, 1862-12-23
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Tribune

lSPeca4 correspondence ol the Chicago Tribune,
CA1Do, Dec. II, 1862
Tie steamer City Belle arrived this evening.
and brought Helena and Memphis passengers
aud papers Of, the 18th. The news is inter
cstlng. The guerillas still lang about the
outskirts Of Memphis, and on Thursday last
they captured train Of nineteen wagons a
few miles from 10000 Federal troop:, But
the most successful movement Of the guerillas
was that occurring at Commerce, forty miles
above Helena. about half way from Helena
and Memphis. Some time since banker in
Memphis named Mix made contract with a
man residing near Commerce for some co1toD.
The price paid being then considered fair.
When tue cotton was demanded by tho bank
eF, the price had gone up so that CoggswcI,
its owner, had sold it to another party offer
ing better terms.
It las not been delivered, and Nix procured
the services ofa steamer at Memphis, placed
armed men aboard, went to Commerce, ,dcnlan-
lcdand obtained the sum paid for the cotton,
Coggswell not being able to refute his point
cd arguments, swore yengeancc, however, aud
on Wednesday last, the 18th inst, Mix re-
cclFed notice from Il person overseeing
Judge Barnes plantation at Commerce,
stating that be had some 400 bales of cotton,
which llc could have at ruling rates BIZ going
after it. Mix suspected nothing. He was an
old resident, knew almost every one in the
vicinity, and engaging the steamer Mill Boy,
in the Memphis aud Helena trade, On Wei1nes-
Gay he and number Of others, with SIS, 900
in money and good quantity Of goods, went
down to Commerce to secure The cotton. To
their surprise they found none there Some
party invited him into the country four miles
distant, where he said he had cotton, He
mounted 4 horse and went. Arrived ut the
spot, he found himself in tue midst of sixty
or seventy guerillas. They offered no violence
Tut treated him civilly- Among the gueriuas
as an officer, Mix found his old friend Cog
gs"cl'- This man recognized linn Mix
made an excuse, invited tho entire party
aboard the Mill Boy at $ clock that cEeninn,
: to partake Of supper, and rode away. When.
us lie thought, out Of Sight, Mix put spurs to
TO his horse and went 10 the steamer us fast
as he could, and lad moi been there fifteen
minutes when the rebels came piling over the
lcree, firing as they came.
Mix haA ordered the Mill Boz into the
stream, Int had not reached 4 safe distance
when fired upon. The first yollev killed DR..
j. D. Linscy, an esteemed resident of Mem
Phls, who WAS shot through the head, and
Robert j. Iaekey, the bar keeper Of the boat,
from Davenport, Iowa. There were sixty Of
the gueril1as, and not man on board of th,.
boat WAS armed. Vollcy after yolley was
fired. The upper works Of the Mill
Boyswere.s riddlcd, thirty-two shots passing
through thu pilot house and eight through the
smoke stacks. One man-name unknown-was
wounded and fell into the river. The rebels
followed along the bank Of the river and kent
firing as long as the boat was within range.
the steamer heading toward Helena, which
place she reached al night.
Col. j.. r. Slack, Commandant at Helena
when informed Of the outrage, seized tie
steamer City Belle, just put back for
fear Of gnerillas, placed aboard part Of the
11th and 47th Indiana regiments, and went
himself to Commerce, where he arrived at
midnight. The .guerillas had fed, piclcts
were put out, the camp-frcs lighted and par
ties detached to scout the country. Every
plantation and dwelling within circuit of
four miles, was burned, stripped aud de-
stroycd. Among others, Judge Barnes very
Inc residence, warehouses, &C., &c. The
gualboat Juliet went along also, and shelled
The woods to disperse tie guerillas. Judge
Barnes and his son. CoggsWell, Dale, Ferg1-
son, Tucker, Flowers, Lamb and Taylor were
well, as inttigator of the affair, is in Cairo e.
night, prisoner, his plan for tie capturine Of
Mix, his money and property having failed. i
and tho tables been effactually turned aealnsf I
Boy was left ut the Presidents Island. The
gue.illas belong to Blythe's notorious rogi-