Captain Charles Wright Wills: May 13, 1864

Still in Snake Creek Gap, May 13, 1864.

Moved forward a half mile and our regiment built a strong line of log works. We have had a perfect rush of generals along the line to-day: Hooker, Sickles, McPherson, Thomas, Palmer, Sherman and a dozen of smaller fry. The boys crowded around Sherman and he could not help hearing such expressions as “Where's Pap?” “Let's see old Pap,” etc., nor could he help laughing, either. The men think more of Sherman than of any general who ever commanded them, but they did not cheer him. I never heard a general cheered in my life, as he rode the lines. Sherman said in hearing of 50 men of our regiment, “Take it easy to-day, for you will have work enough to-morrow. It will be quick done though.” Now see what that means.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 239

1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: April 7, 1862

Headquarters 7th Illinois Cavalry,

In a very fine House,

Point Pleasant, Mo., April 7, 1862.

If this isn’t fine your brother is incapable of judging. Cozy brick house, damask curtains, legged bedsteads, splendid tables and chairs, big looking glass, and everything just as fine as a peacock’s tail. I do wish you could have been with me the last two days. They've been two of the best days of my life. (During the storm of Saturday night, the 5th instant, one of the gunboats ran by Island 10.” I heard of it early Sunday morning, and got put a pass for Andy Hulit and myself to look for forage, intending, of course, to ride down to the river and watch the gunboat as we knew there'd be fun if she attempted to run below Madrid. We rode up the river about, six miles (half way) to a point that expends into the river on our side, and got there just as the boat did. ’Twas the “Carondelet,” and indeed she looked like an old friend. The sight of her did me more good than any amount of furloughs could. At this point, I spoke of, we have three batteries within a half-mile, and there were two Rebel batteries visible right at the water's edge, opposite. We just got there in time to see the ball open. Besides the two secesh batteries visible, they opened from four others masked by the brush and. trees, and hitherto unknown to us. Their six, our three, the gunboats, all firing together made by far the grandest thing I ever witnessed. I suppose there were from 30 to 40 guns used, and at least a half thousand shots fired. Andy and I were on a little rise of ground a couple of hundred yards from our main battery and where we could see every shot fired and its effect. There were lots of shots fell around that battery, but none near enough us to be disagreeable. About an hour’s fighting silenced the Rebel batteries, and that fun was over. Our boat didn't go over to them at that time, but came into our shore and laid up. She was not struck once, nor was there a man hurt on our side. Andy and I rode out in the country and got our dinners with a friend of mine, and. about 3. p. m. started home. We just got back here' as the gunboat was preparing to attack the batteries immediately opposite here. She ran down the river off our side, a mile below their guns and then turning her bow sqare toward the enemy, started for them and commenced firing, we could see every motion of the Rebel gunners plainly, and they worked like men, until the boat got within about 300 yards of them, when they broke, and I tell you they used their legs to advantage; all but one and he walked away with his arms folded perfectly at ease. There's an immense sight of enjoyment in witnessing such fights as these. Well, I saw another fight this morning, but ’twas too far off for interest, after what I saw yesterday. Two more gunboats came down last night in the rain and darkness past the island. This fight this morning was commenced by the Carondelet, on a five-gun battery, only four miles below and across from Madrid. She called the Louisville to her aid, and then one walked up on the battery from below and the other from above. It is grand to see these gunboats walk into the enemy. They go at them as though they were going fight on land, if the Rebels would stay there. (One hour later, 9 p. m.)

