Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-07
A SPECK OF WAR In ILLINOIS,
Serious ARRAY between Union
Men and Copperheads.
Special 10 ths Cleveland Leader.


/ telegraphed brief account last night
Of on affrsy which occurred at Charleston,
| Coles County, yesterday. send you sd-
I dltional particulars just received here by
a dispatch from Charleston. d,
The Copperheads came iato Charleston
In large numbers to attend Court, with guns
concealed In their wagons and armed with
revoivers. Some of them went into the
Court House yard and picked O quarrel
with some soldiers. Fighting instantane-
ously became general. The Sheriff Of
the County who was at the Judges seat,
Immediately drew a revolver and rushed
out, and commenced firing on the Union
men. One Of his FIRST victims was Major
Shnbrick, OF the 5iih Illinois
! The Union men finding themselves out
numbered at the Court House ran towards
the stores and houses for firearms, when
! they were fired upon from the windows of
the houses. Some ten or twelve were
wounded. Colonel G.. NJ. Mitchell, of the
/ 54th Infantry, was badly wounded and has
I since died. James Goodrich was severely
wounded, ard William Hart and I. G. JET.
fries and several other soldiers were also
wounded, and one ef them now lies at the
point Of death.
At 5 o'clock the 5ith Illinois regiment ar
rived and found on the square Copperhead
prisoner named Cooper, who was being
brought in. and attempted to escape, when
he was shot dead. His body was pierced
with dozen bullets. j Union man named
James Jenkins, who was closing q door
, through which Cooper was trying to escape.
was shot through the hip, and is not ex!
pected TO live Nelson Willis, Copperhead,
who fred the first shot, was shot dead
Colonel Brooks. with squad of men, Is
in pursuit Of gang of Copperbeads VIII,
are said to have stopped over night abous
/ seven miles North.
Capt. Williams has arrested nineteen
prominent secesh who have implicated them
selves in the affair. Hon. o. B. Finklin.
Judge Constable, and other prominent Cop
perheads appear very anxious that steps
shall be taken to prevent any further OUT
breaks.
CHIcAao March 30-A special 70 ths
Chicago Tribune. from Mattoon. Ills, last
night, says: 400 men Of the 54th Illinois
regiment leave Charleston tonight to attack
the rebels. who are said 70 be 300 strong.
uRder command of Sheriff John 8. O'Hair,
entrenchcd at Galliday's Mills, 10 milss
Northeast. of Charleston.
A portion of the saith is a. Nation, that
place being threatened from Shelby and
Noultrie counties.
Two companies Of the Invalid Corps, en
route for Springfield, have been stopped At
Charleston for garrison duty.
! Pickets are out on all the roads.
In the fight on Monday four of the 54th
and one Union citizen were killed, and Col.
Mitchell and two Union citizens wounded.
Two Coppcrhcads were killed and several
| Voundad
. sTILL LATER ....
SpRINGFrELD, March SO.-Col. Oakss.
Assistant Provost Marshal General, started
for Char leston last night, and telegraphs to
day for the fist regiment, which left in the
afternoon.
Gen. HcintIleman has also been requested
to send 5000 troops from Indianapolis. -
This indicates that the trouble in that Sec
ton is Of serious character.
THE ILLINOIS oUrBREAK-FAcTs FROM AN
EYE WITNESS.
tFron the Cincinnau Gazette, March 3itl
A gentleman. who left Nation yesterday
morning, informs US that the number Of
insurgeut COppsrhesds in Coles county is
about the same as that mentioned in our
dispatches They claim to be able to raise
four thousand men in Coles and two adjoin-
| ing counties, though he thinks this an
] exagGeration three thousand, or three thous-.
and fVe hundred, being nearer their available
force. Our informant was at Charleston on
Monday when the difficulty commenced Il
originated in returned veteran of the Fifty
! fourth Illinois regiment asking a Copper,
| head 10 show him butternut. The latter
replied very insultingly, when blows we're
exchanged. Col Mitchell of the 54th, the
m al Surceno and MARA
near, but took ne part in the dispute. At
this jnncture the Copperheads, 250of whom
were in and around the public square, drew
their pistols, while some rushed to :heir,
wagons and took out guns, and commenced
firing upon the soldiers aud Onion men,.
! COL Mitchell, as reported yesterday. was
/ slightly wounded in several places,an balls
/ PASSED through his clothes without hurt
! ing him. The Major was also wounded, the
surgeon killed. and one or two soldiers and
citizens killed or wounded Tie soldiers had
/ no arms. but defended themselves with brick :
bats and clubs, the Union citizens coming
to their assistance. The Copperheads finally,
I judged it prudent TO leave the town. On
their way out they ca ptured Union soldier.
whe knew nothing Of the disturbances. Tho
remainder of the 5fth regiment, which was
at Msttoon, was telegraphed TO, and came
TO CharleStOn. l ne cpunIrV was secured,
and the captured soldier found in farm
house guarded by sig men, who were all
sleep Thirty.fo four prisoners were taken,
and it isto rescue them thar the Copper.
heads have oslensibly organized There
were apprehensions Of an attack on Nation
on TUESDAY night, and the 2G,h Indiana
veterans, who where on their wy home,
were prevailed on TO stop over night for the
I protection of the place, They have been in
the extreme South but say hey never heard
/ real treason talked until they reached Hi
4 nois. Our Informant saws tic Coprerhssds
are led on bY the Sheriff Of the county ane
other men high in poger, are well ddiled
/ and mean mischief, unieSs ,hey see that
4 effective resistance 70 their .lsolancs viii 10
offered
some wag nominated The - T. /. for
l.. G fN.-S ~