Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-04-13
The Battle at F'aducah--FeaT-
fslE Scenes in fiie City.

AAA HE
When ihe refusal OF Colonel Hicks was
communicated TOT General Forrest. Il gen
era! charge We, Ordered, and away the
whole line dashed upon the works. The
tort Is 81 small logy earthyork, surrounded
By 3 shallow diteh. Tne fierce onslaught
was met 6y sheet of flame from the fort
which made many of the assailants bite
the dust, bat II staid them not-on they
came, yelling like demons, many of them
crossing the ditch, and were killed upon
the walls of the fort. before, broken and
repRlsed the thinned ranks OF the enemy
sullenly retired.
The sharpshooters on the houses which
commanded the fort kept up an incesssnt
IRE upon the garrison, while the voiieys
from the main body were almost continual
-Four or I've times during the afternoon
and eyenin wss the attack renewed, and
es p time successfully repulsed, until the
" al-. - }and between the fort and the
tONs. Is covered with the slain and
wounded. The artillery Of the fort was
by no means idle during this time, but
was dividing its attention between the at
lacking part,- and the houses which con-
tained the esharpshooters. whom they final
iy dislodged, and the buildings destroyed
to prevent their again being made hiding
places for rebel soldiers. The final charge
was made at 7 o'clock. after which Forrest
retired beyond gunshot and took Tefnse
IN the city among the buildings.
number of citizens went into the fort
and fought brayely during the whole en-
gagement. One took his family to place
OF safety, when ne took his place with the
soldiers behind the rampsrts. In the
early part of the action a ball severely
wounded him in the arm, but he refused
70 give up so long as rebel was in sight,
and continued 10 fight until the enemy
retired. After the second repulse, one of
the Kentucky cavalrymen rushed out of
the fort and found the body of his brother,
who had been killed in the first charge.
Many of the citizens could not cross the
river before the battle commenced. Of
these, several ladies sought refuge under
the bluff. out of range of shot. A rebel
sharpshooter, knowing that the Federals
would not harm the ladies, sought refuge
in the crowd. and from behind bis new
fashioned breastworks opened fire upon
one OF the gunboais. This was borne as
long as possible, until a shot was sent in
TO the bank few feet above their heads,
when the women ran shrieking for other
shelter, and Mr.. Reb. did the tallest run
ming on record.
In Broadway a crowd of women collect
ed, behind them stood rank of rebels,
who kept up an incessant fire upon the
boats. Several shells were sent over their
heads, but the women stood their ground,
protecting the scoundrels behind them
Finally shot fell in their midst, killing
one young woman and wounding several
rebels.
Little respect was paid to a man 5 senti-
ments-sympathizers' stores suffered about
equally with Union mems. Immense
booty was obtained and carried of the
amount of loss can hardly be estimated.
There Is one instance, however, which oc-
CURED, IN which they showed some little
regard for friend-nearly every horse
and mule IN the city was taken, except a
few belonging 10 the Government-itwa was
believed that those belonged 10 strong
rebel sympsthizer, and on that account
the horses were not taken.
Firing from the gunboats and the fort
and the rebel artillery continued at inter
Yals until near midnight on Friday. after
which all became quiet, and scarce shot
was heard till after the retreat of Forrest,
which occurred on Saturday, between two
and three o'clock in the afternoon. The
enemy retired toward Mayfield, tearing
up the railroad track in his rear. A large
number of houses were set on fire, both by
shells and by the rebels. The first des-
troyed were some buildings occupied by
the government, set in flames by the reb-
els; others followed III quick succession,
until probably fifteen or twenty houses of
various descriptions were burned to the
ground.
When the battle was over it was found
that the ammunition, both in the fort and
on the gunboats was nearly expended
Little or no provision was in the fort, and
the men sadly wanted food after their ar
duous labors. As soon as the news of the
battle reached this city, reinforcemeDts
were dispatched 10 Psducah, as well as
and provisions. When the
provisions arrived, Colonel Hicks sent a
full supply 10 the suffering citizens, and
had it distributed among the hungry
crowd of women and children ON the Illi-
pois shore.
The rebel Brigadier General Thompson
was shot through the head, while on his
horse near the fort, during the fight AT
ter falling TO the ground a shell struck
him in the abdomen and blew him to
pieces His spinal column was found sew
eral feet from his msngled body.
Towards evening the ammunition in
the fort became well nigh exhausted.-i
When this was discovered Colonel Hicks
ordered that, should ammunition run out,
the works should be defended with the
bayonet as long as man remained alive.
The enemy's force was estimated at
1000, and had six small pieces of artillery,
which was not of much service, only firing
two or three shots, one ofour shots knock
ing one of them twenty feet into the air
and smashing the carriage, which was az
captured, the enemy taking the
gun, however.
Our forces number 40 men, consisting
Of the following named troops: lst bat
talon 10th Kentucky, 800 men, raw re-
cruits, Major Barnes commanding; three
l22d Illinois, l20 men, Major
Chapman, and 250th Kentucky Heavy
(colored troops) all under
Colonel s. g. Hicks, 10th Illinois.
A Tribute TO LOyai Woman,