, 1864-05-19
IN EAYETTE CO,
Vaudaifa Inynded hy CoppcrI,cad Gucs
Fifln4.

Correspondence Of tho Chicago Tribrnc.l
CEs1nAI1A. Nay 49, 1861.
I have been unable to notice either in yonr
paper or the Missouri Democrat my allusion
to tie recent disturbances in and about Van
dalia. It is but justice to the loyal people Of
Southern Illinois, that the mlscreants and
traitors that infcst this country should be
exposed, and, therefor, will do 20 by brief.
ly stating the facts.
On MondAy, the 9th, scven or eight malig-
rant copperheads came into Ytndulta from
the country, and amoxg the number was a
Mr- Smith, whom the soldiers compelled to
take the oath of allegiance few days preyi-
Gus for lur1ahinE for JET. Davis On Mon
day, Smith and his two sons got into fight
With three soldiers, which resulted In the
to1 shot. One Of the young Smiths was
slightly wounded In the thigh, one Of the
soldiers was shot In the hand, and acother
WAS hit on the head with brick The aol-
der who Was supposed to have killed Smith
iu.1r ediate}y lett The other tro were aT-
ton and wire discharged, IT having been
clearly rroycu TINT neither done any shoot
Ing and that old Smith fired the first shot
II Was supposed, Notwithstanding the
threats made by Copperheads, that after
their discharge nothing would be done aud
LUG GACllG1lGuk "Uulu CSx9E oul vi ETluAy
morning, about four O'clock. about sixty
mounted Copperhcads came into town, arm
ed to the teeth. They Inquired for The SOL
dieis who had been under arrest, and search
ed the hotels to find them, but both had gono
on tie train during the night.
becarse he objected to.feeding his hay, took
possession OF the telegraph office, blockaded
the railroad 10 prevent construction train
1t the depot from egoiug south, expressed
great desire to fight soldiers, citizens, huu-
a1ed days Hen, took breakfast at the hotels
the forenoon left town, threatening to return,
and hurJahing for Jen- Davis aad. Deaure.
gard. They went north from Vandalia to
Ramsey, thirteen miles, and there conducted
tht mseIves in about the Same manner.
During the night before they came to Van
dalta they net 1re to railroad bridge and dos
troy ed about one hundred feet Of Telegraph.
One Of them stated to lady north Of Van.
dalia, after they left thu place, that they had
been organized several days ana intended to
actia guorillas all summer. In aud near
Van Bureusburg, q small village in Mont
gone1y county, thirteen miles from Wanda
liz, ia their rendezvous. During the Last
two months strangers have been coming in to
that settlement, from where none of the re-
srectable people have any knowledge, aud
now 1t ia estimated that they number forty
and live with the Knights Of the Circle
In that county. When they were in Wanda
liz 1t wrs noticed that almost the entire party
were strangers, md old citizens who have
lived in Vandalia forty years could not rccog-
pize more than dozen Of the party. Their
Captain wore Confederate uniform aud was
genuine specimen Of Southern chivnlFy.
Now, what the Vandalia people. wish to
know Is, will tho Government authorities
take any action to rid the country of these
! cut ::throats2 Or will the the people Of Van
| dalia be subject to the will of such men?
Van Buzenburg is about the worst place out
| side Of the Southern Confederacy, and the
people are the sort exnct1y to secreto such
l fnffans. ..,
They have with them Col Goode, who
Was for short time Colonel Of tho 2lst I'LL
nois, ard son Of his who has been Major
In the Confederate army. This Major Goode
with small party, some time ago robbed
some Of the Union people in the neighbor-
hood of Van Burensburg Of their fro arms.
J he, and doubtless Others Of the party, took
the benefit Of Mr.. Lincoln's amnesty pzocla-
1naion-:others Of them are reported as Being
| portion pf the O. Huir gang that murdered
the eoldiefs and citizens In ChArleston.