Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 12.djvu/488

 478 Southern Historical Society Papers.

was reported to General Bragg, who, on the capture of the place on the 17th following, directed that the flag which was floating over the fort on the 14th be presented to the Twenty-ninth regiment, but it turned out that the colors were not to be found among the surren- dered trophies, and were probably borne off as part of some soldier's undearwear.

After the lapse of several hours from the time the Tenth made its charge, and during a lull in the firing, soon following the withdrawal of the troops from and near Fort Craig, a white flag was seen emerg- ing from behind the enemy's fortifications in the immediate front of the Tenth regiment. It proved to be a flag of truce, and was borne out by a young Captain in an Indiana regiment, directly facing the position of my company (K), and was met by me about midway between our lines. I was then informed that General Chalmers, under a flag of truce, sent in on our right, had demanded the sur- render of the Federal troops; that the'demand had been refused, but that an armistice for the purpose of removing the dead and wounded had been agreed to, and that ten minutes' notice would be given before the flag was withdrawn. These facts were communicated by me to our men, who at once began to remove the dead and wounded, together with their guns and accoutrements, and continued until everything of value had been carried to the woods, from whence we commenced the attack. On retiring with the withdrawal of the flag, and reaching our men in rear, I found that the dead were being hastily buried, and the living were preparing for a speedy return to Cave City.

Two days later General Bragg moved up with the greater part of his army and surrounded these troops, then reinforced and com- manded by Colonel C. L. Dunham. For this purpose he crossed a part of Polk's corps to the north side of Green river, and upon the eminences there had placed a number of field pieces completely com- manding the fortifications below, with instructions to open fire at early dawn the next (17th) morning. Surrounded by overwhelming num- bers, and realizing their utterly hopeless condition. Colonel Dun- ham, who had reached there with his regiment after the fight on the 14th, superseding Colonel Wilder in the command, yielded before day on the morning of the 17th to the demand of General Bragg for their surrender. The troops surrendered consisted of the Seven- teenth, Forty-third, Sixty-seventh, Sixty-eighth and Sixty-ninth In- diana Regiments, a company of Louisville cavalry, a part of the Fourth Ohio and a section of the Thirteenth Indiana battery,