Just as I finished the last period, an artillery captain came dashing up through the door, just from Madrid, and wanted to know where the gunboats were. He said that the Rebel floating battery, that has been lying at Island 10, was floating down and the transports were afraid to try and bring her into land, and he wanted to notify the gunboats so they could catch her. We told him they had gone down to Palmer's division, six miles below, and away he went. I've been out waiting to see her pass, but she hasn't arrived yet. He said she was not more than three miles above. All such items help to make soldiering interesting. Our three transports have taken 20,000 troops over into Tennessee since 9:30 this a. m. I call that good work. Colonel Kellogg has gone over with Pope to see the battle, if there is any. These Rebels don't begin to fight a gun equal to our boys, and all the people here say so. I really do not believe they have the “bullet-pluck” that our men show. Our regiment is left here alone in its glory. We're occupying the town, enjoying life, and having all the fun we want. I killed a mosquito to-night, and it brought up such disagreeable thoughts that I couldn't eat supper. If they don't eat my surplus flesh off me, I know I'll fret myself lean as they increase. The colonel got back yesterday. You ought to have seen him look at the eatables last night, and shaking his head with disgust, go back to his tent without touching a bite. The first camp meal after a furlough I suppose isn't particularly delightful. There's no telling whether there'll be a fight to-morrow or not. We'll probably not assist if there is. But after the fight is over and the victory won we'll come in and chase the Rebels until they scatter. The infantry do the heavy, dirty work and get the honor, and we have all the fun and easy times there are going. I'm willing. I'd rather scout and skirmish than anything I know of, and am perfectly willing to let the infants do the heavy fighting, for they only make an artillery target of us when we're brought on battle fields.

There wouldn't be much left of my letters if I'd leave out the war gossip! Forty of the Rebels deserted and came to our gunboats to-day. Sergeant Wells, who while over there is a spy, was taken prisoner the other day, escaped to our gunboats. It saved his neck.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 78-81

1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: April 4, 1862

Camp, near Point Pleasant, Mo., April 4, 1862.

I received your last letter within three days after it was mailed, and praised Uncle Sam duly therefor. Our regiment has had a run of bad luck since we've been here. Two men killed on the plank road, two wounded at same place, two killed by falling trees in a storm of night of April 1st, and a dozen wounded, and yesterday one drowned while watering his horse in the swamp, and our horses dying off very fast of horse cholera. The latter is a serious thing in a regiment were the men own the horses themselves. For they (or nearly all of them) cannot buy others. Most of them are still owing for the horses they have. The positions of troops and state of the war generally remains the same here as it has been ever since we took Madrid. Main body of our forces at that place. Five regiments here under Plummer and five seven miles further down the river with Palmer. That is as far down as we can go on this side for the swamps. Between here and Madrid we have batteries every three miles and the Rebels have rather more on the opposite side. Both are right on their respective banks and have their flags fluttering their mutual hatred in each others faces. We can see them very plainly without the aid of a glass. The Rebel gunboats lie just below our lower battery and 'tis rumored to-night that several new ones have arrived from Memphis or New Orleans.

This fuss about “Island 10” I think is all humbug. Don't believe they have attacked it yet. It don't sound like Foote's fighting. Look on the map and see what a nice pen there is between the rivers Tennessee and Mississippi. Don't it look that if Grant and company can whip them out at Corinth, that we'll have all the forces at Memphis and intermediate points to “Island 10” in a bag that they'll have trouble in getting through? If they run it will be into Arkansas, and they can take nothing with them but what their backs will stand under. Seems to me that the plans of the campaign are grand from the glimpses we can get of them and have been planned by at least a Napoleon. Certain it is we are checkmating them at every point that's visible. I firmly believe the summer will see the war ended. But it will also see a host of us upended if we have to fight over such ground as this. It is unpleasantly warm already in the sun. It's 10 p. m. now and plenty warm In my shirt sleeves, with a high wind blowing, too. We had an awfu1 storm here to commence April with. We are camped just in the wood's edge and the wind struck us after crossing a wide open field and knocked trees down all through our camp; killed First lieutenant Moore, one private, seriously wounded Captain Webster and a dozen men. During the storm I though[t] of our fleet at “Island 10” and it made me almost sick. Don't see how they escaped being blown high and dry out of water.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 76-8

1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: March 18, 1862

Near Point Pleasant, Mo., March 18, '62.

