Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-03-30

men we're not permitted to Sleep,

Leave their posts, during the night
On their way into the city, the enemy
fred the railroad depot, which was con
sumed- Towards evening, they burned
the quartermaster's building and the
steamer Dscotah, on the marine railway.
The ways we're but partially burned
They pIuadered stores Of an immense
amount of goods, principally clothing.
aud took all the horses they could find =
the livery stables.
some merchants lost from twenly-6ve
to 6fty Thousand dollars worth Of goods.
Early the next morning the enemy again
appeared, when Col. Hicks sent out par
ties to burn all the houses in range OF
musket shot The eueny made no move
90 The place after this, but kept hover
Ing in the distance until about Q A. ",
when a second flag Of truce was sent in
with the following communication from
Gen. Forrest:
"HEApQ's FozgxSr's cAvALnr coRrs,
Near Padueab. KY, March -. IsG4
" Col S G. Hicks, Commanding Post
and Federal forces al Paducak:
"SIR: I understand that you hold in
the guard-house 1T Padaeah number Of
Confederate soldiers as prisoners Of war.
have IN ms possession about IS or 10
Federal soldiers which zee captured here
yesterday, and about 500 which were Ia.
ken at Union City. ] propose to ex-
change man for man according to rank.
so far as you may hold Confederate SOL
diers
Respectfully,
IN b FORREST,
Maj Gen. Cong Confederate forces e
Col Hicks replied as follows:
Hx4BauAnrKns Fosr PAbUcAH.
PADrcAH, KY, March .. ls4
major Gen. Forrest, Commanding
Confederate Forces
"sIR: have no power to make the
exchange ron speak Of; If / had / would
cheerfully do IT.
(" Very respectfully,
5. FL HICKS,
4" Col 10th Ill, Infantry, Com. Post. -
II il proper 10 say in this cmmuniea-
ton that the prisoners spoken of by For
rest as taken in Paducah, we're captured
in the hospital, being too sick to reach
the fort before the attack
When Col Hicks had returned this
answer 70 Capt Anderson, Assistant Ad-
jatsnt General to Maj Gen Forrest,
through bis aid-de-eamp, Lieutenant Nc
knight, Captain Anderson requested
Lieut. Mcknight to bear a verbai-e com.
munieation TO Col. Hicks and ask him IL
in case Of further negotiation he fCoI.
Hieks) would be willing to meet Major
General Forrest at some convenient
point, each under flag Of truce, and
have private Interview with him.
Colonel Hicks returned an answer,
verbally, that If Forrest wished TO see
him and have q personal interview, he
would meet him at convenient place.
either with OF without arms, Colonel
Hicks to take with him Capt 0dlin, as.
sistant adjutant general and chief Of staff
to NJ BraymAu. brigadier general CON-
maading the District Of Cairo, and lst
lieutenant Taylor, his adlutant; Forrest
10 bring with him two officers Of the
same rank
To this Colonel Hicks received no re.
ply, bot waited ia suspense, with Fer
rests forces in view, all the afternoon,
when be fell back towards Nayfeld, and
in the direction Of Columbus.
Towards the end of the battle il
was discovered that the ammunition was
vel nigh exhausted, when Colonel Hicks
oriered that, should the ammunition run
ont, the works should be defended BY the
bayonet as long as man remained
alive This order vas received with
deafsning cheers BY all the brave band
in the fort.