Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-29

! tOLINIBJS. OCIObtI ~ lH'i'
The current Of news has been almost stag
nant here recently, though the waters were agan
So troubled yesterday afternoon by the arrival
at headquarters of courier from Ben McCui-
loch and one from Cen jeff Thompson.
Mr. Connor, the courier from McCulloch'
brings information that the command is now IN
Benton county, On the Usage river, some four
hundred and thirty miles from here, and in COM
municaton with Gen. Price, though these two
generals have not yet seen tit to form conjunc-
ton. NcCulloch's troops were in good order,
and eager for an opportunity to meet the enemy.
Gen. Price had fallen back from Lexington to
position higher out on the Usage, and was only
restrained from giving Fremont battle by his
want of ammunition, being entirely out Of caps.
As soon as measures can be taken for the re-
plenishing of his military stores, and conjme-
ton effected between the forces Of Price and
McCuIoch, Fremont viii be ground between
these two commands Ike fox-fre in a bark mill
Things are drawing to a crisis with Fremont in
! Missouri, and one more signal defeat viii be
enough not only 10 disgrace him, but to shake
the Federal power in the State TO the very cen
| ter. Fremont is well assured Of this, and will
spare no efforts to regain the lost confidence of
| the Washington despotsm; but in Price and
AlsGsI.alL lo Ae vy-r.l-~t = a. F'rysti of s's
cess and mature experience, in both of which he
/ is himself wanting. Unless forced into an en-
gagement before they are ready for it, we may
be assured that Fremont will be crushed in the
next battle between his hirelings and the forces
under Price and McCuloch
The courier from Gen. JEFF Thompson reports
between about eighteen hundred Coniederates,
under jeff Thompson, and between four and
five Thousand Fedcralists After hurninga num-
( her Of the bridges on the Iron Mountain railroad.
! cutting off communication with St. Louis, and
making himself master of his situation, as he
supposed, by means Of scouting parties kept out
in every direction, Gen. Thompson was finally
induced to make an attack upon the Federal for
| ces at Ironton. Marching upon that place with
his little force Of eighteen hundred men, he drove
in their picketS, and choosing position in an
old field, awaited an attack. Placing his little
battery in position, his troops were distributed so
! as most efectualy to command the ground the
enemy would be forced to occupy inmaking the
attack, being iuIenched behind fences, logs and
everything that would protect them from the
view as well as the aim of their adversaries.
Thus intrenched, he had not long to await an
attack, for the Federalists soon commenced pour
ing il upon him in unexpected numbers. They
steadily advanced under the fire from the bat
terry until within good rife range, when stimuli
taneous voley from Thompson's concealed lines
moved down the whole front rank, causing the
column to waver, without replying 70 the fire.
The period Of this trepidation gave Thompson's
men opportunity to reload, and another yolley
decimated the ranks Of the Federalists, but by
this time their firing had discovered their posi-
ton, and the Federalsts were better prepared to
direct their aim against the impromptu intrench-
ments of our soldiery.
In the mean time a force Of cavalry made an
attack upon Thompson's battery, when they
run upon masked battery" Of rfHemen that,
according to my informant, emptied a third Of
their saddles on the first discharge. The battery
continued TO play, and the fight to rage between
the concealed Confederates and the exposed Fed |
erals, until Thompsons ordnance stores gave
out, and the battery was Withdrawn from the
field "a doing nAicl. The hoIses attached to a
twelveF FOUNDER took fright, and upsettiug the
carriage. the coupling came loose and the hind
wheels and carriage were left upon the field |
Ny informant was not able to say how long the |
fight lasted, but Gen. Thompson finding himself
likely TO be outfanked by the superior force OF
the enemy, withdrew IN good orderaud fell back !
upon GTeenvilIe, whence he dispatched for REIN
forcements The enemy had engaged on their !
side four infantry regiments, battalion Of cav
airy and heavy park Of artillery. Very little |
injury was done to our troops by the infantry or
cavalry Of the enemy, most of the damage being
done by the throwing of shells from their Parrot
guns into the exposed positions occupied by our
troops.
The loss on our side was about thirty, among
whom is Col Lowe and one captain Of infantry.
whose name / could not obtain Il was the
opinions Of the courier, who was ON the field
throughout the battle that the loss Of the enemy
could not be less than three Or four hundred, aud
an indefinite number wounded
There are cases in which victory is decidedly
with the vanquished, and this is one of them.
The report that Mayfeld, the county site of
Graves county, some thirty miles from here, had
been taken possession Of by the Federals seems
to want confirmation. Some four hundred Fed
eral cavalry remained in the town one dav and
night and it is said that a regiment Of infantry
were within nine miles Of the place, intending
to occupy it, when word reached the place that
Mississippi regiment were marching upon it,
and the cavalry incondnently fed, carrying the
infantry back with them TO Paducah, 50 May
field is still ia our hands
The melancholy days OF autumn have come,
and to the soldier at Columbus, with the antici-
patton of a cold and clustering winter, they are
truly the "saddest Of the year" Already We
have had toretaste of the quality of fcold wealth
er in this latitude, and the efficiency of camp fires
and cloth houses in keeping the soldier warm.
If they viii only give us something to do, the
incidents Of which we could talk over by our
camp fires this winter, it would certainly light
en- the labor Of love" in which we are engaged
for the good of our country. VERITAS.