Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-10-22

halted there, the central column, Col Jackson
passed on ahead ] have no disposition tOgrudge
the gallant GeOrgians this piece Of good fortune,
however, and it only remained for us to JON
| them in the work of destruction They also
| burnt some provisions stored up south Of the
camp, toward the gulf shore. / heard it stated
that some cannon were spiked, but Of this can
not speak with certainty.
As our division moved mp to the tents, Col
/ Chalmers directed Capt Benton to bear TO the
right of them, toward the bay, with his compa-
| nv, and search for batteries. They soon came to
! a large lot Of provisions in barrels piled up un-
I der a long canvaSs-tOpped shed, under which
! some mules were also tied. The mules were Ia
! ken possession of, and the shed and barrels set
on fire While engaged in this, the recall sounded
! by order OF Gen. Anderson, as it was now day
! break As patty Of Capt. Benton's men, with
/ Lieutenant Watson, were leaving the commissa-
! ~ premises, they were challenged by Zouave
! officer who rode up, appearing 10 think them
! friends Finding he was mistaken by their
/ challenge and reply he attempted to draw pis-
/ t5l, and was shot by private Ellis.
| Our battalion was the last to leave the burning
camp. and were thrown IN the rear on
! the march back to the boats. We had gone
/ some distance down the beach moving by the
/ flank, when a portion OF the command near the
center "a part having passed the point) came
suddenly upon the two companies Of regulars,
under Major Nogdes, who had passed down the
island during the night. The order was at once
riven by General Anderson, to form into line,
and the enemy in a few moments were under
calling FIRE Col. Chalmers, repeated the order 70
form in line as his battalion came up, and, the
men, though much iatigued and the companies
a good deal mixed up, quickly deplOyed to the
right and Joined in the fight The Pickens men
were soon scampering off through the bushes
across the island pursued by our sharp shooters,
1 who popped them over as they ran Ike rabbits.
! A number were killed and taken prisoners,
| among the latter Major Negdes, who surTended
at the outset to Lieutenant Hollinquist and the
/ Georgians The larger portion of the Confede-
rate loss in killed and wounded, also occurred
! here The Georgia troops, from the Georgia and
! Mississippi battalion under Captain SprayberTy,
in particular, suffered severely, and our battalion
/ came mp lust in time 10 sustain and relieve them
! Il was here, also, that the only man Of the de-
tachment from the 9th Mississippi regiment, who
/ fell was killed-private W. Z. Webber. He
was only q volunteer for the expedition, having
/ a brother in Capt. Burtin's company and being
! in eamn as a visitor He and a few others of the
company had followed Capt b far to the right
for the purpose of trying To cut off the retreat of
the fugitives, and was shot and killed by one Of
/ them as they disappeared behind the ridge along
Z
| and when most Of those engaged in it had Tc-
sumcd the march for the boats.
/ Quite a large body of troops turned out Of
! the tort by Commander Brown to look after US,
/ came ia sight. with two mounted officers along,
| emerging from the woods at a point near the
bay far behind us. We of course expected hot
! pursuit, as they were fresh, but they halted and
suffered our forces, Che rear Of them in full view,
| 70 make their way to the boats, carrying wound
e II D
gone aboard, and gotten out into the bay some
distance, party came out to the shore opposite
Us from across the Island and used their long
range CunsEou us. Several of our men were
wounded, among them private Stllman, COM
pany ID, private Day, company n, 9Th Missis
! sipp Sergt. BaTksdale, company G., 10th Mis-
sissippi regiment and others Gen. Anderson
also received a shot in the arm. The battery
near Fort Pickens likewise fred four rounds at
US, only one shot striking near the boats how
ever.
Thus, Messrs. Editors, we went boldly on the
island in the night time, frightened Wilson and
his followers from their camp, burnt if under the
guns Of Pickens and came away in broad day
light in the face of the enemy. Some Of the
troops, too-those from the 9th and 10th Missis-
sippi regiments-had marched not less than ff-
teen miles, including their return to the boats,
and the companies from the eth Alabama nearly
as far
On the bay we met the steamer Time, with
the Confederate flag proudly flying, bringing a
large body of troops from Pensacola TO our aid.
They greeted US with loud shouts, and, Of course,
had nothing to do but turn about and accompany
us back. In the afternoon the troops from War
rington and vicinity returned on The Time to the
navy yard.
Our loss, as wei as I can ascertain, was some
twenty-oue killed, twenty-nine prisoners, and
thirty-eight wounded. We took twenty-five
prisoners, and think we damaged them in killed
and wounded to the extent Of one hundred and
fifty or upwards.
cannot close this article without more special
reference to the commander of our battalion, Col.
Chalmers. Like most Of those present, he was
in such an adventure for the first time. He was
in front Of his command TO direct their march,
and gave bis orders, even when danger was i'm
minent, with a eOolness, prompness and pre-
cision, that would have done credit to a more
experienced commander. Major Bowdre and
Adiutant Barton, too, were az their posts, giving
such aid in directing our movements as was
needed Indeed, Marshall and DeSoto, from
which the companies of the 7th regiment come,
who were engaged in the fight, have no cause to
be ashamed Of the men they sent out They
were where balls few thick, and they viii stand
fire. MISSISSIPPI.