WABASH OCTOBER 16, 1863

FROM THE ARMY OF THE CUMBERLAND
------
Headquarters, 20th Army Corps, CHATTANOOGA, TENN., Sept. 30, '63
Editors Plaindeaer -- I tried to telegraph you on the 20th, the casualities of the Wabash boys, but couldn't get permission. The battle of the 19th and 20th, were the hardest we have ever had in this department. Our loss was very heavy; we fought for forty-eight hours but with very little cessation. The musketry, was more severe than any during the war, according to the judgment of old soldiers who were there. The rebel artillery done very poor execution. They fired very wild, the shells bursting in tops of trees. They fired over us all day, but few of them done any execution at all, while our artillery mowed them down like chaff before the wind. Column after column would press our boys back, when our artillery would receive them with to a hospitable grave and spider-web desert. -- Their loss was a great deal heavier than ours; in fact it could not have been otherwise. We fought in line of battle; they massed their troops. Our artillery mowed perfect lines through them. It was awful to see their columns meltg away before our artillery; but still they would come.
Longstreet's bullies, as they called themselves, knew no stop; they made charge after charge for out artillery. Poor fellows, they had to do the biggest part of the fighting; they thought they would soon take us in, but we could not see it. They say that it was the first fighting they had seen; that on the Potomac has been play. But we could not fight the whole Southern confederacy; we had to fall back. They admit they had 140 thousand troops; Longstreet's, Ewell's corps, Johnson's and Bragg's army. We hadn't more than 40,000 me. Our loss is not far from 12,000. We lost but few prisoners; we lost 20 pieces of artillery. The 20th corps, one piece ahead.

I give you a list of the killed, wounded and missing, of the 101st and 75th Indiana Regiments, from Wabash County. List of killed and wounded of the 75th Indiana, Company A, Capt. Steele: Private, Henry James, killed, Corp. Levi Enyart, wounded slightly in the neck; Corp. Allen Hutchins, slightly in shoulder; Private Solomon R. Beem, in the head; Private C. Clupper, in leg; Private C. Curtner, in leg; Private H.H. Jurtsell, severely in leg; Private H. Hummer, in foot; Private G.W.Keazy, severely in head; Private M. Lawson, slightly in arm; Private E. Myers, slightly in hand, Private C.J. Moorehead, severely in thigh; Private Will S. Stitt, severely in hip; Private M. Lindenman, slightly in breast; Private J.F. Tweedy, in head; Private J.M. Watson, severely in leg. Killed in 75th Regiment, 17; wounded 105.
Company K., 101st Indiana Capt. McKahan.
Killed -- Private, Wm. H.H. Emery
Wounded.
1st Lt. Thomas E. Brown, slightly in arm.
1st Sgt. George W. Riley, severely in leg
Privates
Larken Sims, dangerously in face and shoulder
Samuel Mikel, dangerously in side
John Ely, severely in Hand
Jacob Beam, slightly in shoulder
George Ackley, slightly in hand
John K. Kroft, bruised with shell on breast
Adam Kelly, slightly in face
Henry Ferguson, slightly in back
Company F., Capt. Williams
Killed -- Privates, Gideon Kind and David Pond
Wounded
2nd Lt. R.H. Busick, severly in leg; bone broke
Sgt. Ethan Cole, slightly in hand
Sgt. Johnathan W. Wilson, severly in hand.
Sgt. Isaac McFadden, severely in shoulder
Privates
William H.H. Case, slightly in ankle
George Dicken, dangerously in body
Isaac Hallowell, dangerously through body
Josiah Howser, dangerously in body
Michael Moyers, slightly in arm
Color bearer James Porter, severely in leg
Missing
Craig White, supposed to be killed
Private William Benson
Private Gabriel Pricket
Corporal William Busiek
Corporal Gilbert Moore
These were sent off the field with Lt. Busick, and have not been heard from since. The friends of Captains McKahan and Williams, may want to know how they stood fire. I would say to them, they stood at their post for forty-eight hours, under fire of shot and shell; never could have done better. Lt. Wherrett is safe. Captain Sam Steele's company was in the hottest of the fight. Saturday and Sunday, they had a very important point to hold, and they held it like hero's. Capt Steele and his two Lts, with their command , made seven successful charges; veterans could not have done better. The 2d escaped unharmed.
I saw the fights at Shiloh, Perryville; Stone River, and Crawfish Springs; the latter was the severest. While at my post, I had two horses shot out from under me. I began to think there was a little fighting sure. Sergeant Stone, one of McCook's orderlies, was taken prisoner twice but escaped both times, loosing two horses -- Some of the Copperheads spoke hard of McCook; but if anybody was to blame it was not him. If there is any General next to Rosecrans, it is certainly McCook. His loss was the heavest. He saved all of his artillery, and gained one piece. Troops believe him to be a perfect Sigel. I will have more news in a few days. Rebels are in front five hundred yards from our pickets. We have recieved heavy reinforcements, and another battle is imminent.
A.D.S.