You see we are creeping along down the river surely if the motions are a little slow. This is about 12 miles below Madrid and said to be 75 or 80 below Cairo. It is said that the Rebels have between a dozen and 20 steamboats above here, and I think the object in occupying this point and planting artillery here is to make the assurances we have of catching them, doubly sure, for the river is considerably less in width here than where our guns are at and near Madrid. We received orders to march about sunset last night and started at tattoo. 'Twas a beautiful ride. The road lay for nearly the whole distance right along the river bank. 'Twas warm enough without overcoat or gloves and Commander Foote added to the interest of the ride by his sleep-disturbing music up at Island 10. The river makes a horseshoe bend here and Island 10 lays almost directly east of here across the peninsula. The neck is very flat, and we could plainly see the flash of every gun and see the bombs burst in the air when more than 20 or 30 yards from the ground. The roar of the 13 and 16-inch mortars is truly terrific. There was no difficulty in distinguishing their reports from the cannons. The evidences of an earthquake having performed in this country are visible when pointed out. The natives will show you a swamp and say that was once inhabitable, and then they'll point out sand ridge about four feet nearer heaven (the surface of course)! and say that was a swamp. Well, we arrived here: at 2 o'clock last night and moved nearly two miles back from the river to be out of range of a battery the enemy have planted on the opposite shore. This two miles, after deducting about 300 yards where the road runs through the little town, was a swamp of mud and water to the horses' bellies. I noticed our flag flying On the river bank over an inverted Rebel rag. The flag staff was in front of a store that had received three cannon shots from the Rebels in their efforts to cut down our flag. Nearly every house in town has had one or more doses of heavy iron and several have been burned by shells: General Palmer is five miles below here with his brigade, He was lucky enough yesterday to disable two Rebel gunboats out of three that attacked him. I am very anxious to get out of this country and into Tennessee if possible, or if we have to stay on this side, enough below the swamps to make it a little more pleasant. That ride of last night was delicious. The order was to march without any unnecessary noise, and after 10:30 (it was 2 when we got here), the boys were all perfectly quiet, many of them asleep, and I believe I enjoyed myself better than I ever did before m my life Can’t begin to tell you precisely why, except there might have been some air-castle building, but 'twas very pleasant. I hear to-night that Island 10 was evacuated last night. Think maybe Foote has his hands full up there, and doubt the evacuation idea some. Gracious how it rained last night, commenced  just after we got here, with some awful heavy thunder and don't know how long it lasted. 'Twas raining to kill when I went to sleep. We had no tents with us and every fellow provided for himself. I Went to bed with a lot of bacon and a barrel under a tent fly and slept a la log. To-day it has been real warm. Shirt sleeves and shade were in requisition. Well I’ll write you a little every day until I can send letters.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 69-71

Lyman Trumbull to Abraham Lincoln, November 23, 1859

Washington, Nov. 23^d, 1859

Hon. A. Lincoln,

My Dear Sir,

Am obliged for the information in regard to the meeting of the National Committee. I confess myself disappointed at McClernand's majority – The truth is, that we have got about all we ever will from the old Whig element in central Ill. We must hereafter rely upon obtaining accessions from the young men & from the Democracy. About the hardest man on earth to get along with is an old Whig of pro-slavery proclivities. I reckon the Harpers Ferry affair damaged Palmer somewhat.

I met Cameron on the cars on my way here. He is in earnest about getting the Pa. delegation for himself, & I reckon will succeed. Nobody seems to say much about Read.

I passed a few days in New York City & there learned that the New York politicians were very much in favor of making Forney clk of the House, & that too without any assurance from him that he would act with the Republicans. The idea seemed to be that Forney could bring enough Anti Lecompton Democrats to act with the Republicans to give them the Speaker &c – When will the leading men of our party learn to pursue a straight forward course? Till they do, Republicanism can never have, & might never to have a permanent hold in the country. What consumate folly to bargain with half a dozen Douglasites & that the most active of them all to an important office, where he can wield a large influence in favor of his pet man, & to our prejudice. Douglas & his popular sovereignty humbug are the only things which now keep the great mass of Northern Repub Democrats from uniting with the Republicans at once. For my part, I believe it would be much better that the Democrats should organize the house by a bargain with Know Nothings, & anti-Lecomptonites, than that we should do it; but if the Republican members will go right along supporting no man for any of the offices who is not prepared to act with the Republican party, they being the strongest party in the house, will in the end succeed. If Forney or the South Americans will be of us & act with us, we ought to be liberal towards them; but it certainly cannot be our policy as a party to support any man, who will use the influence of his office to build up another party to our prejudice—

The Anti Lecomptonites & the South Americans will in my opinion in the end come to act with us, if we pursue a straight forward course without assailing them; but they will never do this, while the idea is held out that the Republican party will go to them.

