Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-09-16

A DlseRAcEFUL AFrAIK From Capt.
ShinkIe.- of the steamer COLOSSUS; We
laarp the particulars of one Of the mosi
disgraceful afairs that has occurred
daripg. the var, and ons -hieh calls
loudlg for rigid invsstigAtion and ssvere
punishn eat "A .
On Tuesday evening Lieut Higgins,
With 8 guard of SIX men, was placed
aboard the Colossus at smithIand, having
in charge Capt Steele and thirteen men
whom be bad recruited in Henderson
county, KY, for the rebel army, who
had been captared at fddYvills by the
4sth Keutucky regiment They were
placed on the hurricane roof, where
they remained through the night.
Lieut.. Higgins indulged pretty freely,
and was not as sober as man might
be, from short time after the boat left
Southland. = - 2 = 4 z 4
, During the night the officers Of the
boat observed that the prisoners were
allowed unusual liberties, and that they
we're roaming about the boat pretty
much At pleasure, but supposing the
guard understood their business, did
not deem it necessary TO interfere.
About 4 o'clock on Wednesday morn
ing, while The boat was between Battery
Rock and Weston, the guard having all
gone % sleep exc ept, perhaps, one, who
vas placed at::ths head of the stairs, were
deprived of their arms BY the prisoners,
who soon oEsFpowered~ the guard; not,
however, without some show Of resis-
lance. w sas .Tit.4aD tssa.i s1f 8
Capt sbinkls had just relieved 81.
NcCraeken at the wheel, when one Of
the rebels with s-musket approached the
man at the head Of the stairs and de-
manded his surrender.
The guard WAS quickly disasmed. . s
One of the guard awadng, rushed 10.
ward Capt. Steele who. in moving back,
tripped on. ., cable aud fsll 10 the deck
The soldier cred at him but missed.
Steele recovering shot the guard killing
him instantly. Another guard vas also
killed and a third was badly wounded.
The others had already been disarrned.
The rebels then drew themselves up in
front of the pilot house aud ordered
Capt. SbiRkle 10 land the boat, whieh
was then near Weston, Ky. With half
dozen muskets and reviewers pointed at
him Capt. Shinkls bad no alternative
but to land or be killed, and he aceords
ingIy ran hia beat ashore Capt Steele
then instituted search for Lieut. Hig-
gins in ordsrto obtain the passes taken
from him on being captured. - -
The valorons Higgins was at last
found under the bed OF the chamber
maid. During the fght he bad stack
his head above the hurricane roof and
seeing the stale Of affairs had 50 ught
this place OF safety. The papers had,
however, been found on the person OF
the Sergeant, who had been killed, and
upon learning this the rebels went ashore.
Steele at first declared bis intsnlioh
to burn the boat and barges, but waa per-
susded BY Capt shinkIe, who had shown
the scoundreI some kipdness, to dssist,
and let the COLOSSUS proceed np the
river. &c sld4ou 0l 3a arA4
Lieut.. Higgins with his men returned
20 Smithland In 10 enviabIe mood, and
II the facts upon Investigation torn out
as bad as reported, he stands an excel
lent chance Of being shot for neglect of
duty. fEftE*a
When the rebswere pointing thsirgans
at Capt Shinkle and ordering him to
land the boat he very politely and sub
missively replied, ellll do H. And ".
would "liko to SEES thesnan that wooldn't."
This was case of gross neglect Of
duty and an example is loudly called
for. s'A ~ - = p