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Greetings,
I attempted to post the below letter in another thread, but, for some reason, the Edit function has totally died. Accordingly, I am posting this missive in a separate thread.
Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Northern Indianian, 6 February 1862 (picked up from the Lafayette Daily Courier)
The Indiana Tenth at Cliff Creek
--Its Killed and Wounded
Through the courtesy of L. B. Stevenson, Esq., we are furnished the following
letter, received this morning from Capt. J[oseph] F. Taylor of Co. D.:
CAMP LOGAN, Pulaski Co., Ky.,
January 20, 1862.
Dear Family: I now feel, for the first time since I left you, that I have
something to write to you that will interest you. On last Friday [January
17th] about noon we pitched our tents at this place, after several days march
over the worst roads I ever traveled.
This place is about seven miles from Somerset, and about the same distance
from Zollicoffer's fortifications. Our pickets were thrown out from 1 ½ to 2
miles that night. About 12 o'clock at night they were fired upon by the
enemy's cavalry. The long roll was beat and the "old Tenth" was soon in line
of battle. But it was no go at that time.
On Saturday Company C and Company D were ordered on picket. We stood all
that day, the rainiest I ever saw, and was relieved about dusk by Companies I
and K, and yesterday (Sunday) morning they were fired on. The Tenth was
again prompt, and what a scene of blood and carnage followed. I do suppose a
hotter battle was never fought in the same length of time. The Tenth alone
had to contend with eight regiments for nearly one hour without any aid, and
seeing they were about to flank us at both wings we fell back until the
Fourth Kentucky, Colonel [Speed S.] Fry's regiment, fell in with us. We then
advanced. Soon the Ninth Ohio was up. Now our artillery booms over amongst
them.
Still fiercely they ply their "bull dogs," and still the battle rages on
furiously. Now comes to our relief the Second Minnesota: the scales soon
began to turn. Still it is like the billowly surges tempest-tossed lake,
sometimes in favor or one and then the other, but, finally, God be praised!
Col. Fry and Gen. Zollicoffer come close together. Zolly says to Fry: "So I
understand these are my men," pointing to our forces. "No," said Fry; upon
which Zolly shot Fry's horse under him, and Fry leveled his pistol and
discharged the contents into the bosom of the proud nabob. He reeled! he
fell! he's dead! now they are panic stricken. Now they falter. Still the
battle rages on.
But now their artillery ceases to roar. Now the self-conceited rebels'
hearts begin to fail. Now they run, and oh! what a spectacle! They run, and
now we come to their dead and wounded. The woods are literally covered with
them. Turn where you will, you see them. Such a sight I never expected to
see. Our men now pursue. I did not go further than this point, for I was
now exhausted myself. After looking over the field for a time, I returned to
camp with Capt. [James H.] Vanosdale [Vanarsdall of Company B], who was very much exhausted. We found Capt. [Alexander] Hogeland [of Company G] also in the rear, taking care of the dead and wounded,
and each company bearing several men back. We staid [sic] at camp and our
forces pushed on and run them into the fortifications.
They were well fortified. Our forces bombarded them until nightfall. Then
they ceased until this morning when they commenced again. About eight
o'clock this morning the Four[t]eenth Ohio and Tenth Kentucky, who had no
share in the battle, entered the fort, and behold the enemy had fled during
the night, leaving 100 wagons[,] 1000 horses, 300 mules, six pieces of
artillery, all their camp equipage, officer's trunks, swords[,] blankets and
everything used in camp life. It is the greatest victory of the rebellion.
We have been engaged all day to-day in burying the dead of the enemy, said to
be over three hundred killed and wounded.
OUR KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Now for the damage on our side. I can only give you the result in our own
regiment.
Co. A, one killed and three wounded.
Co. B, two killed and fourteen wounded.
Co. C, one killed, [1st] Lieut. [James H.] McAdams, and three wounded.
Co. D, one wounded, very slight.
Co. E, one killed and six wounded.
Co. F, three killed and four wounded.
Co. G, five wounded.
Co. H, one killed and eight wounded.
Co. I, one killed and five wounded.
Co. K, six wounded, two of these mortally
Making eleven killed and fifty-five wounded of the Tenth.
I suppose we got 600 guns on the field and forty prisoners, whom we have in
camp, amongst them one Lieut.-Colonel and their Surgeons, three in number.
We lost but one officer, McAdams, and not one man in our company, which is
looked upon almost as a miracle. I cannot write all in this letter, so I
must stop. My health is excellent, only I am yet very much used up to-day
after the hard battle. I can scarce go about. Our boys fought nobly.
