Year: 1862

March Q, 1862


EDIroR SENTINEL Since wrote you last at Camp
Halleck. ten miles beyond this, which we left some
ten or twelve days since on account of bad water,
events so numerous and OF such exciting interest
have transpired, that I hardly know where to
commence. will give you a short detail and as
usual refer you to the daily papers for full par
ticulars


On the night of the 9th inst we were all aroused
from our sIumbers, and ordered to issue and cook
two days rations and hold ourselves in readiness
to give battle to the enemy, who was coming
upon Us in great numbers He was there already
attacking Sigel's forces, who remained back in
his encampment near Camp Halleck During
the day following, the 9th. be (SigeD was sue
cessful in repulsing the enemy, but thought it
advisable to fall back so as to concentrate all our
available force. While he was engaging the
enemy we were terrifying our already strong po-
sition at the creek, supposing that be would fol-
low up Sigel's retreat; before night, however, we
were cons inced that no attempt was intended 10
be made to face our bristling cannon, or descend
into the certain valley of death which he would
have to cross in continuing the pursuit, but, that
he was willy enough to be fianking US so as to
cut off our retreat from the entire rout and over
throw be had prepared for us-we our situa-
tiol, abandoned our position at the creek, fell
back with our baggage train one mile. halted il
on an eminence that would take some hard fight
ing for the enemy 10 reach, who had by this time
got in rear. That night we slept on our
arms momentarly expecting attack. Next
morning, the 7th, our forces were moved out to
find the Whereabouts of this monstrous army,
numbering, as some prisoners state, from
forty to fifty thousand. He was not long
in making his appearance; at about quarter past
nine O'Clock Se heard the thunder of artillery
the work of death had already commenced As
do not know officially what forces were engsg-
ed. will not attempt to give all. j know Sigel
was there; / know Davis was there; that the
22d, the 18th and the Sth Indiana regiments with
the two Illinois regiments, the two of the other
brigade comprising our division were there. The
roar of cannon, the roll of musketry and the
clash of contendng arms we're heard until after
the sun had sunk in the West. Those of us at
tached to the Quartermaster's Department hay-
ing charge of the train of wagons, the rations,
along with other forces not engaged, when we
saw with what determination our enemy held on,
were more than once fearful what might be the
issue. We were ordered to have our train ar
ranged in such manner that IL might be readily
burned in case of our men not being able to hold
their ground. We held it though, but the sacri-
fee was great Col Hendricks was killed early
in the day; one of our Lieutenants, Perry Watts
of Company X, and greater number wounded,
two of which will prove fatal.


Our men remained on the field that night. We
sent them some refreshments prepared for them
during the day by men left back for that purpose.
The next day by sunrise our ears were again sa-
luted 10y the sound of artil ery, and the din which
came from the field of battle told us what was
going on. Peal after peal followed in quick sue
ceSsion, and the continuous and heightened sound
of musketry which now seemed to be nearer and
then farther of, continued until Is o'clock in the
afternoon, and all was still-the enemy fed the
day was ours If our loss was great his was tre-
mendous. The battlefield was literally covered
with his dead and dying. No accurate computa-
ton can yet be made; to say they had fallen by
hundreds would not give you any idea OF his
loss.


To-day, the 9th, our dead and wounded were
looked after, and those still living made as COM
Portable as possible. No trace of the enemy is to
be found. A provision train arrived from Spring
field without being in the least obstructed Nc
Culough and Mcintosh were killed and Price
wounded. We have about three or four hundred
prisoners certain; there may be more, can't say
yet. 4t


Our Colonel (Hendricks) died like true
soldier at his post. As we saw him in camp,
with the boys, the kind hearted gentleman moving
among them their father looking after their
wants, giving to each kind word, to smooth the
hardness of soldiers lot; so he stuck to them
in their hour of trial, and showed them that he
was willing, along with them, to risk his life,
rather than see dismembered one of the greatest
Governments the world ever saw, and to hand
down to his and their children the liberties pur-
chased by the blood of our fathers. He is dead; ;
but future generations will bless and venerate
him as another martyr added to that list of noble
spirits who will not lose their reward.


/ subjoin list of killed and wounded in our
brigade, and close, as it is late:


22d Indiana-9 killed, 80 wounded, 2 mortal
ly; l9th-4 killed. 30 wounded, 3 mortally, 2
missing; 6th--5 killed, % wounded, 3 missing.


Yours, &C., @. S. q.