Since commencing this letter, two Gentlemen residents of Washington have called upon me, stating, that one of them had been just been arrested for using language hostile to slavery – He had given bail for his appearance before a justice of the peace on Friday, & called to advise with me about the matter. What are we coming to? Excuse this long letter.

Truly Yours

Lyman Trumbull

SOURCE: Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

United States Presidential Candidates who were Veterans of the Civil War

Major General George B. McClellan	1864	Democratic Party
Major General Winfield Scott Hancock	1880	Democratic Party
Brigadier General John W. Phelps	1880	Anti-Masonic Party
Brigadier General Neal Dow	1880	Prohibition Party
Brevet Brigadier General James B. Weaver	1880	Greenback-Labor Party
Major General Benjamin F. Butler	1884	Greenback Party
Brigadier General Clinton B. Fisk	1888	Prohibition Party
Brevet Brigadier General James B. Weaver	1892	People’s Party
Major General John McAuley Palmer1	1896	National Democratic Party

_________

¹Confederate Lieutenant General Simon B. Buckner was his running mate for Vice President.

Second Iowa Cavalry

General Pope’s Division were compelled to withdraw from their advanced position at Farmington, On Friday the 9^th inst.  The following account of the action of our 2d Cavalry in the affair is given by the correspondent of the World:

At 11 the Second Iowa Cavalry were ordered to the front, to be ready for emergencies.  They reached the ground about 12, and were instantly formed in the rear of our lines of infantry, where they remained, subject to a screaming ball at short intervals.  The brigade of Gen. Palmer, with a supporting brigade of Ohio regiments, formed on the brow of a hill stretching across a cleared place half a mile across.  The artillery on both sides was pouring out a storm of flame and sulphur.  The confederates seemed to have in the clearing at Farmington a dense column of infantry, and on the left a battery of four pieces; in the center section, and on the right our ten pieces were mounted nearly opposite the road, as it emerges from the swamp at about two thousand yards distance.  The exchange of shots was rapid and well sustained from 11 till 12.

WE GIVE GROUND.

It soon became evident from the movements of the enemy that they intended to get between our position and the only road out by a flank movement on our right and left.  After a lapse of an hour and a half their batteries opened again at an [angle] so as to deliver a cross fire.  Their cavalry had disappeared.  Ours was ranged in along the edge of the woods. – Gen. Paine, who was in command of the whole, wisely deemed it best to withdraw from the ground.  To do this without leaving anything on the field was a nice task.  It was 2 o’clock and the enemy was spreading his lines out through the inclosing woods.  The artillery of the enemy was raking our collected force with shot and shell.  Our wounded were being carried off in teams and ambulances as they fell.  Further resistance without support was useless.

THE HEROIC CAVALRY CHARGE.

In this extremity Gen. Paine, excited at the time, gave the order for the batteries to fall back to the road and the infantry to follow. – To cover this retreat, and stop this hail of hurtling balls and shell the cavalry was called upon.  The regiment of Second Iowa Cavalry under command of Col. Hatch, and majors Love and Kuhen, and three small companies of regulars, under Lt. Gordon, were ordered to charge upon the batteries!  The order was a rash one, but it was an order.  Five hundred, in all, to charge a battery in the face of ten thousand!  But they did it, and thanks to the bad gunnery of the rebels, they nearly all returned to tell the tale; many of them alas, speaking by gasping wounds and riddled tattered garments.

THE BRAVE IOWA CAVALRY.

Lieut. Gordon, who is himself a conspicuous character in more than one charge of cavalry, says the sight transcended all belief.  The brave Iowans who had but recently left their plows a-field, now called upon to face death and ride to the cannon’s mouth, with the true spirit of heroes filed up the ravine; and on reaching the top of the hill spread out, galloped up to the batteries demolishing like lightning a line of skirmishers in their way,

“Cannon to the right of them,

Cannon to the left of them,

Volleyed and thundered.”

Truly enough for the whole of the guns were sweeping the plain with shrapnel and canister.  Luckily the depression was too great.  The balls whistled and flew into the ground all around and beneath them.  The mortality among the horses was fearful – ninety-three of the number being wounded and killed.  Col. Hatch’s anxiety for his men to follow him had now changed into anxiety to recall them.  Onward they charged, right up to the batteries, slashing and hewing down the gunners with their sabers, dead to the call of their gallant leader, who saw that the object was accomplished, the guns limbered and silenced, and the enemy on the right in disorder, while on the left wing he was closing in.

