American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-12-19
Ihs Mnrement from Ah.erllIe.
Gfrvapa. MIzs., Dec e,h, Ise

prrtv of West Tennessee SO far ~ Il reI,tpe
- The lst corps thereof, under Gen Lowell
fear tue opinion is too prevalent that the
movement was clean out-aBd-out retreat /
Let me simply say that it was not Armies
do not hsbilually retreat for the purpose of
meeting an enemy, but to avoid a battle IT
war not through fear of attack in front
hut to meet aud drive back force that was
making fast time 10 get in our rear. Under
Gen. LoveiPs management orr defenses at
1IPpah were of a nature TO withstand sue
res-tuliy an encounter with treble our num-
b.rs.
The first corTs stTuek tents and marched I
from TiPPah Ford at daylight on Monday +
morning. lst- INST, the rain pouring down
upon as and the temperature almost freezing. I
The line of march being over the steepest
hills, aud the soil consisting of tough clay,
rendered our movements extremely slow, the
more particularly we were accompanied
10y a long train of wagons. Al niehtfaIl
weary, wet and cold, aud after wading
through water in some in distances waist deem
our corps reached Oxford a distance Of
thirteen miles, aud pushed on to a camping
ground on the Yokna some six miles further
The days march was very trying upon the
troops, but our men were Soldiers and the
whispered Indications of fight below kept
mp their spirits. 1t was on this DAYS march
too, that men began to see the worth of
practical man to command them: and as
close the feeling of respect esteem and con-
hdence, which Gen. Lowell had already in
spired IN their ranks, grew deeper and deep
er, and manifested itself wherever and when
ever he passed them.
To avoid prolixity, and do away with the
necessity OF repeating the monotonous ac-
count of each days muddy work let it suf-
nee to state that after four days of most fla
tIgueing and wearying travel, through cold,
rain aud swamp, over roads the bottom of
which seemed to have dropped ont; mp hills,
apparently inpracticable, and down hills in
TO water covered valleys, our wornout corps
reached Cofeevllle, on the Mississippi Cen
trail Railroad, with its entire wagon train
safe and whole. During all this time the
General commanding set the example of en-
durance to his troops, and shared with them
tie priyations of the march. Indeed, Gen.
Lowell has satisfied his subordinate officers
and men that successful commander Inu 81
not only be man of military requirements,
hut he must understand the science of road
nending, bridge repairing, mule driving, and
everything else heretofore considered as ex-
clusively separate and departmental. He not
only performed each of tho duties appertain-
ing to the above specified calling, but he re-
manned long enough at each point to see that
the lessons he gave were fully understood
and appreciated by those who needed the in
struction. During these four days our rear
was haIrassed by the abolition cavalry
whose long range rifles rendered it unneces.
gary for them to get within ordinary gun sho
of our cavalry.
Upon reaching Coaeeviile, Gen. Lovel
determined to rest his and give TIL,
teams u huge" feed, preparatory to the las
days heavy march to Grenada. | am of thu
opinion, too that the General had anothe
motive for resting the troops day; h,
knew that the advance guard of Grant
army-5O0O cavalry and mounted infantry
close behind him, and he wanted to pu
several fieas into sundry ears and send tn
information back to Grant.
Circumstances agreed with his plans. A
about one O'Clock Friday afternoon he foun,
ont the Abs. were marching leisureiy towar,
CoffeevIIe. Accordingly Gen. Lowell rod
out on the Coldwater road about mile an
half from town, to point where he coult
superintend operations. He placed a por
ton of two brigades from Tilghman's diyi
sion and brigade from Rusts, consisting o
the 3D. and 7th Kentucky, the 9th Arkansas
aud the 18th and 26th Mississippi, on eac
side of the road where the enemy al to pass
Jackson's cavalry then ordered to z
forward until they met the enemy, when the
were to turn and run. The plan worke
beautifully. With every confidence in tn
advantage of their weapons, and the retreat
ing rebels galloping away from them, the ex
ultant Abs. put spurs to their horses and o
they came. Fatal deusion When With
forty wards of our alnbashed men, a wall O
infantry seemed to rise up on each side @
the-road, and the enemy received a fire whic
must have sstonished all il did not Kill
They =iHame diateiy turned and fled, but upo
getting out of rifle range halted, dismounted
-aad formed in line of battle.
Eight pieces of artillery, consisting of on
section from Co. A, and one from Co. L
Pointe Coupee Artillery, one section fror
the Hudson Battery, and one from Holden
Artillery were placed in position and thun
n. s., a asTaa If ia
tracing from others to say, right here, tina
the conduct of the section of Hudson's bat
terry was extra good, and repetition of tn
gallant services they performed at Shiloh
The infantry was then ordered forward, an
another yoliey given the unfortunat
Abs. A charge was made but they couldn
stand it, and so fast that our boys wer
unable to capture the three pieces of ar.ille
~ which the enemy had brought into action
Indeed. their aeadlong speed in running wa
all that saved the entire force from capture
for Gen. Lowell had sent Col. Orr, with hi
brigade to get behind them, and thus bag
who were not killed As 1t was Col. or
only had a small chance at their flying fiaul
The discounted devils were driven hack fo
four miles by our worn out troops, and al
told did not stop short of Oxford. They ie
63 dead among them Lieut.. Col. McCulloci
and Lieut. Woodberry, about l57 wounded
aud thirty five prisoners, among them Cap
tain We lost killed and AZ wounded
The fight lasted about an hour and a bal
and was one of the most brilliant little affair
of this war. percussion shell hired a
GEN Lowell fell between him and his AID:
and covered the entire party with mud. For
tunateiv, however, it did not explode, aa
the services of sble aud efficient office
have been spared to his country.
The results of this fight are very important
New life was infused into our troops, VII
| were beginning to think there would be n
/ excitement TO relieve their weary march,.
severe lesson was taught the pursuing Alb:
one which will be remembered hereafter
The advance of large army corps was com
pleteiy checked, and the entire wagon tran
with army stores, ammunition and provis
ions, safely brought off from all danger
II interference. On Saturday last. Cen Love
rode mp from the rear and took position a
the head of his corps, and marched INT