, 1862-12-13


cotton gin, two miles ahead, our skirmish-
'rs reported body Of rebel cavalry, and yery
soon came in with a dozen prisoners. The
experience beyond this point was similar to
hat before We reached it. We were continu-
ally skirmishing and continually bringing in
lnfantry and cavalry, until by nightfall they
numbered 125 able bodied men, These were
captured with arms in their hands, mostly the
English Enfield Rifle, all Of which We we're
compelled to destroy, since We had no trans
portation.
Three miles from Water Valley we came to |
the cross road leading to Sprinsdale, and |
learning that a considerable body Of cavalry
had passed that way, Col. Lee dispatched
three companies to that village to reconnoitre
Capt. Collins Of the 4th Illinois cavalry had
command Of the detachment, which consisted
Of two companies Of the 4th Illinois, and one
company Of the 2d Iowa. They rode rapidly
to Springdale, and returned in the course Of
an hour, reporting the capture Of squad of
rebels who had set the railroad bridge across
the 7 Yockenapatopha at that point OF fire, and
the capture and parole Of ten prisoners, who,
in some ofthe skirmishes Of the few last days
had been seriously wounded. While awaiting
ihe report Of Capt. Collins, Mr.
Shipp, 4 planter and 4 politician Of con-
siderable prominence in this neighherhood
was brought to the Colonel, and rave us an
interesting description Of the condition Of the
utterly impoverished, and to use his own
words s'gone up" The Confederate army had
spent the preceding night in front Of his
mansion, and his house was used by Geu.
Van Dorm as headquarters. Jacob Thompson,
Secretary Of the Interior under Buchanan, is
the commission Of captain in the Confederate
States army. Jake slept on L pallet before the
fire last night. ard took his corn dodyer and
bacon like an honest man. Mind, I don't say
hc steals, but do say that there are certain
swamp land transactions which happened
years ago, that Indicate that his perception
Vi the dividing lire between honesty and dis
honesty il exceedingly dim.
CATCHING TAnTARs.
Just as Capt. Collins returned we moved on,
and ut the brow Of hill, lElf mile in advance,
Lieut.. MaNWen OF company Z, fih Illinois
cavalry, stepped to the roadside with couple
Of prisoners. Early in the morning the Lieu
tenant had been taken prisoner BY 4 portion
Of Jack=on's cavalry, and Il detail LIT to guard
linn. Lieut. Wallace of company E, and Lieut
B. +. Hyde Of company I. 9Th Illinois cavalry,
were on the left flank directing tue Increment
Of The skirnalshers, when a squad Of cavalry,
who, for the moment, were concealed behind
q building, came suddenly upon them and
oyerpowercd them, making them prisoners
They were placed i'll Charge Of the same detail
g1,ardiny Lieut.. Maxwell. Just as tile altli-
tional tl:llkers came in sight, the three Lieu
teEants, by prcconcertcl movement, them
selves turned upon their guard, and with the
assistance Of the skir,nisherE, who just then
came up, captured the captors, and brought
Hin ant ir{. st,1tn6 n G.1 I
From here TO Water Valley, our men were
continually bringing in prisoners and driving
the enemy Those in front of US passed rap
idly through the town and crossed the bridge
spanning thu Otukalafla, q mile beyond. which
they just had timc to destroy before our nd
vance reached it. The river is hare too deep
to ford: and either thr bridge must be rebuilt
or Il new bridge or ford discovered. Col
Dickey came into town just as VIC occupied it,
and dircctsd the pursuit to be suspended for
the night, ard thc cavalry to go into camp.
Col. Iiatcii's brigade, which lett Oxford yes
here joined us. Early in the morning, TIL
rebels set fire to the railroad depot and train
Of cars. The former was entirely destroyed
but three Of the latter were saved.
MOVEMENTS OF COL. HATcn's BRIGADE.
From Al. of1iccr Of Col Hatch's command, ]
have derived the following accounts If 1hs
experiences Of this brigade since it lrlt oxfort
yesterday morning. pcFuEal will give ;
c1v:sr idea Of onr entire pursuit:
On the morning Of the Cd Col Hatch:
| sccurd brigudc IF cavalry, consisting Of til,
| It'll Illinois, Lieutenant Colonel Prince com
| ulandiug, 2l Iowa commanded by Alaln
| Coon, q battalion Of the 51h Ohio cavalry IN
der charge Of Major Richards, started frou
OAiorl in pursuit Of one column Of tic arm.
Of Price, Van Dorm Z. Co They took til
/ main road west Of the Mississippi Centr;.
Railroad leading direct 10 Cof3eeyiile. Nv,
miles from Oxford they attacked the enemie
outposts, at eight O'Clock in the morning
and captured forty-th7ce prisoners and twt
ona oiers sc da va: a*h done OF thy Sy III no; fndas'
cavalry Skirnaishing was the order OF tn
entire day, and resulted in the driving Of th
| enery over fourteen miles 10 tie }tc!iena
tol:ha River. At i O'Clock i'll the afternoon
lively fight occurred At the bridge and trest1
work over the river and continued ,,ntil dark
1ntr, the It'll Illinois managed To preserve th
best crossing. {Pnrter's Bridge uni,:rmcd
against strong outnuinberirg force consist
Ing OF infantry cavalry aid artillery. Dnrin!
the I'D Col. Iatch's brigade captured ninety
two prisoners and fifty horses.
On the morning Of the 9th, to-day The 2nt
Iowa took the advance, which We had hell
during the night. At the bridges s1>Irilisl,
lug commenced ut daylight Tlic2d Iowa c:.I,
turcd the c1lcmy's pickcts, and fought ovc
whe1 I'D l,S Ma;,E cno,, tH,,. c1,or<rai, ~
.r,rd of 1l .no1,,7 ;e,,trS. '.a''+ur;1,' a.
siStv 1,r5snners W;,an ~. c1r,y,. ~. ,,,,I
W. w;.r o,1r f;f.re,, n,;,,n.n. -; ~ "1 -,at -
Gen. Van Dorn and st:ifF W. r,ntnrcIi M % on
n,ou,,t,in hn,yitycr ;, nr,rt,r,,,,!H,..r: I'll, ri
of wagons and !; train Of cars. which they la;
| n1.ant;6.nr, :t1,d srt ~, ire
"'.o zs. ~ ~.
| \ shAAf stefii NTH hEhEL cAs-StRf.
At II m. while 1igh1inr thr enemy in Front
cist rc rcgicHts Of c,r,,rv X C,'i C'1
1!atch in the rear, when he formed in Iiuc O
battle i'll ridge Of timber, the 2d Iowa OF
the right and the 7th Illinois on the left
Major Coon and Lieut.. Col. Prince dismount
cd half their men, and received the encmy'
charge on foot with with great gallantry IN,
coolness. The enemy advanced ga:lantly an,
poured in a CALLING fire, but were repulsc
and slaughtered in great numbers, falling .lea
at the feet IF our regiments. Ou
men steadily advanced, nor gaye II
inch. driving the rebels before thcm. 1
the moment they were hardest pressed
| ColoEe1 Hatch ordered Major Richard
which hs did with great spirit, and th:s,
killed close enough for the commander Of til
| brigade to touch then. with his sabre T III
def.tanfI that Col. Hatch fonnlin,erts 3Iaio