J. F. Taylor
Captain Co. D
*************
Enjoy,
Mark Jaeger
I attempted to post the below letter in another thread, but, for some reason, the Edit function has totally died. Accordingly, I am posting this missive in a separate thread.
Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Northern Indianian, 6 February 1862 (picked up from the Lafayette Daily Courier)
The Indiana Tenth at Cliff Creek
--Its Killed and Wounded
Through the courtesy of L. B. Stevenson, Esq., we are furnished the following
letter, received this morning from Capt. J[oseph] F. Taylor of Co. D.:
CAMP LOGAN, Pulaski Co., Ky.,
January 20, 1862.
Dear Family: I now feel, for the first time since I left you, that I have
something to write to you that will interest you. On last Friday [January
17th] about noon we pitched our tents at this place, after several days march
over the worst roads I ever traveled.
This place is about seven miles from Somerset, and about the same distance
from Zollicoffer's fortifications. Our pickets were thrown out from 1 ½ to 2
miles that night. About 12 o'clock at night they were fired upon by the
enemy's cavalry. The long roll was beat and the "old Tenth" was soon in line
of battle. But it was no go at that time.
On Saturday Company C and Company D were ordered on picket. We stood all
that day, the rainiest I ever saw, and was relieved about dusk by Companies I
and K, and yesterday (Sunday) morning they were fired on. The Tenth was
again prompt, and what a scene of blood and carnage followed. I do suppose a
hotter battle was never fought in the same length of time. The Tenth alone
had to contend with eight regiments for nearly one hour without any aid, and
seeing they were about to flank us at both wings we fell back until the
Fourth Kentucky, Colonel [Speed S.] Fry's regiment, fell in with us. We then
advanced. Soon the Ninth Ohio was up. Now our artillery booms over amongst
them.
Still fiercely they ply their "bull dogs," and still the battle rages on
furiously. Now comes to our relief the Second Minnesota: the scales soon
began to turn. Still it is like the billowly surges tempest-tossed lake,
sometimes in favor or one and then the other, but, finally, God be praised!
Col. Fry and Gen. Zollicoffer come close together. Zolly says to Fry: "So I
understand these are my men," pointing to our forces. "No," said Fry; upon
which Zolly shot Fry's horse under him, and Fry leveled his pistol and
discharged the contents into the bosom of the proud nabob. He reeled! he
fell! he's dead! now they are panic stricken. Now they falter. Still the
battle rages on.
But now their artillery ceases to roar. Now the self-conceited rebels'
hearts begin to fail. Now they run, and oh! what a spectacle! They run, and
now we come to their dead and wounded. The woods are literally covered with
them. Turn where you will, you see them. Such a sight I never expected to
see. Our men now pursue. I did not go further than this point, for I was
now exhausted myself. After looking over the field for a time, I returned to
camp with Capt. [James H.] Vanosdale [Vanarsdall of Company B], who was very much exhausted. We found Capt. [Alexander] Hogeland [of Company G] also in the rear, taking care of the dead and wounded,
and each company bearing several men back. We staid [sic] at camp and our
forces pushed on and run them into the fortifications.
They were well fortified. Our forces bombarded them until nightfall. Then
they ceased until this morning when they commenced again. About eight
o'clock this morning the Four[t]eenth Ohio and Tenth Kentucky, who had no
share in the battle, entered the fort, and behold the enemy had fled during
the night, leaving 100 wagons[,] 1000 horses, 300 mules, six pieces of
artillery, all their camp equipage, officer's trunks, swords[,] blankets and
everything used in camp life. It is the greatest victory of the rebellion.
We have been engaged all day to-day in burying the dead of the enemy, said to
be over three hundred killed and wounded.
OUR KILLED AND WOUNDED.
Now for the damage on our side. I can only give you the result in our own
regiment.
Co. A, one killed and three wounded.
Co. B, two killed and fourteen wounded.
Co. C, one killed, [1st] Lieut. [James H.] McAdams, and three wounded.
Co. D, one wounded, very slight.
Co. E, one killed and six wounded.
Co. F, three killed and four wounded.
Co. G, five wounded.
Co. H, one killed and eight wounded.
Co. I, one killed and five wounded.
Co. K, six wounded, two of these mortally
Making eleven killed and fifty-five wounded of the Tenth.
I suppose we got 600 guns on the field and forty prisoners, whom we have in
camp, amongst them one Lieut.-Colonel and their Surgeons, three in number.
We lost but one officer, McAdams, and not one man in our company, which is
looked upon almost as a miracle. I cannot write all in this letter, so I
must stop. My health is excellent, only I am yet very much used up to-day
after the hard battle. I can scarce go about. Our boys fought nobly.
J. F. Taylor
Captain Co. D
*************
Enjoy,
Mark Jaeger