Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-24
ENcAGKmENT ar OLIVE BRANoH
Omei4i Eseperi Of Col. Efnghes.
HEADquARrERs DETAcHMEET,

HEADQuARTERs DETACHMENT,
/ COL II HUGHES PARTISAN REGIMENT.
SEEAToBlA, MISS, Sept. l3 lets-
B,igadier General vLIIFIaUE, Holly Springs Miss.
GENERAL. I beg leave to submit the follow
ing official report Of an engagement, which tool
place on the 9th inst, near Olive Branch, Miss
between detachment Of a hundred and two
/ men from three companies CT Col. II. Hughes
p ARTISAN regiment, some fifty men from Capt
Bowen's company Of State troops, about thirty
I from Capt Lofts company OF Louisiana cavalry
I aud a force Of the enemy vaTiously estimated al
from three hundred and fifty to five hundred.
On the morning OF the 9th inst, Capt Lott
commanding post at this place, received infor-
nation that the enemy, near two hundred strong
was ia tie vicinity of Hernando, was ordered
( to take my command, consisting OF the three de-
/ tscbed companies from Col Hughes regiment
and proceed Immediately to meet him. Though
I 1 had no cartridge boxes and only ten rounds OF
cartridges to the man. obeyed the order.
was soon Joined by Capt. Lofts company, COM
manded by Capt. Montgomery, and proceeded
/ to Cold Water depot, where | was informed the
enemy had gone east. l turned up the Cold
/ Water river and reached the steam mill bridge
/ about sunset. l halted the command on the
south side Of the river, and sent out scouts to
ascertain the strength Of the enemy and his
camp for the night, and sent courier slso TO re-
quest Capt Bowen to join me with his company,
which he did next morning about daylight, near
R0beTs0u's cross roads.
Ny scouts returned at midnight and reported
the enemy under Colonel Gfierson a hundred
and sixty strong, had passed on in the direction
of Germantown, committing great many dep
redati0ns--csTrying off negroes and mules from
the citizens. As l knew ke had marched most
Of the night before, / supposed he would camp
early, ordered my men to mount Immediately
and was soon following on his trail proceeded
on through Robertson's Cross Roads to within
few miles of Olive Branch, and learned that
he had encamped near the village the night be-
fore. ] approached to within mile OF tho town
ard sent up to ascertain the locality of his camp,
hoping to surprise him, but learned that he had
been left a short time. / proceeded on at
quick march through the town and to his camp
at the junction Of tho Germantown with the
Memphis road, and was told by prisoner We
captured there, and citizen also, that they had
divided their f0rce--one part had gone eff on
the Germantown road, the other, small de-
taehment under Colonel Grierson, with lot Of
negroes, bad gone toward Memphis, and was
only half mile ahead.
| halted the command, and by request of
Captain Martin forwarded his company to at
tack the colonel and his small force ] left the
others in command of Captain Bowen and went
with his company myself We came up with
the enemy, dlSm )unted at the house Of a Mr.
Joiner, portion Of his men IN the corners of the
fences on each side Of the lane, and the others
concealed In the house and yard evidently ex-
pecting an attack. | dismounted the company
had and made the attack by skrmishing. The
men advancing and held their ground against
what ] soon found to be eighty or a hundred
men, Instead Of fifteen or twenty as represented
I Immediately brought up the reserve companies
as | knew the few cartridges the men had who
z1rara fohfiur vror1ld SOON, he 4 nor
ton Of the reserve was dismounted, and after
fighting some ten or fifteen minutes I ordered
them to mount again, leaving a few still skir-
miShing in front. Captain Martin led a small
detachment through the field to attack Oh the
left, while Captain Montgomery and myself led
portion of Capt Lofts men with the remainder
Of mine 70 the right, intending to cross the val
ley, gain the hill the enemy was upon and at
tack on the righ! and in the rear, leaving Cap
tain Bowen and bis company ia the rear of the
skimishers
After going to the right soma two hundred
yards to cross despTavine, / turned to the left
making almost counteTm2rch TO cross the valley
at tho proper place In boxing back upon the
column ] saw the enemy who had Just come out
OF he woods from toward the Germantown road
in force larger than my command and reported
by Mr. Chamblin Of Colonel John H Morgans
command, who bad been q prisoner in their
hands the night before to be three hundred and
fifty strong They occupied almost the ground
/ had just left. l was then placed directly be-
tween tive fires and instead of making the at
tack had started to make, led nay men close
under the bill 50 as to shield them from the fire
of the reinforeements, crossed the lane and field
on The left of the lane and formed in line in a
piece fwoods some three or four hundred yards
from where / first dismounted, thereby placing
both detachmsnts Of the enemy in front of me,
intending to distnOunt and deploy skirmishers
across the field, but my men informed me that
the most Of them were out of cartridge. and con-
sequently the fight had to be given up, not be-
cause my men were defeated, or discouraged, |
but for the want Of ammunition to fight a fresh
force larger than their whole number, aud sus
tlin victory they had already gained.
Ny loss was one killed, one severely, and six
slightly wounded; five prisoners and twelve |
from Captain Martins company, as |
they were first dismounted and in the severest |
of the fight. The enemy's loss, according TO the |
best information I have obtained, was eleven |
killed, twenty-one wounded, and one prisoner
a lieutenant-colonel among the killed.
Ny men having been, as you know, but re- |
Gently organized, they were difficult to control /
but showed no signs of fear They were brave |
but not cool, and fought well, as their fleet
upon The enemy demonstrates. All the officers
under fire behaved themselves bravely. It is /
but justice to say that Captain Martin, Lieuten-
ants MCGOWAN aud Armisead, who were also /
with the skirmishers in making the attack, ex-
posed themselves with undsunted courage.
You viii permit me general, to defend my |
command sgsinst base calumnY which may |
have reached your ears. That is, that they |
from the field" This, general, is |
without foundation, and basely false as the men |
left the field in column, and formed into line |
about1our hundred yards from where they Grst |
took their position, and the enemy did not pur
sue They marched at eanter across two
farms into the road we came, and there took the
walk to their camp at Senatobia. If their am
munihon had not been exhausted sn satisfied
they would have whipped the enemy with his
reinforcements, notwithstanding they were vastly
cut umbefed.
I have the honor to be, general,
Your most obedient servant,
G. c. WMBOURN,
Captain commanding detachment Col Hughes
partisan regiment.
p. S. Since wiring my report, the men re-
ported captured and missing, having been ex-
\ IL.