From Kentucky

Col. Decouroy, of the Sixteenth Ohio, is encamped four miles above Somerset, on the Stanford road, and as near London as he would be at the former place.  Col. Ray, 49th Indiana, in at Hall’s Gap.  It is probable he will march on the Mount Vernon road.  Col. Garrard, 7th Kentucky is at Crab Orchard.  Col.  Mundy’s battalion of Cavalry is to form part of Gen. Carter’s force.  Wetmore’s Battery is to encamp at Somerset.  Gen. Schoepff’s Brigade is encamped on the road from Somerset to Waitsburg, on the Cumberland.  He will move into Tennessee, on the Monticello road, as soon as he receives supplies of provisions and means of crossing the river.  Gen. Thomas’ headquarters are at Somerset.  He, too, is waiting for rations and will, in a short time, go down the Cumberland on Nashville, and turn Bowling Green.

The roads are drying very fast.  Mr. Garber rode to the Ferry at Waitsburg on the 26th ult., and found the road in good order, dry and hard, excepting a large sized mud hole in every mile.  The regiments have been working on the road between Somerset and Hall’s Gap since the battle and judging from the long trains of wagons that came on the 25th and next night, he thinks the clear weather and the labors of the soldiers have improved the road wonderfully.  The captured animals and property have been sent to Lebanon.

Mr. Garber was told by a Secession officer, now a prisoner, that in sixty days Gen. Thomas and all the force he would take into Tennessee, would be captured – that Beauregard was quietly withdrawing his army from Manassas, and would soon be in Tennessee.  This may be true but Garber feels willing to trust Gen. McClellan to keep the French rebel in check.  It seems to him, however, that some move similar to that one mentioned must be made by the rebels to save their railroad communication.  If Gen. Thomas is permitted to reach Nashville, Buckner’s force will be cut off, and will be sandwiched between the divisions of Gen. Thomas and Gen. Buell.  Carter and Schoepff, at Knoxville would break up the communication by the Tennessee and Virginia railroad, and be equally disastrous to the rebels.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 8, 1862, p. 2

Horrors Of Civil War

During the hottest of the battle on the Saturday before the surrender of Fort Donelson, two Kentucky regiments were brought face to face, one on the Federal and the other on the Rebel side.  In each of these regiments were two companies from Henderson county, and in each of the companies were two brothers.  The one in Captain Holloway’s company, battling for the old “time honored banner” – was dangerously wounded, while his rebel brother escaped unhurt and was taken prisoner.  Old school-mates in these companies were forced to shed each other’s blood by the infamous authors of this infamous rebellion. – What punishment at all proportionate to their crime can be meeted out to these traitorous leaders. – {Evansville Journal.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 1, 1862, p. 3

Battery A, 1st Illinois Light Artillery: Sarah Bell's Old Cotton Field, Shiloh National Military Park

U. S.

WILLARD’S BATTERY,

“A” 1^ST ILL. LT. ART.,

W. H. L. WALLACE’S (2^D) DIV.,

ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE

This battery went into action here with six guns at 9 A. M. April 6, 1862.

Its next position was to left, across Hamburg Road.

The position markers in the far back ground are

(Left to Right):

17^th Kentucky Infantry 

Welker’s Battery (H), 1^st Missouri Light Artillery

The West End of Sarah Bell’s Old Cotton Field: Shiloh National Military Park

Position Markers (Facing West: Left to Right):

17^th Kentucky Infantry

Welker’s Battery (H), 1^st Missouri Light Artillery

17th Kentucky Infantry (USA) Position Marker: Sarah Bell’s Old Cotton Field, Shiloh National Military Park

U. S.

17^TH KENTUCKY INFANTRY

LAUMAN’S (3^D) BRIG., HURLBUT’S (4^TH) DIV.,

ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE

This regiment was engaged here from 8 A. M. to 2 P. M. April 6, 1862.  It formed first facing west and in a short time changed direction to rear on right  company and was engaged facing south behind a fence, until ordered to the left where it became engaged near Wicker Field.

Gen. Lauman

The Pittsburg correspondent of the New York World makes the following notice of Gen. Lauman and his Brigade.

To say the Gospel truth about it he who pleaseth this brigade of General Lauman, composed of the Forty fourth and Thirty Fifth Indiana and the Seventeenth and Twenty fifth Kentucky, desperately disputed every inch of ground for five mortal hours with a force of four times their number.  Gen. Lauman, I am sure would be willing to assert this on his honor.

This youthful and spirited brigadier has carried away a large share of the laurels that were won at Pittsburg Landing.  It is a great to hear his voice quiver with enthusiasm, and to see his fine face shine with satisfaction as he discourses on the wonderful qualities of the Third Brigade of the “fighting Fourth Division.”  Gen. Lauman led the advance brigade of Smith’s Division when it stormed the entrenchments at Donelson and at the point of the bayonet determined the fortunes of the day.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 4