The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-07-25
Army Correspondence.
CAMP OF THE 18TH III. CavALRY,

CoRISTH, July 18th.
-Hr. Editor Perhaps few items from
this part OF rebeldom would be interest
Ing TO some OF your readers.
The fourth passed off quietly here, with
out any unusual demonstrations beyord a
few parties, gotten up by the shoulder
straps. OF course privates were not ex.
pected to ningle, for we are not considered
anything more than instruments in their
hands, with which TO acquire military
honors. They cannot. however. look on
Us with less respect than we do on them,
with few exceptions ! am sorry to see
so much arlstocracv in our army. 1t has
been great stumbling block in the way
Of cur success: but think the day is
dawning wnen many of our ar!stociatic
friends, wLo have suddenly risen from
common citizens TO commissioned officers
because they were good at wire working
a. we call it) will have TO lay aside their
shoulder straps ana miug.e again with u
detested prlvatcs on an equal footing. 1t
Is not my intention 10 throw out any in
Situations against our company officers
for they are As good Is We could expect
but ! must say that it WAS not owing Ia
their merit that our field and reg mental
officers we're raised to the positions they
now occupy Wa Ford, our captain, is
the best drilled officer in the regiment,
but men who should be his superiors, but
who IN fact are his interiors have been
appointed over him. But | presume he
does not care much, fer he ha. the salts
faction OF knowing that heconmands the
largest and best drilled company IN Gen
Dodges army at least The General and
staff appear 10 think so, for we are favored
more than any other one company. But
enough Of this
will give you a short account Of our
late cavalry fight here. We were awaken
ed from our slumbers at ) clock in the
morning Of the seventh, and ordered to
prepare 10 march with two, days a,ians
All things being III readiness ct daylight
we started. The following regiments. to-
wit our regiment, the 10th, 10Th No,
and eth Kansas, all under the command
of Col. Corqui,l, of the 10th Missouri OF
course we privates did not know at first
what object the expedition had in view,
but we had a very good idea when we ar
rived at the government CORA! (Which l.
situated about a mile and half o, two
miles from our picket lines) ana found all
the horses and the company of infantry
that was guarding them gone. Suisse
queutly we found out that eleven compa-
MES OF secesh had attacked the guard
about two hours before we arrived, and,
after brisk fight, in which Two rebels
were killed, forced them to surrender
The rebels then tore down the fence and
drove Off the horses and mules which
numbered at least four hundred. We
followed them up and overlook them at
about ) clock p. M, when our advance
guard was fired on, and our company Or
dered forward as skirmishers in the woods
on each side of the road. We were then
ordered to charge, which we did to with
III ten rods of the rebel lines when the
rebels poured such voliey into our open
ranks that we were forced to fall back u
few rods, when we were ordered to dis
mount, which we did, as did all of the
others but one or two companies. We
then advanced, leaving every fourth man
to hold the horses, and after fight OF
about two hours the rebels fled, leaving
seven dead on the field, but Col Corquin,
fearing they would draw HIM into trap,
did not pursue them far. have learned
since that the rebels had FIVE regiments,
commanded by Gen. Roddy. Our loss was
3 killed and s wounded, but although our
company commenced the battle and was
in the front all the time, not one of them
WAS killed or wounded. w. A. LAMMEY.
Private in Capt. VIM. Ford's company.