The New York herald., 1862-12-26

gwen TO tire. The order was ebeycd with ueuen
dons effect, and the robels dropped ny scores
Five times the vol,ey repeated, until our
fesovng rifles we're nmptisd. anu we retired TO take
Annther pison. For two long miles was tnis attack
and forea continued during which both officers and
men performed prodgies of vaor. Then the pursuit
began 70 slacsen amt auaiy ceased altogether. Tho
column WAS onro more N order, and we lcsussly took
| our line of retreat TO Water Valley
The rebei loss We have Of learning. but II
very much larger than own ~ their columns
solid and presented better target for revolving
rifles.
whero all did 20 well may seem 70 be invicous TO
mention particular instances II bravery. cannot, how.
ever forbear 70 refer 10 the distinguished galantry OF
Col Dckey Col. Lee Col Hatch, Col Mseuer Lieut. Col
Prince, OF tho Seventh Illinois cavalry Lieut. Col. McCu
ough OF the Fourth cavalry, and MAJOR Coon command
ing to Second Iowa There other deserving spe
Cial mention, but space iorbds
Our Oxford (Miss.) Correspondence
OxyoRp, Miss, Dec. o, 1852.
The occupation Of ths point has put end to our
Forward force tho pscsnnt Thc supply
trains, which have been greatly delayed by bad
roads viii have /, como mp before are In
condition TO advanos, though then do not anti
cipate further until tho railroad 10 this point
is entirely repaired Tho running regularly
10 Holly Springs Tns railroad from tho latter place 10
this dcpsrable state, tho most gap being
at the TsliaAashe river, which point three bridges
and large amount of trcse WORK has been completely
destroyed The engineers are now working rapidly &c
repair these breaks IN order 10 have them In readiness
by The timo the OF the road nnished Al least
three weeks will be required ~ complete the reconstruc
| tlon.
VENTURE.
The venture OF this army, distant from its base
stutes OF tho boldest and promises to be Of tho
most effective. movements OF the by Tennessee
has been quetcd and apparently restored TO tho
menl Mississippi is invaded, army, successful and
excellent condition, is already distance within her
borders II the boast Of the coniedeacy tina,
could this S,ae except through the ordeal Of
laya ovad a
heels Of disordered panic stricken and suffering enemy
Those spoke loudly the first 70 shirk tho
defence they conceived would contes. march. I'm
pregnabls positions have been evacuated The country
open to us. is sad Grenada will DO hcld against
cannot believe It, The position is net good
as many they have alroady left. 1t 10 trne
| the location is ono Of vast Importance 10
battle The Of the enemy Is desperate 10 this SEQ
soa and daily grows more no.,o we
They viii be able to make but show Of ress'anee seo'e
they give up tho entire country.
REBEL AABuscADs .
When CoGeeville, village about thirty miles
south from here, night before last our cavalry came
unexpectedly upon ambuscadc Of brigade or infantry
and several pieces Of artillery Our men, thongh sur
prised fought noby doing the enemy much damage and
saisfactory learncd ten killed. twenty wounded
and about thirty nyc missing or prisoners Amsng the
tho Fourth Illinois cavalry. Ebcn Mccullough n VAS -
frskrcported that entire company was CUT or Lass
bringing scn prisoners THIS unexpected and uncviizsd
attack somewhat sstonished our boys 1ney retired
wha mischief they had suffered In tow days we win
hear Of them again in their exploits.
Lieutenant D. Gilc aid to General McT ncrfou bcasor
Gag Of truce left for tne rebel lines yesterday ane
returned to-day He proceeded as far - Coscylls Just
inside thoir pickets, when he was hncd, while the
addressed General psmberton wsrc delivered
and reply made. The message was 70 !eason 70 sne
exchange OF prisoners or which we have large number
No satisfactory reply made waiting several h0urs
Colonel jackson aud stat rode up with ths information
atnat General pemberton had gonc out - rido." Ho
offered send It TO General Van Dorn Tho Same rc-
sponse was returned Finally General Lowell opened the
aSsss os; hs csosrs 4 Van oss are IN
and Lowell il left rear guard General Price
THs nsADQu Asrx1s o. GENERAL GRANT.
