The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-07-25
Heavy News from Jackson.
Death OF Col. Seth G.. Earl. Capt. VIM.
Leally. Capt. Geo. II. Lodge, Lieut.. j.
II. Smith, &c.

In the midst OF our rejolcings ana
THANKSGIVING for recent important and
singnal victories of the armies OF the re-
public, our city is suddenly covered with
the pail of deep mourning. There mas
been little battle in front OF JACKSON
Miss. A small body Of Federal troops
come suddenly upon large body OF the
enemy. they make stand, and are re-
pulsed. The dispatches say there are but
40 or 80 killed and hundred or two
wounded and the country makes light
of it,
But the Federal force engaged was COM
posed OF part of Gen. iauman division
and in that division is the sd Illinois re-
glment, recruited principally in and
around Ottawa. 1t may be, and indeed Is.
a small matter to the country, but to
many-many in Ottawa and La Sale
county, it is sorrow iaexpressible, trouble
and atfiiction beyond measure.
The 53d regiment went into tia little
battle" about POD strong. 1t came out
with about 60 men, whole in body and
limb The Colonel was killed, the Lieut..
Colonel wounded, major the regiment had
none, two out of six captains are killed,
half the lieutenants are killed or wounded
and over hundred of the rank anil file
are killed or missing The charge at
Balaklava was scarcely more fatal than
that And who are these killed?
Col SETH C EARL had been citizen of
Ottawa for % years lie was born, we
believe, IN Massachusetts. In his early
youth, removed to Cayuga county, New
! York, and lived there until after he was
married. He then removed to Nashville,
! Tenn, remaining there until about the
wear 1913, when he removed 20 Ottawa
! Ill In the fall of 1851, when Col Cush
man had obtained authority of the Cows
eminent TO raise a regiment, Col. Earl
moved by purely patriotic impulses, left a
! com Portable business, gave his services to
! his country and raised Il company of voluE-
! teers for the regiment. On the retirement
/ of Ma Gibson from the regiment, Col
/ Earl, though not the oldest captain, was
promoted TO his position. Afterwards, on
! the retirement of Col. Cushman, he was
promoted to Lieut. Colonel. and after Col
Hit retired he was appointed Colonel
: He was with the regiment at Shiloh, but
the regiment took no active part in that
engagement; it was placed in the front,
however, during the siege of Corintl, and
gagged in almost daily slSirmishing he
Was at the battle of the Hatchle, where
the regiment did noble fighting and suf-
fered serious loss Then the regiment
renamed at Moscow, and vicinity of Mem
phis, until, in the winter it was ordered to
FIcksburg, and bore its part in all the la
bors and dangers of that protracted seige
After the fall of Nicksturg, Laumans
division, in which the sd was embraced
was placed in the front OF Sherman 5
march in pursuit OF Pen.bcrton and being
among the first of the troop, that arrived
In the vicinity of Jackson, in company
with the 2Sth and 4lst H., and 81 Iowa,
l. appears to have fallen either INTO some
sort of ambush, or sud denly upon an un.
expecteply large boiy of the enemy. The
little handful of troops, however, made
bold and desperate fight, until ordered to
retl:e. The exact cIrcum- tances of the bat
tie have not reached US, but there is rea-
son 10 believe the slaughter WAS useless, as
Con. sherman has boon suspended IL. COZ.
sequence.
Col. EARL was one of the noblest victims
of that blunder or whatever II ,vas H. j.
SAID to have been first wounded in the
knee, when 1t. Col. McCIaaahan ordeId
for NEIL u take him in the rear The
TO II men were soon wounded and disabled,
and while still in their hands. Col Earl
was hit twice IN the head, killing him
instantly.
As a soldier, none was more truly brave;
and among the many thousands in the
army, We venture the assertion, that none
entered itfrom more lofty and patriotic mo,
tives. As citizen, no man was more univer.
sally honored and respected, as a husband
and father, none more devotedly beloved. 7.
He was truly one of Gods nobIemen-his .
noblest work-an honest man. Enter .
prising, public spirited, wise in counsel, /
the soul of honor and rectitude, he was
truly one of the first and best men of OF
tawa, and another could scarcely be nam
ed whose loss woIld create so profound
grief-such an aching void.
With Capt. LEAuY we had little acquaInt- .
aace lie Il been for ME years a resi-.
dent OF Ottawa, but for the last year or
two had re-led out of town. He raised
the company HIMSELF at the head of which
he fell, and all accord to him the praise
that he was an excellent officer, and
brave and true soldier. He leaves a wife
and family.
Capt LoDGE had been a resident Of OF
tawa for about years He had formerly
heen a resident OF Tcrre Haute, Indianna
His occupation had been that of a clerk
He was ready accountant, and young
man of great probity and integrity of char
actcr. He entered the army as lieutenant,
and was promoted to the Captaincy while
in the service. He leaves wife and fami
ly Of several children.
1t SMITH was also a clerk, and had
been for some years in the employ of Mr..
kimball, hardware dealer in this city He
was young man OF ireproachabe charac
ter and Is mourned 10y many warm per-
sonal friends. lie WAS unmarried
But we cannot 20 over the whole !
mournful list in this way. There are few
persons in the county bat will recognize
in it the name % some beloved relative.
or dear personal friend, or acquaintance,
and will realize, more than ever, in the