Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-09
MOVEMENTS OF Hi ENEMY NEAR
HOLLY SPRINGS.

HOLLY SPRINGS, July 8.
EDITORS APPEAL: l will endeavor to give .
statement of the Hessian's last visit to our city
and county. Gen. W. T. Sherman's command,
as near as can be ascertained, fourteen to fifteen
thousand strong, came down to Cold Water, on
the road leading from this place to Lagrange,
and pitched their tents on the Doth ult, and on
the LIST instant they made us a visit. Col. jack
sons and Persons cavalry met them one mile
from town, about nine O'Clock a. NJ, and had a
skirmish with them, killing one man and Sc
verely wounding several others. They brought
up their artillery and threw several shells within
cur city, hurting no one. Our cavalry fell back
south of town, when their cavalry came in about
two o'clock and remained until four-their in
fantry and artillery remaining on a hill one mile
of. They fell back that evening to their camp
on Cold Water, five miles of. On the Sd inst.
they came in cur city again, early in the morn
ing, with infantry, artillery and cavalry, stating
thai they would celebrate the 4th, next day, with
Us but, from some cause, about FIVE o'clock,
they double-quicked out of town to their camps.
} On the 9TH our cavalry advance pickets were
with us. The enemy was advancing also, but
thought il prudent not to make their appearance
until our cavalry retired. Late in the evening,
when they came 10 town, about four thousand
strong, camping on an eminence on the north
side. On the morning of the 9th instant, their
troops were going at large over every part
of the city. Not a residence escaped their Wis
its they were getting into kitchens, going into
family rooms, where they found the doors not
barred against them, ordering their break
fast to be prepared, threatening to cut Threats
or kill, if they were not obeyed, and alarming
many timid men and women. They also de-
stroyed our gardens. Towards evening they
loaded up ten wagons with sugar and m~olassCs,
belonging, in part, to the poor and INDECENT
families of the county, which had been laid in
for their support; the balance belonging to pri-
vate individuals. They left our city that even
ing for their csmp. On yesterday, from some
cause, they broke up theiTcamp earlyin the day,
and left burning up about two thousand bushels
of corn and other supplies they had gathered in
the neighborhood.
They have overrun about half of our county,
stealing and destroying everything they could
lay their hands on-not leaving a barrel Of corn
or a piece of meat. They not only killed the
stock for food, but, in many cases, killed every
cow, hog or sheep they saw-destroyed the
growing crop, taking every garment of clothing
that could be of any use to them, and, to close
their villainous acts, committed outrages on I'M
protected females. One of the most hOrrid acts
was that perpetrated upon a highly respectable
and intelligent lady, one Of the first families in
our county, a mother of a large family. A
squad of some dozen or more of their hellish
fends foreibly entered her house, and. in pres
ence of her screaming little children, outraged
her person. Will not the avenging hand of
God be raised to avenge such horTid acts, if the
men of Mississippi viii not do it? Not an arm
has been raised, as yet, in resistance, and there
are not less than two thousand able-bodied men
in this county staying at home.
] have not described half of their damniDg
and hellish acts. 1 will give one more. A
young married man, with q wife and infant
child, living near their camp, an officer had
arrested without any pretended offence, taken
from his screaming wife, carried off and put
under guard-his wretehed wife forced back into
her room, and an officer q~uartered in his house.
All of his negroes were frightened off, or forcibly
taken. When the young man, next day, was
released, he returned home to find his poor wife
ID an insensible state, lying on the floor, his
poor little infant screaming by her, calling for
nourishment. When last heard from she was
still insensible. A brotherin-law of this young
man went to Gen. Sherman to represent this
case. He was arrested and carried off a pris-
oner. All of the horses and mules of any value,
and over two hundred negroes, have been taken
from their owners. NJ.