THEY COVER THE RETREAT.

Orderlies sent to the different companies finally rallied the men.  Slowly and deliberately they road back over the field.  The enemy was silent on the left.  Our artillery and infantry had passed into the woods and were falling back to the main body.  The route was strewed with dead horses.  The wounded were helped on to the horses of their comrades while the unhorsed took to the woods on the left – Gordon, who more prudently, but with equal coolness remained in the rear, saw the desperate charge and cared for the sufferers, burying two on the field with sabers while still under fire.  Taken altogether this is one of the most magnificent feats of the war.  No cavalry charge since that of the memorable Light Brigade is comparable with it.  In these days when cavalry is beginning to be looked on with some distrust, it is creditable to see one regiment which will not flinch in its duty even at the risk of certain death.

INCIDENTS.

Lieutenant-Colonel Miles, of the [Forty-eighth] Illinois Regiment, had his leg shot off by a cannon-ball on the field.  His limb has since been amputated, and at last accounts he was sinking rapidly from loss of blood.  Colonel Hatch had a ball through his hat and his [stirrup broken] by the force of a shell which killed the horse on his right.  The end and some of the whole matter is, then that they occupy Farmington to-night instead of we ourselves.

Gen. Paine, Capt. Keserck, of the Missouri battery, and Gen. Palmer, who witnessed the charge, are loud in their praises of the officers and men.

LOSSES.

The Second Iowa is the principal sufferer in the fight, taking the brunt of the fight and nearly all the glory.  The regulars had three killed and some ten or twelve wounded.  The losses of the infantry cannot be arrived at with accuracy as I write.

REPORT OF COL. HATCH.

CAMP NEAR FARMIGNTON, May 10.

Lieut. Marden, A. A. G. Brigade:

I had the honor to report, complying with orders to report, with Second Regiment to Gen. Granger.  Did so, receiving instructions from Gen. Pope to report to general commanding the advance.  I reported at 12 o’clock to Gen. Palmer, who ordered me to throw out two companies to the left of Farmington road, and hold the balance of command in reserve.  Our infantry, who held the field above us being driven in to the brow of the hill.  Gen. Paine ordered the regiment to charge the enemy’s batteries.  Moving the column to the top of the hill, ordered Major Kuhen, with companies H, G, & C, of the Second Battalion, and Major Love, with the Third Battalion, to charge the batteries on our right, Major Hepburn those on our left, in echelon of squadrons, deploying the columns to the right and left.  When we passed the infantry columns we attacked their skirmishers and supports, driving them in, killing and wounding some.  No effect was produced on the battery on our left.  Near the main Farmington road the battery and supports were protected by a rail fence.  Major Kuhen gallantly attacked the battery near the building known as the cotton mill, Company F, Lieut. Riley, alone attacking two guns in battery on our extreme right.  The center battery was fairly carried, the enemy limbering up his guns without taking them off the field.

Finding our horses badly blown for a long charge over rough ground, a distance of twelve hundred yards, and the infantry in great force, ordered all companies on the right to retreat to the right and rear, forming on the swamp road, and those on the left to then join their command.  The conduct of men and officers was in every respect commendatory. – Capts. Lundy, Egbert, Lieuts. Owen, Horton, Seutger, all had horses killed under them. – There were about four hundred men in the charges.  Our loss will scarcely exceed fifty killed and wounded; fifty horses, as many wounded and unserviceable.

EDWARD HATCH,

Lieut. Col. Com’d’g Second Iowa Cavalry

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 2

From The Second Iowa Cavalry

Camp Near New Madrid, Mo.,
Saturday, April 12, 2 P.M.

ED. GAZETTE. – We shall be off before you receive this – I hope in Memphis. General Pope’s army here is divided into six divisions – first under command of Gen. Paine; 2nd Gen. Stanley; 3rd, Gen. Hamilton; 4th, Gen. Palmer; 5th Gen. Plummer; 6th, Gen Granger. Col. Elliott is in command of the 2nd Brigade of the 6th Division, composed of the 2d Iowa Cavalry, 2d Michigan Cavalry, and two squadrons of the 1st Ill. Cavalry; Lt. Col. Is in command of the regiment.

