The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-01-08
Our Military Correspondence.
FROM THE NINTH BATTERY.
FoRT RAlNEs, TULLAuoxA. TENN. }
Dec, 2bth. l863

Vur military correspondence.
FROM THE NINTH BATTERY.
FoRT RAlNEs, TULLAuoNA. TENN,
Dec. 25lh, 1863.
FRIEND CONVERSE I'VE are having a sad
Christmas, and l sit me down TO devote a
part thereof to the painful task of writing
this. On Wednesday morning, 23d inst.
some eighteen of our comrades loft the Fort
on foraging expedition, along with parties
from the other commands at this post. The
whole party consisted Of, perhaps, eighty
mon, with forty wagons. They won't in tho
direction of Mulberry, beyond which town
the wagons were loaded, and wero returning
toward home about 7 O'Clock, evening, and
just about TO go INTO camp for tho night.
within mile Of Mulberry. The country
thoreabouts is dreadfully rough, the roads
all bills and hollows, which prevents the
wagons from being kept quite close togeth.
or. One Of our wagons had reached ono of
these hollows, and the wheels we're being
unlocked. when a party Of bushwhackers
came down oross.road, seized the driver,
two men who sa. on the load, our wagon
master, aud the Lieutenant 10 command of
the train. These wero tho only persons
near, and the act was perpetratcd go sud.
denly that there was no alarm made until
another of our wagons reached the spot ;
then the cavalry and our mounted men gave
chase. but. as the iucarnates loft tho road
and took the fields for 1t, tho boys never
got sight of them. and could do nothing
Next mosning our party found the trail ;
picking mp, as they went along. the wallets
of four of the boys, which they had thrown
away. the money still within them AS they
rode along, farmer hailed thom and, upon
discovering that they we're Union soldiers,
said he had one of our men in his house,
wounded. The boys entered and found our
wagon master. James Foley, sho. through
the inside of the thigh, close to the body
He describes the tragedy thus:
"We were all at the foot of the bill when
tho guerrilas came upon Us. placing pistols
to our heads, and demanding our surrender.
We csuld do nothing else, as four of us
five we're unarmed. The guerrillas took the
Lieutenant's pistol away from him; then
placed the two men who sat upon the load
on the Lieutenants horse and mine, (be.
hind us.) one of them taking the ieamster
up behind him. Then, starting across lots
they took q circuitous route of about twenty
miles, and halted about midnight, on the
banks of Elk river, where all dsmounted.- .-
A fire was made. and they said We should,
stay there all night. and start in the morn.
ing for Bragg's Army. where VIC would be
paroed. They then said they must tie our
hands to prevent our escaping. They tied
them behind our backs, then ordered US to
fall into line, which we did. Tho leader of
tho gang, who. with his companions, stood
in limo fronting us, few feet distant, asked
his men if they were ready. "Yes." they
replied. and fired. The one who fired at
me took aim, dre,o the front cfhs hat over
has eyes, then fred All four oi US Battery
boys fell. The Lieutenant ran, but they
overlook him, and think he was murdered,
as heard some shots and groaus, and noise
in the river. Geo. Jacobs was shot in the
upper arm Drought through the hear, /;
Newell Orcutt in the bowels, and I in the
thigh. feigned dead. We were upon the
bluff about fifteen feet above the water
which was deep and very rapid. The muir
| derera returned from chasing the Lieutcn
ant, picked up Orcutt, and threw him into
the water then the rest Of US. Jacobs was
drowned, for he was not mortally wounded.
Drought was killed. Orcutt and pulled
our hands loose, ,foated quietly down stream.
and got to the bank, where we remained ill
they had gone"
Orcutt climbed up tho bank, and walked
about two miles to farm house, thinking
he was the only live one of the party. Fol.
Icy was unable TO reach shelter, and, when
found in the morning, his clothes were froze
stiff. 1t is thought Orcutt will live. ia.
cobs aud Drought we're detailed mon to us
from the 2ad Wis. Inf'y. Each leave wfo
and two children. We have heard nothing
of the Lieutenant. His name is Porter,
27th Ind. lnfy. II is said Gen. Socum will
send out force to that locality, to levy
property to the value of S25, 900, for the
benefit of the wounded mems families.
Laudable, don't you think
Dec. 26tb.-A party of our men who went
out yesterday, to bring in the wounded,
have arrived. Lieat. Porter escaped from
the fiends by swimming the river twice. He
is in hospital now, dreadfuIly bruised by
striking against the rocks. and both feet fro
zen. Noweil Orcutt died yesterday morn.
ing He was the main support of his moth.
or and two sisters. Foley is doing WE'LL
The troops here are clamorous to be let
loose on Mulberry and its adjacencies, bu;
that cannot be. Yours truly.
CHAS. LTSLE.
PERFEorIoN-A friend called on Mi.
ehae Angelo, who was finishing a statue;