Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-07-04
An Indiana Regiment Out TO Pieces

We have been furnished with the fol-
lowing interesting letter for publication:
OFFICE QUARTERMAsrER Bath IND,
BRAzos SANTIAGO, Texas, May II,
/ lam panied to write you in our pres
ent circumstances. 'Tis but lew days
since our regiment was cut TO pieces
under circumstances that we're truly
horrifying. This post is commanded by
the Colonel of colored regiment, aud
wishing to establish for himself some
notoriety before the war closed, he
started colored regiment to Browns
vile, on the Rio Grande, in direct vio-
lation of orders from headquarters.
They met the enemy and had to fall
back, and on the night of the 18th our
regiment was ordered toreinforce them.
After marching till daylight we met the
ensny--all cavalry. The Colonel com
manding ordered us to press them
steadily. The cavalry fell back slowly.
Our Colonel suspected that as we had
neither cavalry nor artillery that We were
being drawn into trap. Still the COM
mandinR officer ordered US onward.
After advancing some twenty miles the
rebel infantry and artillery opened upon
as, while the cavalry, heretofore in sight,
was nowhere visible. a - 20,
The rebels were five to our one. Their
artillery poured into eur ranks q de-
structive ere. An order was given to
retreat doeble-quick-the worst time in
the world for such an order-but the
men, who were much cooler than their
commander, fell back steadily, keeping
up heavy Ere. Cur skirmishers, hRV-
ing no orders to fall back, were all
either killed .orcaptzrsd After we had
retreated three miles, the rebel cavalry
made it's appearance in our rear, cutting
us completely off. The men were not
long in msssing and cutting their way
through, bat the rebsl artillery played
upon them terribly. This was repeated
several times, our soldiers fighting des-
perAtely. The day was hot and the Ere
was hotter. At last the rebels got 3
cavalry reinforcement, and made 6ne
charge upon us. We were now close to
the river, and many rushed to the water
for safety The color guards were all
shot down bat the sergeant. he tore
the colors from the staff, and also the
banner, tied the flag around his own
body, and leaped into the river. A SOL
| dier took the banner and followed his
example. The latter escaped, but the
sergeant was shot and sank to the bot
tom. The rebels got his body the mex
day and took off the Hag -
OF three hundred men started out in
the morning, only eighty escaped, and
the most of these by swimming to the
Mexican shore. twas the most abom
Unable affair that / ever knew of. The
commandant of the post had asked per.
mission of department headquarters tc
make demonstration, but was fatty re
fused He took the responsibility o
making one, and is now under arrest
Our men who were taken prisoners came
in to-day, paroIed They say they wer,
well treated, snG the rebel General tolC
one of our Captains that if the whit
regiment had come up alone they woulC
have surrendered to us, but that the,
would never surrender to niggers The,
V said they believed the war was PLAYED
out, but thought this . good opportunit
to give us a whipping. Many Of on
men would not surrepder, bat were sho
T down. The rebel sdjutant said he VA
. sorry to see it, but could not help 1t.
Two of the rebel officers came int
camp with our men. They were full o
l fun, and said they would all be friend
, soon, as they intended TO surrender I
go home. The French helped them. W
took 3 few prisoners in the morning, an
> most of them were Maximiian's Frenc
soldiers. Itis to be hoped be viii &c
: his Fill Of fighting United States troops
{ We can prove that our men were IRE
, on by. the French from the Mexica
shore, And that they sent ammunitio
: over to the rebels There was q con
Z pany OfTTexans, made up mostly of d.
o serters from the rebels. .Aa fast as the
n were captured they were shot dowI
Neither would the deserters surrsBde
;. for they knew it would be death, and 5
i died fphtiur.