Oxford, where lies the centre OF our army, besu
tifu place, both by nature and by art In buildings
L exhibits considerable anueuce. In ornamsn,atios
IL displays rare taste The place 10 now nearly
deserted by is population In several instances dnner
tables well supplied The poor fare the people
subsst In the South were found deserted, though
IDENTIFY designed for the people Of the house. sudden was
attack Whitber these fugitives direct their fight
cannot tell.
Our army In gooa position and pretty well con
sentratea. In natural fortacation bold Q strong
point No attack from the rebels anticipated, but is
good thing possess such location. Gcncral Grant
has hrs headquarters here: so also has General
Mcpherson
During the late forces have been very
successful the capture of large number OF prisoners
The number thus brought amount TO fourteen
commissioned officers seventy six sergeanis twenty cor
porals hundred and dty privates. add lss
OF officers. Tncy are ss follows
CAPTURE REBEL OFFICERS.
Major C. Duckwor.h First tennessee dry J C. word,
Surgeon Captain W. A. Rogers Fourth Mississippi caval-
n Captain II n Patton, Fifteenth Mississippi infantry;
Cban shaw, Quartermaster on the stat OF General
Van Dorm Lieutenant l.. A. Hatchet Second Arkansas
Lieutenant s. j. Willis, Fourth Mississippi Cavalry Lieu
tenant B. Patton Tennessee Reserve artillery Lieuten
A. j. williamson, FHteth Alabama infantry; Lieuten
j. T. sandford Second Arkansas cavalry Lieutenant n
Burkhead, First Arkansas cavalry Lieutenant r. Wen
Bailanstnc cavalry Lieutenant Mccoy balanstine
cavalry; Assistant Surgeon y. n. McClendon.
OXFORD, Miss, Dec. ., 1852
our CAVALRY OPERATIONS
The retreat o. the rebel before advance Of
Gen. Grants army, though manly owing = the dspo-
ston OF infantry, brilliantly followed up BY the
cavalry fact all the engagements have been with the
cavalry aud the obe rerograde movement rendered by
L painful auc Our necessarily upon
their rear harassing thora upon every opportunity
feel confident they suffered dreadfully IN killed and
wounded many OF the latter having fallen into hands.
There doubt but the dash OF onset In offensive
operations greatly d. with the fear Of the enemy
TO encounter our forces.
The PARTICULARS Of the cavalry movements since first
engagement Of the suemy north OF the Talahache will
be OF interest aud importance. therefore give them
somewhat at length.
II was on tho morning cf December a. after severe
running agh, the preceding day, that Col A. L. Lee
commanding First brigade Of the cavalry DIVISION crossed
the Taahatche river during the night and entered the
enemy's works (Which evacuated except by small
party OF observatory the head Of the Seventh Kansas
Fourth Illinois, rhird Michigan and battalion OF the
Second Iowa cavalry. brief skirmish occurred here,
which resulted the flight OF the rebels towards their
main body, march souihward In close pursuit
pushed forward 10 Abbey e about six miles the
road
Al this point Major Meyer, with the Third Michigan
cavalry south tho road west OF the railroad
while the rest OF the command pursued tho main oxford
road When hye miles south oil Abbevillc our cavalry
came up 10 the guard Of the enemy's cavalry We
drove It steadily distance OF three miles, without
periencing any strong opposition.
When three miles north OF oxford the sncmys cavalry
made another and determined stand, opening upon
our men with two pieces OF artillery half hours
severe skirmhng suhiced TO drive the enemy his
position with considerable loss, among the number being
bis two gunners who killed while serving the guns