The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-04-11
EVANSVILLE, IND. SATURDAY MORNING

Ine cover OF the hills, in columns of ron
Panies, across the fields about six huI
2. dred yards, under a CALLING fire from II
enemys batteries, We being in plai
view and having fences to tear down .
: we went, and wholly unable to retur
the tlre by single shot. When w
reached the station we started up tbei
sharpshooters, and your humble servan
soon found that he and several of h;
friends were regarded with some interes
oy Secesh, the way the bullets whistlet
past our heads.
Our skirmishers soon started up tb,
enemy, and we found posted behind
stone walls, fences and brush at the foot
OF the hill, two whole brigades Of dis
to advance further, the two regiments
lay down, and were covered by the build
lnSs and fences. The enemy made no
motion to advance on us or attack us at
all, except the incessant firing of sharp
shooters, trying TO pick off our mounted
oihcers. We were not long here before
Col. Coburn ordered us back to the hill
from which we started. We started back
/ ana so soon as we were unmasked from
/ the buildings, two regiments from Ar
| kansas and Texas started after us with
yell, pursuing and firing on US all the
way back, which, with their batteries
playing on us also, made our situation
pretty hot. Both of our regiments lost
! several killed and wounded going and
returning, and all this time not a shot
had teen fired by US. But so soon as we
reached the hill, we turned and drove
back the enemy faster than he came,
killing Colonel Earl, of Arkansas They
again rallied and charged on US, but
were driven back. 1t now became evil
dent that we had encountered the whole
OF Van Dorn's and Forres S forces.
On our left the enemy had been re-
pulsed near the pike, but Forrest had ia
ken circuit with his whole force awav
beyond the ground occupied BY our fStce.
to the East and was desiring to turn our
lett flank. About this time Capt Agile
shire took his battery and run off. the |
wagon train, and ammunition wagon also |
left, the l24th Ohio going with them, to
guard against its being cut off. Our |
cavalry whose duty it was to protect our |
lett TANKS, or in case Of their inability to |
do so, to notify Col. Coburn, also left and
we heard nothing from them.
Col. Coburn now brought the 10Th and
I'D on the West side OF the pike, and
leaving the 33d to protect the Hill on its
South face. The 18th and S5th were
formed facing the enemy East at right
angles, with the 22d in the rear of The |
85th except three companies that Lieut.
Col. Bloodgood and Major Smith took
and run away with as the Regiment
crossed the reg roaGg. were hardly formed, the
men laying dowu behind the crest of the
hill. till Armstrong; S Brigade charged in
from the East and the Texans from the
South and the fighting was terrific. We
rseerved our fire until they were within
thirty PAGES. Three times they gallantlv
charged up the hill from the East, and
thrice we forced them back. In one of
heir charges the 10Th Michigan captur-
ID the colors Of the 4th Mississippi, and
our prisoners, and we were SO near each
other that one man was shot by the SOL
iiers of the S5th from the window of n
school house as he was trying to get in at
he door,
During this time one battery was
hrowlng shells at US, and having got
possession of the hill on the east Or 7,ss-
Dad, they hurled grape and canister at
short range like hail Old soldiers on
10Th sides say they never saw hotter
work while it lasted. -+-
But twas evident to us all, privates as
we'll as officers, that the struggle was un-
svailing, and it was only question of
line as to our defeat, Our ammunition
vas nearly out, Forrest having got be-
ween US and Franklin, and next closing
n on us from the North But officers
md soldiers did their duty We formed
! new line with all four of our regiments
acing North to meet our new foe. We
ormed about 300 yards further to the
Nest, and about the same distance to
he North. Here we met and checked
Forrest and held him till our last round
vas fred. We then fixed bayonets to
;harge and break his lines and try to es-
ape But gst as sS,fE FeFf 6Ffest af"1f had still
mother line in reserve, sRd battery
,egan to open, and from new position
hat made it hopeless to think of escape,
md so aOe surrendered Would to God
could avoid writing that line, not that
fell there is anything to be ashamed of
II the SURRENDER, HOr ludl any Uldulc can
attach to any one of our command, for
With the exceptions have named, Off
,ers and men behaved nobly. But death
IN the battle field is preferable to the
our soldiers have endured at
he hands of our foes since we have been
prisoners. But more of this anon.
You will observe that none but our
brigade took any part in the fight. Of
officers and men l,206 were taken. The
rest were killed, wounded or escaped Of
the number not taken there were proba-
Div 400; l50 or 200 escaped, so or 90
killed and wounded The S5th Indiana
had 800 men in the fight, aad 229 were
taken. know seven or eight who were
killed and 80 wounded, but was at the
wrong end of the pike to know exactly
our loss Capt. Floyd was dangerously
Capt Puckett's leg was bro
ken. Lieut.. Anderson is missing No
other officers of the regiment were hurt,
nor were there any federal officers of the
brigade hurt, which is almost miracu-
lous, as the field and staff officers of the
33d and S5th were exposed, crossing and
re-crossing the fields on horseback, to
the fire of ten regiments, battery and
all the sharp shooters, and not less than
a thousand shots were aimed at them.
The enemy were all cavalry and
pOuntad infa ntrv hut all fouUht IN foot