Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-17
Battle OF Marks Mills.

On tue morning OF the E5d OF Aprli,
Gen. Steele started a train Of $50 wagons
and six ambulances from Camden TO
Pine Bluff, for supplies for his army
The escort consisted of about 200 cav
airy, commanded by Major McCaniey,
LIST Indiana Cavalry, four pieces OF ar
tiIlery, under command Of Lieutenant
Peetz, I'd Missouri Artillery, and twelve
hundred infantry, consisting Of detach-
ments of the 43d Indiana Volunteers,
Both Iowa, and T7th Ohio, the whole
force commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
Drake, OF the Goth Iowa Infantry.
About ten miles out from Camden two
men, one an officer and one who had re.
Gently been an officer, got between the
advance guard and the head of the col
umn, which were about half mile apart,
and were "gobbled" by a small party OF
rebel cavalry. They were in sight OF
the infantry, but too far away to be re-
captured, and the thick woods aided the
rebels in making their escape with their
prisoners.
Nothing more was seen of the rebels
until tEe morning Of the 18th We bad
crossed the Moro bottom, and the bead
I OF tue Column was WAkHiH SIX miles OF
the Saline river. Major Spelman, 7lh
Missouri Cavalry, with one hundred aud
fifty men and one mountain howitzer,
/ had been sent out from Pine Bluff, by
Colonel Clayton, and we had Just met
him. He had crossed the Saline but an
hour and half previous. and reported
| tie road clear to Pine Bluff
/ We had feared al attack on Moro bot.
/ tom, but had safely crossed that, aud the
| news came that the Saline crossing was
/ clear. Just then, however, we heard
the report Of carbine, then another,
and another, in quick succession, and
then heavier reports in the distance, and
soon one Of party who had been sent
out on the Warren road short distance
brought word that thirty or forty rebels
had been seen on the road, who fell back
on the approach Of our men, but soon
rallied and forced our men back The
sharp reports OF carbines and rihesc came
nearer, slowly, bot still nearer Rein
forcements and the howitzers were sent
down; then the firing was more rapid,
aud the thirty or forty rebels had increas.
ed TO two or three hundred. Our men
/ NtfC hIFdatE tAEh EtVudA bAk (Ahs3 hpt
drive the rebels back.
Soon after rebel prisoner was brought
in who reported that their forca consist
ed Of six thousand cavalry aud eight
| pieces Of artillery, under command OF
Major. General Pagan.
Colonel Drake Immediately ordered
the train to be parked. 1t was about
four miles in length, and the rear guard
consisted Of the 77th Ohio volunteers
/ and a aection Of Battery Z, Cd Missouri
artillery. He formed line OF battle
with the 3Sth Iowa and 43d Indiana vol
unteers on either side OF the other sec
ton of Battery f, commanded by Lieu
tenant Peetz, dismouuted part OF his
cavalry and sent them out as skirmish-
ers aud sent out the remainder to pro-
teet the TANKS Within thirty minutes
the rebels appeared in large force, and
the whole line was engaged.
The men on both sides fought with
desperation, but the rebels out numbered
us four to one. They advanced slowly
but steadily, keeping their ranks well
closed.
Our mea fought behind trees and logs,
aud were consequently less exposed than
the enemy; and had the attack only
been in front they would have held their
ground, but the enemy threw out cavalry
on each Of our TANKS, and finally closed
in upon our rear, driving back our rear
skirmisbers.
The 77th Ohio was ordered to the
front, as soon as it became evident that
the enemy were in force. They made a
double-quiek march of four miles, bat by
; the time they arrived the Seth Iowa and
. AID Indiana we're badly cut to pieces, and
our artillery in the hands Of the enemy.
, They fought short time veil, bus were
soon oyerpowered BY the enemy.
: One hundred and sixty men of our
D own, aud twice that number of the enc
. my, were either killed or wounded within
stone throw of the battery
Ali the officers with the train, but not
; connected with the command, were kill
: ed, wounded or made prisoners, except
Lieutenant Serum, who made his escape
| with few cavalry. All the cotton spec.
ulators but one, and most Of the citizens
were captured.
= Our entire loss in killed and wounded
will not exceed two hundred and City
. not over htty OF whom we're killed, and
twenty have died since the battle. None
: of our wounded, except Major McCen,ey
! were taken away BY the rebels He hac
!, one thumb and forefnger shot away
: Most ofour dead lay on the field unit
party of men from Pine BlnT came
down with flag of truce and buried
them.
The rebels buried and removed all o.
n their own dead, and carried away all o.
their wounded that could bear transpor
tation.
: They left, however, one hundred and
D twenty-seven Of their worst cases il
o houses near the field, many of whom
have since died
None Of our medical officers we're held
as prisoners except to take care of ouI
i own wounded DR.. Casselberry, Ist In
diana cavalry; DR.. RATE, of the 9Th Kan