New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-03


same direction he came, and in case he should iind
bis return 10 Gen. Popes army rendered impraolc lea
bic by The enemy to make Lie way tho ugb Alabama
toward II huntsville and then report TO Gen. Mitchell
To better understand the expedition, 1t should be
borne mind that IT undertaken three days be-
fore the intention OF BeauTepard 10 abandon COrlhth
became manifest and that IT was part Of the pro-
granme Of Gen. Halleck to destroy the Rebel means
Of retreat into the interior Of Mssseippi bri0re or
simultaneously with the final assault upon their posi-
iion, which was TO take place ne very morning CoI:
Elliott {; rTed out biz Instructions at Bonneville, and
tie last Rebels left COFDth.
IL accordance with The above order, the brigade
started on, precisely at midnight OF the Nth Col.
I'll ot being perfectly ignorant OF the roads and
country be had to trve Sc had procured two guides
from among the native residents about Pennington
70 where lie was TO strike tie Mobile and ONO Rail.
Josd and aiterward secured the necessary guidance
by picking up every ciIzen he met and lorcn! them
10 SHOW him the way, their persona beng sufficient
guaranty, that they would set liz good faith.
TIE brigade crossed the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
with day on the morning OF The 18th, rome two
miles east of Inka, and twenty lies from Farming
ton and pushed ten milrs further TO tie SOUTH when
they rested. Late in the afternoon tie march was
resumed and continued until dayoreek the next day,
for a distance Of nearly forty mi'es, TO tie head
waters Of the Tombigbee, over lttle-traveed roads
and through an extremely rough broken. tbickly
wooded country, watered by numerous streams.
tie evening. The inhabitants. not for a moment
susoectng kat the - Yankees" could have found
their way so far sOuth Of Coru,h, iocked together,
bringing water, milk aud eatables for the suppo ed
Southern cavalry. The one day STATIONS for the all.
uqls irs consumed forciblc ioragiug was Tesorted
to durirg the dsy, which speedily opened the eyes OF
the astonshed aud aiiiGhred natives.
Al % clock =. IA. the C lumn was again m motion
and marching all night to the northwest arrived IN
the vicinity OF Bonneville at p. n Recommending
yaTties sent ont To ASCERTAIN tie CONDITION OF
things shout the town. sud uIOn nearing II d COW
cred that apparently intermnable tram loaded, az
was atterwaId learned, with nearly 3,cCO Con-
federates was ust about departing south. Re-
treating upon the nam body they allowed the TRAN
TO pas. out Of tight before they commenced opera
tons. Col Sheridan Of the "a michigan was ihen
ordered TO leave one bali Of his regiment 10 reserve,
N with the balance 10 proceed south OF tie town
and destroy tie TIA l.. While marching IN that Gi-
IeCioD the battalion came ny with numerous dethch-
u.ents Of the enemy, cylOenily strhg-ieis. Lucy
were Immediately changed upon and scattered 10 tn
Tour winds. They threw away their arms ard rode
oil NJ wonderful ra,e, outruunILg the jaded horses
OF the puIsuefs. Reaching the track al poiut
tlree-eourtLs Of a nile south Of the town, Col.
Sheridan mt his men 10 work without delay, knock
ing oil and destroying tie rnl- VITA lhtlr aNt.,
The only implements Of destruction they lad brought
along. In les than twenty niuutes quarter OF q
mile OF the track WIS thus destroyed, when al order
was received from Col. Eiloit directing Coll sheI3-
dan 20 join him at Bonneville.
la the mean tine the % Iowa Lieut.Col. Hatch,
commanding under The immediate supervision OF
Col Elliott had entered the town, where they fOnud
one locomotive and trHin of % care, containing
large quantities OF ordnance, ordnance stores, quar-
teruasteln property COWnl-sary stores ana pl1Naie
baggage Of officers estimated in value At from one
igif to three quaIIers vi million of dollars-a of
which, with the exception OF the locomolyet that
were merely disablcd was effectively destroyed.
