Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-20
THR EATE FEDER4L RAID INTO
NaHSaEEGaRRFs

ness account Of the lale Federal raid in the
county Of DeSolo, would interest your readers,
/ Iheregith present yon the following facts and
statements part Of which we saw-the resi-
due is well authenticated. So far as the route
they travelled is concerned suffice it to say, they
came out by Olive Branch, thence toward Cock
ram. within two miles Of which they encoun-
tered three or four companies of jackson cav
airy, and from this point they travelled almost at
right angle lor fernando, about ten miles dis
tant, in southwestly direction About two
o'clock. P NJ, the cavalry, 10th Illinois, Colonel
Grierson in command) entered the town from
the Holly Springs road, in a sweeping gallop,
which was not broken until al the roads leading
to town had been picketed. OF course, such a
esvalcade by an enemy, produced consterna-
( ton and dismay for time, upon the defense
! less citizens the most Of whom Immediately
sought their homes, while those in the streets
were arrested and sent to the court yard square,
which had bsceme the camping ground OF the
! regiment About six, P. NJ the Infantry began
/ to enter, one regiment following the same route,
until it reached the open ground south Of the
town, where they halted for the night, while an
I other went 10 the fair grounds with two batteries
( of artillery between them. Having all got in
/ and pickets pat out, the citizens who had
! been imprisoned we've discharged with the com
/ Portable assurance that If they come out during
/ the night they would be shot.
The cavalry being we'll uniformed, equipped
/ and mounted, made quite martial appearance,
| their physique, individually and collectively,
/ bsiur d ate 40 10 the military standard. The
/ infantry were we'll armed, but not being uni
formed so regularly, did not present the martial
air or bearing of the cavalry. In fact, they
! seemed 10 be q lower caste of men, few Of them
presenting intellectual outlines, or even stslwaTt,
manly proportions About dark the order to
feed and forage wherever they could ind it, was
promptly obeyed, fol they ditfused themselves
over the town, helping themselves to the corn
and fodder Of the nearest individuals who were
In possession of the same-in some cases taking
tie las bushel OF corn Having fed their horses,
they began now to distribute themselves about
town a few going in and asking for supper
some denauding-the majority, however, from
habit instinct or educG. ion, or all combined,
preferring TO steal it, by robbing all the hen
roosts and poultry yards in the town. Many an
old chanticleer which hsd long heralded the
dawn Of day to the dIowsy inhabitants OF Her
nsndo, closed his career of cOck-crowing that
night and but for the roosters in the surround
ing country the advent Of day would have been
unknown aud unhonOTed, so far as that signal
proclaims IT,
These, however, were small thefts, and would
in themselves, have done but little to blacken
the character of the Federal army. The bright
biVouac 6res on the south of town and around
the square had not burned down, ere the work
Of pillsge and plunder had begun IN earnest
Whether there was concert of action and = d.
vision Of labor in despoiGng the stores of the
town, or nOs is more than we can say; this We
do know, every one was broken open during the
night and pillaged utterly and completely-
What they could OF appropriate and take oil,
they ende2voTed to destroy. The stores OF URcle
Billy White, Smith & Tate, Caffy Howard,
Vance s. johnson, were broken open and
rhed of every thing of value. To be certain Of
getting every thing they broke open and rum
mayed over the rubbish Of several store houses
which had been closed for months. Not content
with this they entered the houses of citizens aud
plundered their private apartments, not leaving
in some eases change of raiment, for bed or
person. They stripped Colonel Labauve's little
cottage Of every thing ssve the furniture and
beds.-the latter Of which they ruined by putting
on them a wounded Yankee, who 70 the eololeps
satisfaction and delight, died before they eft,
Massrs. Avery & Hilderbraud Jared no batter.
To the latter, they presented losded pistol ana
took from him his watch, his money and bis
wifs's little trinkets Where doors or drawers
were locked, they broke them open, in q number
of instances leaving the very furniture value
less We might run the catalogue Of individual
losses TO an almost indefinite extent. A sleepess
night it was to the citizens Of HeTnando and
| Judging from the thevish operations, it was not
much better for the Federals.
The 9Th Illinois (cavalry) claimed for itself
| vast amount of respectfully and character, and
AZ The same time hiuted at the villains Of the
S.h Missouri (ntautry). Itwould be impossible
/ to tell who committed these depredstions but,
| Judging from the locality and distance OF the
several commands, we are bound to believe the
gentlemen af the 6B Illinois were the depTeda-
tors
Morning came at last and soon the infantry
and artillery were on the march for Cold Water,
which place they reached about ii O'clock.
Tire cavalry passed over the bridge and went
out TO the station, one mile and half distant,
and burned the depet while portion of the in
fautry with a large squad Of negroes whom
they had collected nesT to work in saving and
cutting down the trestle-work of the railroad
bridge, and otherwise injuring the road. This
having been accomplished in about three hours,
| they countermarched for fernando, burning, on
their return, DR.. w X Loves saw and gTist
mill stealing mules, horses and negroes at
every plantation as they passed Ihey respect
lively occupied their old company grounds on
returning TO Hernando respectively broke open
all the stores agaiu respectively visited all the
henroosts again, but found much less booty.
The next morning they set out for Memphis,
/ taking with them quite large number OF ne
eroes whom they had deeoysd, and many mules
/ and horses which they had stolen, Increasing
! the numbers Of each at every farm which they
passed.
The editor Of the BatLetin, speaking Of this
| expedition characterizes it as quite successful
1 and highly honorable 70 General Smith, who led
| it. The only difference of opinion between Us
/ and the Bulletin is this, there not man IN
/ it. from General Smith down, that did not
enough of low villainy to entitle him to the con-
tempt of society, and solitary confinement IN
the penitentiary, if tried before falr aud I'M
partial jury, while some deserve punishment too
great for finite beings to inhict- Their conduct,
/ with few solitary exceptions, was marked by
! every element of the meanest natures, the most
depraved tastes the most vulgar habits, and
/ lowest instincts Notwithstanding they were
| trested kindly in many instances by the people
/ of Hernandez not one of them ever had the man
ners to return a respectful compliment Rob
bine orchards, gardens, henroosts, etc. could
easily have been overlooked as the inevitable re-
suit Of mans demorslizing tendency, but 10
break open stores, pillage houses, steal horses,
and. with pistol in hand, rob men and women OF
watches, money and other valuables, have been
discarded for centuries BY civilized belhgerents,
as barbarous and savage. These things they
did al along their march, with an adroitness IN
some instances and reeklessness in others,
that proved stealing familiar occupation to
many, and by no means distasteful to any OF
them. Under pretenee Of searching for arms Oy
orders from offieers, shey would enter houses
and appropriate whatever they could ind OF
value, subiscting the inmates to the most brutal
insults and angry msnaces. No place was 100
sacred for their internal presence.
These are crimes sufficient TO blaeken the
eseutcleon Of any army claiming TO 6e the repre-
sentative of a brave, free and christian people
: but there are deeds yet blacker than any that
have been mentioned, more intolersble ta2n
! murder, tie communicating act Of mans fallen
uature deeds at which the mind inYoluhfanly
: revolts, deeds which no eontrivance OF torture
can adequately punish, and which places men e
on earth side BY side with tho hend IN hell
I even this crime, the screams and agenies Of IN
J nocent, helpless, violated women charges upoi
: them Nothing but FIRE and murder indiserimi
: nately are wanting to FIJI the chaliee OF sorrow