Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-04-02
The sacking of Padneah.

md a halt along the river and IN the
centre mile backward from the river.
The fort heavy esrthwork IL the Shape
IF a square redoubt, is IN tbs lover part
IF the town, near the river, with houses
above, below and IN front From above,
the buildings approached to within few
feet Of the ra1nparts. Ia front is an |
open space Of 100 yards The place has |
a population Of about 6 800 souls, and
enjoys a fine trade with Western Ken
lucky aad Tennessee. There are very
Nv Union men in the place, the great
cody Of the citizens being rebel sympa-
thizers Of the most malignant tyre. Pa
dacah has fall representation among
the guerriilas that infsst Western Ken
lucky
The attack upon the place may be con-
sidered surprise, for although various
reports Of guerriIlss at MAyfeld andg
ola had been heard, and the surrender OF
MayEeld had been reported, and although
Col. Hicks had concentrated bis troops
in the fort and ielegraphed for addition
al gunboats, aud called in eonyaleseents
from the hospitals--still the approach Of
a heavy rebel force was not expected.
The charging rebel columns was in town
in ten minutes after the Union piekets,
and before the latter could report. The
citizens were pursuing thsir ordinary
Notwithstanding, selling, reading and
ehaiting-and those who resided in the
outskirts, and happened to be down
town" were unable to get to their fami-
lies. Several were shot and killed in
trying 10 do so. The rebels charged
upon the upper and back part Of the
town, sending sharpshooters forward
into the houses in the front row Of brick
buildings along the river, and into the
houses near the fort, to pick of the gut
ncrs on the gunboais and in the Tort
The main body was drawn up above aud
back Of the town, while heavy column
advanced to sack aud piIlage on the
principal stfeeia The gnnboata now
opened, raking the. principal streets, and
throwing shells over the town at the
main body, and at such houses as cover
ed the rebel shArpshooterA The guns Of
the fort opened about tbe same time aud
for The same purposes. In the midst Of
tho saekius aud pilhgiugr t~o heavy
columns approached the fort tbe one
feom above came under cover of houses
to within few steps Of the outer ditch
the bead Of the other column became
exposed TO the guns OF the fort at about
100 yards of. At this moment gun
boat. No. So, which had dropped down a
little below the fort, opened upon the
ssorming party with raking Gre, aud
the guns and small arms from the fort
/ opened furionsly The roar Of battle was
terrific for few minutes, but the
rebels soon reeoiled aud disappeared be
bind the houses from which they had
just appeared. Cheers from the Fort
answered from the gunboats, announced
the discontinue Of The Infatuated rebel,
to the women, children aud citizens who
had taken shelter under the bank of the
liver near low water mark. There was
silence only Tor few minutes Tbs
4 rebels soon rallied returned, and renewed
the assault with increased fairy. They
we're led by Gen. A. P. Thompson, law
yer and citizen Of the town, with despe-
rate courage Again the Both was j
position, and again all arms opened and
the eight became terri6c a small party
reached the ditch under the rampartsi
two actually scaled tho embankments,
one Of wnom was killed and the other, a
Lieutenant was pulled in aud captured
About this time, Thompson was torn 20
pieces By cannon shot or shell, and the
effect was instantaneous-,he whole col.
nmn staggered and fed. Once more the
cheers went up from the listle garrison
and was responded to by the ganboats.
The eight was over except that the gun
boats still eannonaded the streets and
played upon the plundering rebels They
displayed the greatest feats of courage
in charging upon clothing and shoe stores
under the ERE Of the boats. They spent
the night plundering, carrying away
their dead and wounded, and burning
the Quartermaster' stores and the rail
road depot. The next morning another
| flag oftruce appeared with another sum
mons to surrender. Col Hicks, Of course
declined the summons and proceeded tC
burn all the houses that had covered
sharp-shoOters the evening before. The
assault was not renewed.
1t will be seen that the rebels ap
preached the fort aud guuboats unde,
eoref Of the romen aud children of n,
tosrh A more brutal and inhaman, aus
al the same time more eowardly, ae
was never perpetrated. Suppose in 8
personal contest one of the corabstsntl
steals up behind a group OF women anC
children to get shot at his antagonis
and continues behind them aud in then
midst throughout the fight What ehir.
airy Aud yet such was the exact con
duct OF The far-famed and chivalroul
Maj. Gen. n. B, Forrest
The scene in town was heart-rending
Windows and doors we're riddled viii
bullets. Shells we're bursting in fanily
rooms filed with the inmates. LittI,
boys we're Frustrated in the streets. Th,
head of one little girl was shot of. On,
little child was shot through The thigh il
its fathers arms, while the old grand