Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-09-26
9aily sAppeal.
LETTER FRom KENTUCKY.

as to have th blue uniform Of a Lincelnite
come within his vision. We have had some
little excitement on several recent occasions,
arising from groundless ruuors Of I" coercion"
forces being in the neghbOrhoOd, but be-
lfsvs tbst each time investigation has proven
the-fslsity ss well as The absurdity Of the re-
p0rts. % one occasion the whole force Of
the cavalry belonging to the army stationed
here w,rs called out, and marched up the hill
apparently for the pgrposa Of initiating the
celebrated movement recorded Of the Dutch
general, for they were met at the top Of the
eminencs BY Gen. Pillow and ordered to
march down ag'in.'' doubt not there was
some brilliant strategic pointin the movement,
which, as an amateur in the art Of war,
could not comprehend, so simply record the
fact withou- comment.
Another recent movement Of the same bril-
liant character should not deem it necessary
to mention, were it not that purpose keeping
you informed Of events transpiring under my
observation as far as possible SeTiatiH, and as
much Of current rumors as / think viii interest
your readers. refer to the recent movement
upon ElHoH's Mills. Information having
reached headquarters on the night Of the
2lst that he Federalists were with
drawing their forces from Cairo, Cape
Girardeau and other points on the river above,
leaving feeble garrisons at each Of these
poin s, and removing their troops to st. Louie
and Western Virginia, movement was ap-
psTsntly determined upon to look after the
condition Of things at the Mills, soma twelve
miles above here, where six OF seven thousand
Federal troops are reported to be sta'ioned-
some hree thousand at the Mills and three or
four thousand at the head Of Island one, three
miles above. Orders were issued accordingly
for Lieut. Col. Logwcod's battalion Of Ten
nessee cavalry, and Lieut.-Col. M.lleT's bat
talon Of Aississippi cavalry, to report them
sslves for service at an early hour on the fol-
lowing morning. On returning to camp on
the morning Of the 221, from a nights picket
duty on the Cairo road, found the company
whose fortunes ] share and whose ensign |
follow, absent in pursuance of the order, and
being well assured from Information previous
" obtained Of their destination and the object
Of their mission, in company with three CON-
rades of the previous nights picket, followed
in heir wake, and overlook them when within
about three miles Of the Mills. When within
about two miles Of our destination, on coming
to the forks Of the road-bOtb branches Of
which led to the Mills the command sepaTat-
Ell, Lsut.-Col. Miller, with bis battalion Of
Mississippi and HIPS company Of Tennessee
cavalry, taking the road to the left, while
Ljeut.-CoL Logwood, with the remainder Of
bis battalion, passed on toward The Mills by
the right hand fork. The movement had
been sufficiently slow, for some unexplained
cause, to afford any one on the road who felt
disposed to inform the 7ickets and apprise the
Federas, aud there can be little doubt that it
was done, as there were no piekets stationed
or az least seen-on the road by which Lieu
tenant Colonel Logwood advanced. When
within three-qnarters ef mile Of the bridge
crossing Mayheld creek, Capt BslleBtjhe's
Shelby Light Dragons were stationed on each
side Of the road, at point where sno her road
CIossed tns one hF Vhich vs. 6sI sdvahced
right angles, and The Memphis Light Dragons,
Cap. TAYLOR, the Tennessee Mouuted RITES,
Capt. White, and Capt. HiiPs company were
placed in "sa5e smbush' hard b., certainly
n55 to await an attack, for being on both sides
OF tie road, if our balls missed the enemy they
would have been more than likely to hit our
frleIds. 10 this position we remained in our
saddles about an hour and a half, when the /
sharp report Of firearms, apparently about
three or four Hundred yards to the lett, told
very plainly that the other wing Of the little |
force had sprung the game Some thirty five |
OF forty shots were fired at intervals, during |
about ten minutes, when the firing ceased, and |
notwithstanding the impatienee of the men in |
Lieut. Col. Logwood's command to investigate |
matters, and repeated pressing appeals from |
the captains Of companies to advance, the Off |
Ger in command Persi tsntiy refused to make a
movement from bis position, and sent PeremPto-
II orders for the return Of little scouting party
headed By Capt. BslleBtine. The day ha1
now passed into full meridian, and four O'Clock
founa US still in sfatu quo. But orders were
soon given, ard our faces we're directed toward
camp. On reaching the road which Col.
Miller's command had taken, detachment
were sent a short distance on the road which
he had taken, which returned and reported
that the command had passed on toward
Columbus. We now continued our march,
and arrived in sight of the myriad camp fires
that surround and Gil Columbus in the evening,
making the heavens almost red with their
glare, about half past seven O'Clock P. n. I
have since learned that Lieutenant Colonel
MiIler's command proceeded to within a
short distance Of the main force, where they
surprised a heavy picket Of Federalists, end
the Haywood Rangers, Capt. Neely, of the
Tennessee battalion, though temporarily under
the command Of LiutenaBt-Colonel Miller, bad
the good fortune TO have their broadside-they
being in the advance-efective in bringing
down four Of the enemy, with the loss on
their side Of one horse killed and one other
slightly wounded, and not a man burt. The
remainder Of the picket retTested to house
hard By, where they were Ief to ruminste upon
the discovery they had made that The Confede-
rates, notwithstanding their protestations,
continue to use bullets before their powder.
Numbers Of the citizens Of Memphis con-
Hnue to visit Columbus in a civil capacity,
doubtless for the qualification Of meeting their
friends in camp.
The friends of Col J. Knox Walker will be
pleased to learn that be is reported GONZALES
cent, being thought beyond all danger.
There srs rumors in camp Of an eng sgement
on he other side Of the river yesterday. be-
tween JEFF. Thompson and a detachment of
the enemy, in which We are said to have lest
fifteen men, and in which the Federal loss is
said to have been very large. Tie rumor has
not.thus far assumed tangible shape. hope
to give you further particulars in my next.
was surprised to meet Capt. Ad. Storm, Of
the Memphis City Guards, on the hurricane
deck Of the steamboat S. r. Tucker, which is
now living at the Columbus landing, awaiting
some repairs made necessary by the bursting
Of her steam pipes. His good-natured smile
reminded ne more Of home than anything that
has eros sed my path sinee my advent as a
soldier.
Do send me the APPEAL regularly, as I am
lost without the news. REhITAS.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
From another correspondent, who was at