The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-04
NUMBER I79.


hugged and kissed him the night before
for the first time in two wears. The aid
asked the snowy maiden the name Of
this Confederacy of whom she was en-
amored. She replied that he was a Ma
jor, and that his name was Shanhs-not
Crookshanks, but George s. Shanks The
aid and Susie continued in conversation
until some time after Gen. Vandever's 3
command had started off About two
o'clock he made his appearance, bring
ing with him Snsie's likeness aud lock
OF her red hairl Susie sword eternal de-
votion TO him, and forever renounced
her obligations to Major George S.
Shauks.
Three miles east of Patton, on the
Cape Girardeau road, the firing of can
ron, in the direction of jackson and ths
Cape, was distinctly heard. The sur
mise among some was that Mcneil had
engsged a. Marmadpke at Jackson. Gen.
formed, gave the troops to understand
that the reverse was the case, and that
Marnaduke had attacked Cape Girar-
deau. Gen. Vsndevers column, consist
ing of cavalry and artillery, was closed
up and advanced quickly toward Jack
son, ten miles distant from the Cape.
Distractions on the road, consisting
Of the telling of trees, the destruction Of
bridges, &c, had been made by Marina
duke, TO prevent his being followed. A
strong guard was sent several miles in
advance, and by the time the head of the
column had reached the advance guard,
all the distractions had been removed,
and the command moved forward quick
ly, reaching a point within two miles of
Jackson before P NJ Sunday even
ing
Pickets were Immediately sent to with
in "a short distance of jackson, and
strong bodies Of cavalry thrown out in
all directions. Shortly, about 81 clock
i. NJ, intelligence reached the General
that large bodies of the enemy were
moving out the Gravel road west ofJack-
son. Their conversation could be dis
tinctly heard. Colonel Stewart, believ-
ing them to be on the retreat, asked per-
mission to charge them. This the Gen.
eral refused.
Further intelligence was brought in
that the rebels were in full retreat This
was literally true-they were retreating
not from us, but from the Cape. 1t was
then agreed, believing that they were
retreating, that charge should be made
upon their front and rear, while the ar
tillery should open upon their center.
General Vandever then ordered the
lst Iowa cavalry, Major Caldwell COM
mandiug, TO the right of the Jackson
road, at the same time sending another
body 10 the left. Instead of retreating
1t was found that regiment Of rebels,
under Colonel Newton, were encamped
ON the bank of a creek about three miles
ed from the unsuccessful attack upon
Cape Girardeau, and were preparing
their supper.
At ten o'clock Sunday night the lst
Iowa advanced to within short dis
tance of the rebel encampment. The
Confederacies had dismounted and fed
their horses, and in squads of eight or ten
were collected around blazing fres, pre-
pairing their suppers and discussing the
result of the fight at the Cape
Gen. Vandever ordered two small
howitzers to be taken to the front. They
we're loaded with musket balls. and haul
ed by hand to within thirty yards Of the
rebel cncampment The lst Iowa were
stationed twenty yards behind the how
itzers Unconscious of the harvest of
death prepared for them, the Confedera-
cies laughed, chatted and cursed as if in
the next moment they were not to expi-
ate with their lives the penalty of their
treason. Precisely at five minutes past
ten o clock the two howitzers vomited
their deadly contents amid the unsus-
pecting devils, and ere the sound had
died away the gallant let Iowa, with Sd
bers drawn, were among them.
A charge of cavalry is at any time
fearful, and when resolutely made is not
TO be withstood. At night It's most
frightful With the moon casting soft.
but bright light, the position of the ene-
my was distinctly observed. With un-
earthly, demoniac yells, the cavalry, $50
strong, slash, cut down and almost anni-
hilate this regiment of God-forsaken reb-
els. 1t appeared ike a great crime 10
thus usher unbidden before their Maker
so many unsuspecting but guilty traitors
Not shot did they fire, SO quickly was
the cavalry among them. Not man of
the lst Iowa was injured Every horse
in their encampnent, every gun they
had, their entire camp equipage, togeth-
a SaEFatb EFatb *saYee6Hallu alluP BGGp sst5Giak, ref
the hands of Gen. Vandeyer's troops
The little stream into which the rebels
were driven for moment ran red With
blood; their piteous cries and dying be
seedlings we're most sickening-but this
is war. How many escaped death, how
many we're wounded, and how manywere
taken prisoners, We know not; how many
remained, the roll Of Newton's regiment,
if it was called on Monday morning, viii
tell. About eleven o'clock heavy rain
commenced and continued at intervals
until morning, when a movement upon
jackson was made.
At daylight the column was closely
drawn up, and moved to within three
Quarters of a mile of the town At the
outskirts of the village, on the Bloomfield
road. the rebels were drawn up in line of
battle Immediately upon the appear
ance of the Federal column on the top of
the hill, the rebels commenced retreat
ing in the direction of Bloomfield, and
were expedited by few well directed
shots from l2-pound howitzer.
Betveen eleven and twelve o'clock