Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-04-04

ASIDE. lie WAS wounded slightly in the abdomen
and on each hand. and had several bullet holes
through his clothes. Court VA. IN session at the
time. and a. soon as the firing commenced the
Sheriff. John 5 O'Hair. left the COURTROOM and
took part in the ARRAY. In the course of a couple
Of minutes four soldiers and one citizen (Wells)
were killed or mortAiiv wounded. and eleven
citizens and soldiers nose or less severely wound
ed Saiisfed with what they had accomplished.
the men from The 20 Hair Settlement" ceased
firing and left the tosn.
Col Mitchell telegrsphed to Nation for more
troops aud. in the course Of so hour. L cut Col
Chapman with Two hundred and h,ty arrived a,
Charleston. just AZ they took Up position on
the square prisoner. John Cooper who had on
previous OCCASIONS rendered himself quite obnox-
ous 10 the soldiers attempted 10 ESCAPE BY enter
ing the store OF John jenkins volley was
fred at him. just as he reached the door. which
killed Cooper and the proprietor of the store who
was standing just outside Mr. jenkins was
very e-timabe citizen. and a republican This
increased the number of victims TO seven
Col Mitchell sent out several detachments, in
different directions.
Intelligence OF the ARRAY was sent to all parts
Of the county; and the most intense excitement
prevailed everywhere. consequent upon the wild
exaggeratons which were passed from lip 70 lip
Ii appeared N though all had surrendered them
selves completely TO their fears. and. with trem0-
ling lips and limbs. they armed and assembled in
defense of their homes from a foe which existed
solely in their own imaginations.
Ii was reported that the rioters. To the number
of three or four hundred strong, had assembled at
Collidays Mills, some eight or ten miles north
east of Charleston. and notwithstanding the
presence of troops. the people of the county scat
were apprehensive of an attack. On Tuesday
night. Col Mitchell with select party Of men
NJ. ffad( oil Jth. horn had
been no assemblage OF men there A party or
the rioters returning from Charleston to their
homes, had stopped there few moments, on
Monday evening: but since their departure, there
had been there. The feverish imagna-
ton of the people then had the camp located
at Donnaker's Point. some ten miles further on.
In few hours. reliable intelligence received
that the people from the country were med
itating an attack that night ON Mattoon. Fifteen
hundred well-armed men under the lead of John
5 O'Hair the Sheriff of the county, were said TO
be already upon the march: they were 10 be as
sisted by force of three hundred men. who were
to attack from the south; two hundred men
then said to be rendezvousing eight miles above.
were TO attack from the north and eight hundred
men from Shelby and MOultrie counties, then in
camp at Collins Mills. about ten miles to the
west
Twenty eight hundred well-armed and desner-
ate men we're marching on Nation from differ
ent directions, and would make simultaneous
attack a fent on Charleston was to be made at
the same time Nation was doomed The
telegraph was brought into requlsition and assist
ance implored. The alarm bells were rung. and
the citizens appraised of their danger and enrolled
| in deteuce OF their homes. The Essex House
was barricaded, and defended on the north by
two three rows of rifle pits All the old shot
guns and pistols were brought forth, and oiled
and cleaned and loaded with deadly powder and
bullet Pickets and videttes surrounded the town
in double chains and guards and patrols and grim
sentuelS paraded everywhere. As night closed
down The lights from distant farm houses glanced
over the smooth prairie to the eager eyes which
sought TO penetrate the gathering gloom See
the picket fires OF the enemy" was passed from
lips to lips that trembled and grew whittier as they
spoke Railroad trains arrived from the north
east ana west. bringing the 4Ith Indiana, Col.
Slack, from Indianapolis: the 4lst Illinois, Col.
Isaac Pugh, with Col Ooaks, the Provost Mar
shat General of the State, from Spring field. and
detachment OF the 9th Missouri. Lieut. Galva.
/ from Lltchted 4 strong detachment was also
sent from the east to Charleston In trembling
anxiety, shaking and shvering with cold and
fear, the excited citizens paced the streets all
night. and. when DAYLIGHT broke upon the scene.
half ashamed of the cowardly fears To which they
had surrendered themselves, they quickly sought
their homes and went to sleep. About o'clock
in the morning the military authorities, deeming
it strange that the bO0dthirsty men, whom scouts
/ reported in such countless numbers in It's very
/ outskirts did not attack the town. determined To
assume the offensive The camp al Collins
\ Mills was selected the point of attack. and
with railroad train which set them down AZ the
proper place one and one halt miles east of
/ Windsor. the veterans lett Pana With a trustv
/ cit "A INIT hay aftu fam rloc
through the mud and water from the 'ioint of de
barkation. With hopes elate of complete sur
/ prise " I'D fatigue was too much for them. Al Il
/ they pressed At last the place indicated was
reached. There was no camp there, neither had
there been a camp there No traces or informa-
ton OF eight hundred men, eighty or even eight
men. could he found in that whole region Wet,
hungry, ana fatigued with soured spirits and
sOiied clothes. the troops returned from their
boOtieSs march, reaching Nation about eight
o'clock.
The concentration of citizens at various points
are all OF similar character. The abolitioniss
are frightened, and fy with terror from their
| own shadows. Whenever man Is seen on
horseback he is regarded as an advance
guard. and thousand, .'sre known" to ride be-
hind him So intensely Disguised are the mill
tary men with the sensee>S fright OF these PEI lie
that the 47th Indiana LETT soon after its return
! from Collins Mills. n lid al:o the detachment
of the 9th Missouri Col Oakes also leaves tor
Spring held u dav. ami the 4lst Illinois will toll
/ low, leaving the 54th here and at Charleston all
alone Ii will doubtless prove sufficient to over
come the countless hOrdes Oi vengeiul Democrats
I which abolition fears have created aud marched
/ up and down the country in search of whom they
might devour
! The "boys in blue" are intensely amused al
the rifle pits constructed by the terrified abolition
lists To protect the north side OF the Essex House.
/ Instead of making a trench and breastwork "a il
| usually done. in which one man support an
/ other, aud, II not too hard pressed. the rHemen
can withdraw unobserved the abolitioniSt- made
/ eight or ten feet apart, as if they were coniem
| plating setting out trees in very crooked rows
/ They had several lines of these rife pits -
which would have proved admirable for grave
4 yard purposes.
| When the ARRAY commenced at Charleston.
| Hon. John K. Eden. who had been eudeavorins
To prevent il, left the place He walked to
WeStheld that night, distance of ten mile,
where he remained until the iolloNine morning.
when carriage was procured with which he
went 10 Marshal. and from thence to Terre
/ Haute.
/ Democrats here and at Charleston are much
! incensed at the conduct OF the men from
/ "O'Hair's Settlement" who commenced and
who alone participated in the atfrnv They
and with a preconcer'ed plan rs to how It should