The presence Of tie Union cavalry ned now be-
come known TO the Re els, who Were IN strong force
both north and toutA Of Il town. Without know
! z anything of the evacuation OF Corliih Col III
liot, had, indeed, wedeed his command IN between
the main bOGy aAd Tca. OF BeaureRarG'e army IEe
plckets he had thrown out reported strong bodies Of
The enemy a1vancing from both cir ctioBr upon TIE
town. Fearing that his retreat might be cat OF, and
having done all and more than he bad been ordered
10 do Col. Elliott de, ernined TO make reirograde
movement at once.
Both the "a Iowa and % Michigan while moving
10 snd fro about Gown, had en several bundled
Vrisoners belonging 10 a IL, .mcnt that had been
stat oned at Bonneville TO guard the town aud Ioad'
-urPrised and running about wildly
u, on Tho suddon entrance ~ our e@"Elry- Noorlv
every house WAS also full OF Rebel sck, numbering,
in Tie aggregate, nearly Two thousand. y speedy
retreat having now become necessary, tlee piis-
oners had to Ice abandoned not, however, until after
their arins and equipments were rendered utelers.
The pick,ts icing all drawn in, with the escep-
ton # IL SQUAD Of ten belonging 10 tie ID Iowa,
who vertured too far roth aud Were surrounded,
and either killed or captured, the brigade started
mon the return march. Before setting out. Col.
Elliott had become satisfied, by inioimtii"n Oh
tanned from prl,ODers, that BeagreglId amy was
retreating along the loit of tie Mobile and ono
Railroad aud hence he took the right and succeeded
in taiely reaching our lines, meanwhile extended
south Of Cofinth, on Saturday morning. On The
way up, he picked up three Rebel oiiicer- aud MY
seven Iryates, aud brought tuem INTO camp:
I.I HAD fly fkUA
miles in three dave aud half. lli- men had hardly
any sleep III spite OF their fearful tatigne, and moth
ny 10 eat iOr the last weni your hours al the expo
dition. Tie animals lad TO -gbsist during The lat
three DAYS on what forage could be hunted up along
the route. Yet, Notwithstanding TIM exhaustive
taxation If men and snima's the cavalry brigade
sought no rest, but Immediately joined IN the pur'
suit and engaged rs onerPeically ia II rs though
riders aud horres had not just made the eeyefest and
longest march in the sbortest time, but were Jo.t
entering the field fresh fIom camp. They kept al
WAYS in the advance, scouting IN all directions,
occurring every WOODS FOR tie enemy for miles
around On the 4tb Of June, the brigade, supported
by Powells Battery, made forced recoDnei-tance,
and encountered a strong BODY OF Rebel cavalry 7,
infantry and artillery, short distance this eide Of
Rlackland. with whom they had q successfal skir-
rpish. the ID Iowa losing three killed and
nine wounded. and the ID Michigan TWO killed
aud seven wounded. Again. on The Olhi II maze
another reconnaissance ID The direction Oi Ba!G"ii
skirmehiug for SIX miles, end dr'lng mo enemy
that distance to Twenty-mile Creek in The bottom
Of which lay large body OF Rebel iDia Try. On
the 9th, the brigade, temporarily IN command Of
Col Sheridan was directed 10 proceed The shortest
rossible road from near Blacklard To Baldwin. II
did So and arrived at the latter point on Tbs follow
ing morning 1T O'Clock, hnoing the enemy gone.
Lent. Col Gatch was then ordered W. u q bat
talon each Of the % Michigan AMI I'd Iowa, TO
proceed toward Guutown aud feel the po-iilon oil
he enemy He cane upon bis rear, milea from
Guntown, and his bold advance forced the ,.ebeb
out, with infantry, cavalry, and artillery; when
having fulfilled his mission, be returned to BALDWIN
This yvoa the last aiteopt made by any portion Oi