
e dents of the fight
a The flame of battle had first broker
Q out upon the extreme left, where Gen
j Rrannan's division was posted. Iht
1T troops composing it behaved most gal
d lantly; some of the regiments had Gov
s cred themselves with glory, but the.
le were compelled to retire at length, leav
II ing uncovered the left flank of Genera
s. Bard, upon which the enemy at one
re threw himself with great force.
v. The brigade commanded by Colone
Ie B. F. Scribner 3Sth Indiana, one OF th
,e-1 very first in the army, was left particl
m lariy exposed, as its right flank ha
,s been somewhat too far advanced whel
at it had taken position in the mornin
ed Almost before its pickets were driven
ol. it found itself literally surrounded |
an. thrice its numbers, who came on Wi
sh- their Internal yells, pouring volley ait
,od volley of deadly bullets into the very
, / som of this gallant brigade. For a n
me ment it was thrown into confusion, a
nv. that moment suficed to place the reb'
,rs' upon its 'front.' hanks, and rear. But
;, was not destioed to a4lrSe1adnr = lhe
SD, and 94th Ohio, the 3Sth Indiana,
.rd- 10th Wisconsin, and LOomis battery
the composed sof the best material IN th
ned respective States, and their command
any Scribner, had succeeded in intuslng Il
low them his own magnanimous and gall
.me spirit. Gathering together their brol
ranks under the internal fire VIII
IS of every instant moved them down, and
rom lowing their heroic leader, they char
day the dense legions, surrounding tn
our and like whirlwind in forest,
rally their way through.
and But, alas the guns of the immc
lpon 1st Michigan battery were LETT Oehlr
boot those black, stern-looking rifed cam
than each one of whom l had come to re-
close with feeling of almost reverentiaI
this because upon dozen battle fields |
ately seen them filinging destruction lntt
ough ranks of traitors, and never knew
name. once turned against a legion OF my
os in try's enemies, which they did not.sc
Ros- like leaves before the blast Even II
Gran opinion of the rebels themselves, l.
, two is had made these guns invincibie.
,viIle, were commanded now BY a young
days, who, possessing naturally the nc
,ss to qualities, had thoroughly learned
s the lessons of his teacher, and promis
red it prove most worthy successor, eV
reach Loomis himself-Lieut. Van Pelt.