Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-12
From our oMn CORRESPONDENT.
HIcKMAv, KY, Feb. Sd, 1864.
Detachment 18th Ind. Cav.

HICKMAN, KY, Feb. Sd, 1864. !
Detachment 18th Ind. Cav.
Friend Thayer:
By the considerateness of one of your
citizens, have been greatly gratifed to-
day by the perusal of copy of the
Evansville Journal of the 25th ult, and
a copy of the Evansville Times of the
23d ult The face of your paper was to
me as the countenance of familiar ac
quaintanee, while the dress and general
air of the other, though got up with taste
and artistical effect, was to my eyes as a
stranger just introduced to my notice,
with whom on closer acquaintance I
might, perhaps, find qualities commend
ing it to my esteem and confidence. l
hope it will give hearty support to the
Government in It's honest and cordial en-
deavor to crush this detestable rebellion;
as for anything else, have no DISPOSE
ton or time to give, in offering sugges-
tons. From both papers, l learned
much that l wished to know. Business
appears to be brisk in Evansville;
amusements find their appropriate OPP
portunities, while the general affairs of
the nation seem not to be neglected /
hope the people of your fair burgh,"
will ever be prosperous, despite the
blighting effects of political strife, social
discord, or fell civil war, for l have
treasured in my memory too many en-
dearing recollections-too many heart
felt associations contracted during my
long sojourn in your midst, to entertain
any other wish.
Winter, with his hoary locks and icy
breath, has bid US farewell; and has
gone to his bleak home in the far north
and Spring, sustained in the blue en-
pyrean,b by balmy zephyrs, sheds upon us,
in blissful tenderness, the mild influence
of her animating presence. This is not
exaggeration, for the delightful amenity
Of the weather, is such as your people
will experience in the latter part of May.
Though TO us this transition is very
gratifying, yet fear the change has pro
duced only disastrous effects to our com
rades, who are on their march to Mem
phis When that march was commenced
thirteen days ago, the earth was coated
with ice and snow, and the streams were
covered with CLASSY pavement as firm
as adamant Had the weather contin
ued cold, the march would have been nc
worse than what we experienced while
on our pursuit of Forrest and Faulkner
when we went to Jackson, Tennessee
But the sudden change melted the snow
the aceumulations whereof swelled the
streams, and overfowed the river bot
toms, making the passage through them
rather a hazardous undertaking. The
ice beneath the water was, from all &C
counts, rendered rotten, and gave wa,
beneath the tread of the horses; and a!
it did so, it was uncertain whether the
animal would have sufficient strength
with its load, TO extrIcate itself. The
result has been much suffering among
the men and considerable loss among
the horses. The expedition as original,
planned, had to be abandoned. Thu
Seventh Indiana cavalry, under Colone
Shanks, battalion of the Second Hi
nois, under the indomitable Captain
Frank Moore, and the Nineteeth Penn
sylyania cavalry, together with small
portion of the Fourth Missouri, takin!
the road by Trenton; and the Seconl
New Jersey, with the greater part of tn,
Fourth Missouri, escorting the supply an,
baggage train, taking the road highe
, up, by the way of Dresden, Huntington
&c. The road to Troy was unexception
: able, IN measure, compared with wha
5 it afterwards became. In passinl
, through the Obion bottoms, many horse
became .transfxed in the deem sot
slough, and had to be abandoned. tn
} riders scarcel y able to save themselves
: much less their arms and equipment:
4 The river itself had to be ferried. an
. in doing so, it is reported to US today b
]. II. c. Berry, the guide, that abou
] thirty of the Nineteenth Pennsylvani
t cavalry were drowned, in a rash attemr
to swim their horses across. The roa
| on the other side of the Obion river wa
not a viii. better, than it was on this side
and but few at home can conceive tn
e hardship and toll undergone by the me
q engaged in the undertaking. Min
. miles was the extent of this dismal an
dreadful passage, and it is said by ever
person conversant with the topographica
e condition of the country, that the bottor
;, of the Forked Deer river, and tn
e Hatchie, will be found in a far NOR
. wretched state, besides being greater /
their breadth-the Forked Deer bein
thirteen miles, and the Hatchie bottom
: even broader. The men who were III,
q mounted by the unforeseen and nntf
: ward occurrences of the passage. hav
procured other animals suitable for the;
e purposes, and there is no doubt on m
mind that any person taking part in tn
/ expedition, will be at all worse mounte
when the march shall have been accom-
plished, than he was at the outset; an
$ that too, at little or no expense to tn
n Government. Cavalry in the field, in tn
e country of the enemy, which is abul
: dainty supplied with forage and stock,
& their commanders are of the right kind {
;, mettle, are subsisted and kept efficient
much less expense to the nation, and al
k far more formidable, than the same nun
Y Der of infantry
: In the region of country between tn
Oblon and the Forksd Deer about 4
: miles from Hickman, is church yclepe
Bethlehem, in which the guerrillas wer
having quite jubilee, conseripting tn
* male inhabitants in pursuance of til
proclamation of jeff Davis. each reeru
; yielding $l25 Confederate money. Car
J Frank Moore, who, by the way is a res
ular and unsurpassed guerrilla bunte
+ commanding a battalion of the ID Ill
nois cavalry, hearing of their procee,
ings, took fifty of his men and went
L the place where these reasonable doing
e were being transacted. Swift, secre