The Avoyelles pelican. [volume] (Marksville [La.]) 1859-186?, 1862-06-07
CAMP NEAR TENNESSEE RIVER,
May 4th, 1862.

MAY 4th, 1862.
DEAR PELICAN.
have at last the plea
sure to inform YOU Of the doings Of the
First Loui lana Cavalry and those of
! our own "Creole Chargers"
On monday the 22d Of April, Col Scott
received orders from Gen. Beauregard to
move his regiment towards the ennemy
lines at Tuscumbia, to harass them and
send back information of their move.
lnents.
We broke up camp Immediately at
Burrsville and our Colonel selected pick
ed detachments from sig diiFerent COM
panies farming Lieut.. Coloners CON-
mand and placed it under the charge Of
tile dashing and daring captain Of the
" Creole Chargers" ian honor Of which
we feltproud) ! it'll, orders torroceed up
tile Tennessee River, and skirlnish with
the enemy.
When it was knowntllat captain Cam
non was to lead the expedition, and I'M
trammrlled express orders, we werfscor7z
yinced that, at last sonnet hing daring and
brilliant was to be executed, and the
commissioned officers focked around Col.
Scott, begging that tEpy might be allow
ed to go under the gallant Capt. G. rs
The command consist .ng Of 125 cho-
sen men, first made a reconnaissance up
Tennessee River to watch the movements
Of the Gun Boats. Thence captain Can
non proceeded tothe Lagrange mountains
south Of rnscun,lia, and placing his men
III deep and ilnpeiietrable wooded camp,
commenced making lis arrangements for
bold and telling blow upon the cne-
my's lines; at II o'clock at night. ourspi.S
brought in the intelligence that the en-
nemy were moving out Of sFuscninbi"
towards Decatur, and our intrepid Cap
tain immediatel, called lis mp in line OF
battle, and there III the silence. and dark
ness Of deep mountain gorge, he made
us, in his own peculiar way. most Il ri
ling and affecting war talk. He told US
Of the wrongs AMI acts of atrnci,y being
daily committed upon the d, ftncclrss
mothers, wives and daughters Of the
South BY the british soldierly of the
north and swore that he would never re-
turn to camp without retaliation deep ana
terrible.
The Captain wound up his war ia,A
BY saying Now, boys, strap on firmly
your saddles, look well to your arms and
ere tomorrow s sunrise we'll breakfast III
h. /. or feast upon yankees. 9
The men responded With hearty "a
men" and soon after we were marching
towards the rear of the enemy. Just be-
fore the break Of day, we reached the
public highway leading from Tuscumbia
to Decatur, and placing ourselves i'll am
bush awaited the appearance of the yam
KEGS. Soon the rear Of the army appeared
in view, consisting Of about 40 cavalry, a
regiment Of il,f;lntry and three pieces Of
artillery; after they had passed the Cap
tain deployed us III au open field to ha-
rass them, butInuch to our establishment,
hardly had we formed our line Of battle,
before the head Of the real rear column
hove in sight some half . mile distant.
We all locked onin silence and breath
less suspense to see What our heroic cap
tain would do surrounded as he nearly
was, OF rather placed il tue centre Of
column of the enemy's cavalry, infantry
and artillery Hesitation in a moment like
This was certain destruction, and perceiv-
ing this at glance, our dare devil lead
er forthwith. resolved to cut in two the
rear by q daslring Charge: 4 he enemy
were moving down q 16hg 1ais kssc ~ rs
"Vinson's Lane" y
| The Captain through out skirmisl,ers on
both sides of the read uiths orders to fall:
back 10 the column if overpowered; both
advance guards were soon driven in, and
the yankee cavalry dashing down upon
us, our men were drawn up to receive
their charge. The captain sat motionless
upon his horse in front of his men, and
as the enemy drew up to pour in their
volley, he quietly said. to us "steady