Year: 1863

DOlo hc@NC SuOnu JucIuSGlN0S HOL UdlO-
box fops nor hireling soldiers, but brave
men enlisted for their country in her
hour of need, ever glad to prove them
selves possessed of the same spirit that
animated the heroes of '76. .


During the greater part of our. service,
we have been led by that gallant COM
mander, Gen. Z. Dumont; and we, his
soldiers, would not fatter when we de-
clare him as brave and chivalric as any
patriot on the field Of one thing we
were always certain when with Gen. Du-
mont, and that is, that we would never
be surprised into a defeat. We might
be overcome by superior numbers, but
even then it would require the best
efforts of the Southern chivalry, exerted
in the very last ditch. We had some
fighting and good deal of work to do
while in Kentucky, and many good
horse and brave man fell under the hard
ships of that campaign For six months,
,npHsns hill and down anotberqfhfougg
Jlfe rocKs and woods and valleys OF Ken
lucky, we pursued that arbitrator John
Morgan, and we taught him at least that
if he met us he would meet spirit that
could not brook defeat 'Tis true we did
not catch him, but we caused him to get
out of Kentucky in such great haste that
he has not chosen to show his dastardly
face there since.


We had not been in Kentucky long
until we got fight, the very thing that
we all wanted. The first was at Leba-
non Junction, where Col. Schuler (then
Captain), with sixty men, attacked and
routed three hundred rebels, which was
pronounced one of the most brilliant
teats of the war;


The next was at Mount Washington,
where Col Shuler (then Lieut. ColOnel:)
with the advance guard Of his battalion,
60 men, charged on the rear guard of
Bragg's army, consisting of 100 men
under Gen. Forest, killed Is and drove
Forest over hill where he carried his
wounded, thereby rendering it imposs
Bile to learn how many Of them were
wounded. There the enemy rallied, and
making flank movement, attempted to
cut our little party off from the reserve.
The order was instantly given to "drdlo
sabre" and our brave boys dashed
among them, and made their way out in
manner that we sometimes read of,
| but scarcely ever see. In that gallant
! charge Col Shuler fell, from a shot in
the head that every one thought was IA
tai The enemy captured his sword, but
the boys never would give up his body.
The little band again rallied, and rescu
ed their commander from the hands of
the exultant rebels. Our Colonel being
wounded, we were deprived of his SER
vices for a long time, but his accident
only served to show we had other'brave
and gallant officers in our regiment be-
sides our Colonel. Major John Devices
Regiment, and under his guidance and
direction we have done the most of that
service which we hope will cause Indi-
ana to be ever proud to claim US as her
own.


Major Devices came into our regl-
ment almost stranger to us all, but
agreeable and sociable to every one, pos
sessing a keen insight into everything
that was going on around us, he became
at once not only a friend, but one in
whom we could trust our highest hopes
and most vital interests. You may think
that l speak too highly of our officers,
but only utter the sentiments of the
boys Of our regiment, and it is the high
est praise that we can give them to say
that we want no other Under Major
Devices we came from Kentucky, to po-
sition in the front of the great Army of
the Cumberland, and our regiment ami
mated by the same spirit that should
warm the breast of every defender of the
Union, is now only waiting for another
opportunity to make a mark in favor of
Republicanism | am certain that if
the troops from other States are as hope
full as those from Indiana, the rebellion
may last one year or ten years, but still
it must be crushed. But while there is
great deal to do by the sword and mus
ket, still there is mighty work to be
done at home, and rest assured that
those who WELD the pen in favor of the
Government have our warmest sympa
thies, and will claim no small share Of
the honors of our victory.


Send Us paper occasionally, and you
will have warmest thanks of a


PRIVATE.