, 1862-12-12
FRGNI GEN. GRANTS ARMY.
Successful Operations of the 7t{, ILL.,
nois Cavalry.

CAaP NEAR WATERFORD, MisB., Dec. ?, 1862.
We who are in the army fighting the battles
and experiencing the inconvenience and ex-
posurcs Of all that pertains to war, seize with
avidity all the news that reaches US, by the
dailies and correspondence with our friends,
But such is soldier Hfe that we experience
almost :. famine at times, when all communi
cations is cut off, rs it was for 4 short time
before Lie battle of Corin1h and VIC were look
ing and feeling for the enemy It is so with
us now. We have been trying to find the
enemy for more than four weeks. We left
Corinth Oh the S0th Of October and marched
to Bolivar, flfty-three miles, in forty-eight
hours, With our baggage train, remaining there
thlrty-six hours and then took up the line Of
march TO Grand junction and passing it on
our lcft-having but distant dim sight Of it
we went to Lagrange. While there, our
regiment, the 7th Illinois cavalry, as usual
mad much TO do in reconnoisanccs and scouts
and were i'll the ekir1nieh near Lamar and too,y
conspicuous part init, receiving thedre o.. the
enemy and utterly routing those in our front,
producing such panic in horses and men as
has hardly occurred since the commencement
Of the var. The enemy had chosen GOOD
position IN and beyond one Of the deep gullies
for which this section is remarkable, Where
the heavy rains have made gorges sometimes
z half 4 mile in length, and to Il lepth from
fous to twenty feet and varying in width from
two TO twenty feet. As our cavalry put them
to Hight they were compelled to pass one Of
The gorgcs, and horses and riders went prll
mell lnto the gorge, some never to come out,
Us they found their last ditch Horses and
men were much disabled. None of orr men
were injured. Two Of the I'd Illinois cavalry.
were, us the public have learned, seriously
wounded. '
Aiterthe above skirmish, the 1th III. cavalry
were ordered TO Moscow, ten miles west ,,f
Lagrange. On the eth ult. they were order
I'd northwest to search fora portion Of jack
sons cavalry, who were said to be prowlino
about in the vicinity west OF Su1ll1neryille'
On wednesday of last week they found the
enemy II, ono of his chosen earthworks made
" the water, dismountcd and ready to give
them Calling lire from their breast works,
while their main force Tas in the back ttrounti
eur men we're, 4 part Of them, ordered to
dismount and charge Oh them, which they
did in grand style. Such was the CELEBRITY
with which our nlen moved and their deter
mined daring that the enemy were overawed
and panic stricken. We secured us prisoners
Gapr. Marshall of the Texan Rangers. two
officers and priyates- all twenty-cjght. Can't.
Marshall said that he had fought at Wilson'S
Greek. Lexington, Pea Ridge, Douelspn and
other places, but never had met such lighting
material as lie found in the 7h Illinois s;lv:lIrT
We captured two stands of colors. Our Oil
GERS and men returned with their prisoners.
firearms, horses, &c, in good glee. EARLY the
next morning we were ordered to march for
Holly Springs, by way Of Lagrange We ar
Ilved here on Sunday night amid 4 tremen-
4ons thunder storm, having passed through
Holly Springs at O'Clock p. III. A recon
n"lssance made yesterday across the Talll-
hatchie Developed the fact that the enemy
had gone, after destroying the bridge over
the river and burning part Of their forage
aud army stores. Our forces, to-day, III ire
lnc1ldous numbers, infantry, cavalry and ar
tillery, are in pursuit.
l have seen but little in the papers regard
ing the 1ih Illinois cavalry, during tha fifteen
months We Lave btel II. The service, and the
more than twelve months VIC have been in the
Ield While VIC haye no Opposition to trumpet
our own fame. VIC think that great injustice
has in repeated instances been done MS, in
leaving lis entirely out Of the record, or plac-
ln555 III The foreground as conspicuous actors
otncrs Who ycntured less and actually were
not as yalorous. The greatest injustice was
done to one battalion IL the evacuation of
tnka~ Where less than goo stood and con
fronted over 200 of the rebels in conjunction
with Col: Murphy for a whole day, and when
ordered by the Colonel to retreat, covered his
rear, until after re;lclaing Bnrnsyillc, when
Col. Murphy's command was well out Of
harms way. The facts of the history arc
these. We were the advance guard Of Gen,
Pope's army from Commerce to New Madrid.
We were the advance guard to Point Pleasant,
and Riddles Point, and drove Jeff. Thomp-
SON 8 swamp rats from many ofther fastnesses,
Bcsitcs many and successful reconnaissance
from Birds Point and Cape Girardeau to
Bloomfield, Charleston. sykcston, and many
Other points in Southeastern Missouri We
were among the first cavalry to advance on
Corln1h With the left wing Of the army, last
spring. Here the noble and brave Major
Aplington was killed, and others Of our MINI
Der: During the summer we were scouting
in The valley Of the Tennessee and the noun,
tai1ls Of Northern Alabama. We arc willing
our record Should be thoroughly scanned,
and have No fears ofthe comparison with other
departments Of thu service. We are willing
aud ready for each aud every duty, hardship
and fight. aud intend to do our utmost until
an honorable peace shall declare our services
are no longer needed 10 conquer the rebels.
There are many things would like 10 say i1
regard to the slaves, but as my letter is already
too long, torbcar. Yours truly,
One OF TEE TrH ILL., CSya1Ry