Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-12-13
Letter from the 65th Regiment IndI.
ana Volunteer,


CAxr 65rH INDIANA Vols,
NASHVILLE, Tenn,
December 9th, 1864.
EaItsrs JeurnAi
As We have been gOiRg the esfaad
rOunds" since last wrote to you (sept
So,h,) relation Of part Of our sxperi
sEcs may prove Of interest 10 you and
your readers
The 23d aud 9Th Corps did not 70 with
sherman, bat We we're put under the
command Of Gen. Thomas to leok after
Hood, and see that he did not Hood
Wink the Unisn forces in Tennessee.
Wei, we concentrated at PULASKI, bu.
hearing that Messrs Hood and Beaurs-
gard were making for Columbia, we
concluded ws ought TO beat them there.
We did 20, and had the pleasure Of 6ght.
ing the rebels for several DAYS at that
point. On the evening Of The 20th Of
November We begaa our retreat toward
Franklin, and got there at daylight next
morning We marched q miles that
sight, and we had been fighting all the
day before II was an awfal hard march.
bas Father Schoiiela said IL was
military necessity" 50 we had TO make
it We got there little before dAy, and
after sleeping an hour, We took np cur
position and vent 20 fortifying By
neon skirmishing had begun, and from
the way the rebels were pressing us, it
was evident they we're going TO crush rs.
The ground they had to come over vas
almost level. Aboat 81 o'clock, D. m,
we we're ordered 10 stand to our guns.
aud be ready. for they we're about TO
open the ball; in few minutes the skir-
nishsrs commenced falling back rapidly,
with the rebels-thres lines dssp-close-
ly pushing them One Brigade Of the
4th Corps was out supporting the skir-
uish line, and they fell back in disorder.
Bat this is no reflection upon those brave
men, for they stood their ground longer
than they ought When the rebels drove
back this Brigade, il was evident that
they thought they bad our main line Of
works, for they came on yelling and
shouting like all mad, as the Yankees
say. Bat their hideoas yelis don't scare
Us, and / believe they do il more TO en-
courage each other than any other reas
on But when they got within shooting
distance they ceased shouting, or else we
could not bear them, for the uproar wss
terrible. As soon as our skirmishers
got in, We we're ordered to open 6rs, and
TO ere low. Our FIRE cut them down by
scores, and they were thrown into confu-
sion, and fell back 8 short distance to
rally.
The attack TO the right Of Us was more
successful. for the rebels gained our
works in front of the l40th Ohio, which
Rsgiment-in place OF fighting 70 the
last-and defending their position At
all hazards, turned from their
their position, and leaving a battery
they were put there TO sapport to the
tender mercies Of the rebels The scene
that nov ensued beggars description.
The l04lh we're demoralized, and staff
officers and regimental officers we're do
ing everything in their power to rally
the regiment, for If this positioa vas
lost the rebels would win the day. We
we're Just one hundred yards to the left
of them and could not move, for we had
as much as we could attend 10. We all
felt "6shy, when a new sight greeted
our eyes that carried JOY and RIAdness
70 our hearts. The 12th Kentncky were
lying in reserve behind the 10th Ohio,
and when they Witnessed the disgrace
ful conduct Of the 104th, an officer (the
Adjutaut think) grAsped the solors in
one hand, waving bis sword in the other
and shouting for them to follow, rushed
forward to the works and planted. the
colors on top. Nobly did this gallant
regiment respond to this appeal thew
never waited to form a line, but come
into position, BY companies, on a run. as
beautifully as if it was q dress parade.
When they got 20 the works the rebels
we're on the other side. They poured
II vslley when the rebels surrendered
By this time the l04th had rallied again
and got back to their works Our boys
stopped firing to let the prisoners come
IN, and il was q grand sight 70 see sew
eral hundred of these climbing over the
works and running, with all speed, to
the rear This was the greatest act in
the play, and was greeted with than