The second Battalion of the 2d Cavalry is now leaving for the boats. The river is lined with transports; all are to be aboard to-night, and the fleet moves down the river early in the morning. It will be a grand army afloat; and our landing place, MEMPHIS.

Look out for more news from the West. – While the stereotyped phrase, ‘all quiet,’ ‘safe in our trenches,’ is echoed from the ‘Grand Army of the Potomac,’ the watchword in the West is ‘forward,’ and with each ‘forward’ a ‘victory.’

All is haste, and I close to write you from Memphis. In haste,

DIFF.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 16, 1862, p. 1

Terrific Battle at Murfreesboro – Rebel Gens. Cheatham and Rains Killed

NEAR MURFREESBORO, Dec. 31 – Our whole line suffered terribly this morning, four regiments of regulars lost half of their men and all their commanding officers. Gen Anderson’s troops suffered terribly. Majors Rosengarten and Ward are killed. Gen. Stanley, Rosseau and Palmer are wounded.

Two o’clock P.M. – Gen. Thomas has just broken the rebel centre and driven the enemy a mile. We are advancing our whole line. Gen. Rosencrans [sic] is personally superintending the movement. One shot killed two of his staff officers. The [15th] Wisconsin lost seven Captains. Gen. Negle’s artillery is still moving the rebels in the centre. Gen. Crittenden – left wing – has taken the entrenchments at Murfreesboro. The rebels Gens. Cheatham and Rains are killed.

NASHVILLE, Jan. 2 – The Federals encountered the rebels on the 30th ult. near Stuart’s Creek, and after heavy skirmishing the rebels were driven back.

We captured 100 prisoners, and killed and wounded a large number of rebels.

Our loss was 70 killed and wounded.

At daybreak on the 31st the fight was renewed with great fury. McCook’s corps was opposed to Hardee. After desperate fighting with heavy loss McCook retreated two miles. He soon rallied, and was again driven back.

At night he was four miles this side of the ground occupied in the morning. The fight continued until 10 o’clock p.m. at which time we had maintained our position.

The Federal loss is very Heavy.

Killed – Brig. Gen. Sill, Lieut. Col. Garesche, Chief of Gen. Rosecrans’ Staff; Brig. Gen. Willeck, of Indiana; Col. Kell of the 2nd Ohio; Col. Straffer, Acting Brigadier General, Col. Farmer of the 15th Kentucky; Col. Jones of the 24th Ohio; Lieut. Col. Cotton of the 6th Kentucky; Lieut. Col. Jones, of the [39th Indiana]; Major Carpenter, of the 19th Regulars; Major Rosengarten of Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2. – The Secretary of War to-day received the following:

Cleveland, O. Jan. 2.

The following has just been received by telegraph from Cincinnati, dated Murfreesboro, Jan. 1:

A terrible battle was fought yesterday. – The latest from the field is up to noon. The rebel center had been broken, and things looked favorable. The losses are reported to be enormous. Stanley, Rosseau and Palmer are wounded, and the rebels Cheatham and Rains are killed.

– Published in the Zanesville Daily Courier, Zanesville, Ohio, Saturday Evening, January 3, 1862

WAR NEWS

{From Thursday’s Hawk-Eye}

Gen. Butler is reported to be cutting a canal through Dutch gap – in the direction of the enemy which will compel the rebs to extend their line of defenses four miles – that is, this distance will be saved to us. The canal, which is to be 150 yeards long, secures to us several miles of water course on James River.

The Times Washington special says Sheridan had pushed his advance from Winchester to Strasburg. Early reteated from that point westward. It is believed to be Sheridan’s intention to head him off and envelope him between two foces; but as it is now positively assertained that Lee has sent at least 20,000 men to reinforce the column in the [valley], it will probably be a stout [contest] for the possession of that region.

[Gen.] Palmer has by his own request [been releived] of the command of the 14th [missing text] corps.

[Missing text] part of Kentucky lying west of [the Cumberland] river has been added to the [missing text] [department] of Ohio, and placed under [the command] of Gen. Burbridge, who will, [under the directions] of Gen. Schofield, exercise the functions of department commander.

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, Saturday, August 20, 1864