Year: 1862

Of il that will last me to my grave The
enemy knew that they had us in the
"dry valley" aud We're determined TO
keep US there at any expense of blood
and men. They boasted at Harrodsburg
on the 7th, and on the day of the fight,
that water was fifteen miles in our rear,
and that thirst would be our destruction;
that they had the springs in front and
would hold them. They proved TO be
not pertinacious enough Ia make good
their boast


At "a. NJ, on the 9Th, the rebel army
forced back oa cur cavalry pickets on the
central crescent-shaped hill; the cavalry
sending for reinforcements, two regiments
Of infantry and a battery Of artillery
were sent to make the position good
during the night. Rife firing continued
until day dawn, when "Hashed forth the
red artillery" on the enemy advancing to
retake the position he sLould have kept
the evening before Battery was opposed
to battery as they threw Themselves back
on the roade from Perryville to flank us
toward Lebanon on our right and toward
Bloomfield on our left and crush ont our
advance before the centre or rear could
come up, until the line of battle was ex-
tended one mile on our right and four
miles on our left in shape like a gigantic
reapinghook.


Their artillery was of the best con-
struction, and was handled in the most
admirable manner, as witness the mur-
derous precision of their fire smooth
bores, rifled guns, and the unerring and
far shooting "Parrott" of all calibres,
from six TO thirty Founders, raining on
our heads and around us storms of shot
and she'll, sharpnell, grape, canister, and
every conceivable pr0jectile invented by
man to slay his fellow man. The earth
now is literally covered with iron and
lead for miles upon miles that was thun-
dered forth by both armies from before
day dawn until the second hour Of the
moonlight. The roar of artillery was in
cessant from centre 70 right and from
centre TO left, except partial lull in the
afternoon, when the enemy was marshal-
ing bis forces for his last desperate and
fearful attack on our left. Then as he
extended his lines, ours were extended;
as he opened battery we galloped one
up in opposition, until the fire appeared
to be interminable, when The artillery
was all unmasked.


Our infantry regiments that were
formed for the support of our artillery,
were attacked by the rebels with the most
desperate valor; charge after charge was
made all day on our centre, but it was of
no avail. The cheers of our men could
be heard above the roar of battle mile
as they repulsed him, and charging in
turn drove hun back The roar OF the
cannon, the death like shrek of the elon-
gated shell, the whiz of the round shot,
and the whir and rush of the many va
rieties of death dealing rifle balls, the
rattle of the musketry, with the boom Of
the cannon and the shsrp-ringing, air
| shaking explosion Of the shell, making
the air hideous with noises, were enough
TO make the strongest man stand aghast
and TO realize that the dread king of ter
rors was himself directing the storm.
And, horror of horrors, men who had
sucked at the same breast took
deadly aim at each other in this State
of Kentucky in this civil war. Sure
ly Gods peculiar curses will be rained
down on those who inauguraied this fra
tricidal strife for nothing but lust of pO-
litical power or an abstract idea.


We held our ground firmly all day and
night on our centre. On our right oul
tide Of battle prevailed, and the enemy
were swept back past Perryville, and w
captured there a large number Of prison.
ers and ammunition wagons, which were
sentto our rear during the night. On.our lef
were his most determined attacks in th'
endeayor to force us south, cut off ou


supply trains from Louisville, and force


us into a country more desolate than th'
one we held. His attacks there werj


fearful; his men, with reserves, marched


from their coyerts Of wood in solid line
up to our regiments, posted in line o


battle, with his artillery playing on then


from his cross batteries on the distan


hill tops under cover Of the woods. Ou


batteries had TO be placed on open heights


as he had chosen his position of battl'


on his retreat, and our artillery and in


fantry were both exposed and in ful


view. His .skirmishing infantry tool


every advantage Of tree aud stump


stonewall and fence, as he came on, an'


some Of our regiments were decimate'


before the charge and shock Of arms tool


place. He was repulsed and driven back


but came up again and again TO the charG


in the most gallant and determined man


ner, and at last, at fearful cost Of lif


TO himself, captured and hauled of 4


one of his hospitals, one Of our batteries


and silenced two others that he was un


able TO move; the horses being all slair
His army was so horribly cut up that h
} was compelled to retreat before day dow
! on the oh, and left our battery at hi
, hospital with the wheels chopped up.
great part Of the men Of both a
: mics who fought this battle were thos
r Of Shiloh, who were used TO scenes Z
= blood and carnage, and unwilling TO re
G treat on either side, which accounts Il
"a ~ 4 ~. .t-.....f. fIau "a A. fltaf NhI