, 1862-09-18
Gbg Grihtt>1e.
THURSDAY, September IS. 1862. .
Military Affairs In Tennessec.

IHUH6DA1, EHlEa1BER IS, 1862
Military Affairs In Teunessec.
The following Is the report of Major 7. 2.
Robh. detailed to visit the Illinois soldiers In
the field l'E Gov. Yates, Of some late actions
in that State:
JACKSON. Tenn. Sept. q, 1866.
To His E1cellency hon, Richard T4tcs, Governor
III Illinois, Springfield, Ill:
SIR: have the honor to submit the follow
ing report:
Intense excitement has prevailed in jackson
efnce The receipt Of the news that an attack
had been made on Bolivar August goth. bv the
rrbcls under command Of Ja-kson and Arm
strcrG. Communication having been cut off
BY fle burning Of the bridges at or near
Tonlbs Station, By the rebels, we are not in
receipt OF full and reliable information. save
that squadron Of cavalry was sent oat uude,
comnapd of Col Hcgg Of the I'd Illinois cay
airy 10 reptl the attack. They met an OYER
wfelning force, bravely fought them, sud
dove them back Du'ing the engagement
Col. Hoeg and Ii. ut. Shannon were killed.
From Neadon Station, twelve miles below,
on the Mississippi Central railroad, we have
the following: Col Dennis Of the 30th Illinois,
with section Of McAllistcr's battery, squad.
ron Of the 11th Illinois cavalry, and about 600
effec:iyts Of the 2O:l and 301h Illinois in
fan1ry, we're attacked by $500 eecesh
cavalry, about 8 q. m., September LIST, four
niles east Of Denmark, and some eight miles
west Of Mcndon. When attacked, the b1c-
gage train, owing to The rough roads, was e.
t.: ted over some two miles of country, and
Col. Dennis and part Of his command, vita
the artillery and cavalry, we're in the advance
The sccesn ambushed cur men, aud the gun
ners, nffer firing two or three rounds, aoan-
doned The guns, bit Col Dennis succeeded in
dt'tr ding tie limbers and caissons, SO that
the GuEs vert us,1ess for want Of an1uluniti@p,
AMER dragging Them by hand some two miles
the stcesn burned the carriages, and the guns
were lett in the field. Meanwhile, Col Dsnnis
hsd formed his men in the edge OF the wood
and under fence surrounding corndeld,
over which the secesh charged, but were re-
pulsed time after tire with heavy loss a de-
tachment Of the rebels cut of portion Of
the tr, II and caPtHred number Of atragglert,
mos; OF Whom, however, subsequently escaped,
Two wagons were burned, but the rest were
rc'ak*r. The secesh charged turiously, but
We eachJ sinlt sent back IN confusion, ou!y
to rally Il ain and repeat the futile attempt.
Abnnt nrs o'clock They Withdrew in great CON
fusion, lcavirg Col. Adams. OF the 1st Missis5ip.
pi caralry, several line officers and 173 dead
on tic field. The houses In the vicinity we're
fouad filled with their wounded, wio, with
one or tvn XceptioE6 we're paroled. C11ous.!
Dennis loss t10 killed in tGt30:h, three in the
2oitl and about forty wounded.
C"'onc! S:ephr:,-on Of the 9Th No.. with his
regiment and Gctachmen:s OF the o9;h IL,
t}c 18th H., ard llth cavalry moved from
Meadow St.tion 1t daEk. no olng to SURPRISE III.
reh. Is whn were understood to have surround
ed Col. Dennis. The march was admirably
eordueted. but the rcbels had r-tr..t:i.
br kvs. aud discouraged, aud the whole federal
1cree returned to Mtadon.
A small force OF the 10Th III. cavalry, uuder
cnmuand OF Capt. Palmer, were asssiietl by
500 seccsh on Sunday, august 31st, at Mead
o., hut succeeded 10 holding the station house
un'il relniorcrtnents arrived from jackson.
u ton bales were used as q sief=nse, but a!-
iorded only partial protection. owing to the
nature of the ground. The little band Of 1.O
fought five hours, 1oosing fifteen mea killed
and wounded, among the former Of whom
gas Lieut.. Green, cf company l, Sergeant
Henry Cfittenden, company F, AID two RI
Yates
Company G OF the nboye regiment we're
sDlroundtd by two regiments Of secesh. S H.
hath 1ao1d1g, at bridge two miles D-lov
Meadcn. AID after fighting about one hour
1.slEg stscral men, we're captured. The pri-
vasts were r,rolcd, but Capt Rouse c.,,n-
1nauding. aud Lieut.. Day were sent to Flo
renee, Mississippi.
L;.u1.naut Atair and Sergeant Clark of
co1Hpa1y E, 457h regiment, made their way
from !omos Station 1wenty-eigas miles -ou.h
oi jackson ,o IN bu'!erIus suits, arriving about
noon. The exploit was most daring on.,
AID had it. been possible to ta1k. advantage Of
their Information, most Of the rebels who a.
tacksd Col. Dennis might have been basged.
Up to tbs moFniug We have no further par
tlculars OF tie late battles. Too much praise
cannct be awarded to assistant surgeon Frank
w Reilly OF the 18th regiment, w1o lc;t tue
I.Eiu,ental hospital here, aud hasteued to the
iie'd Of action aud took charge of the wound
I'd st. Nheadon. Surgeon Reilly, with his
usual bravery in time Of action, and9 inter
e=t tor tue wounded. ran scvcrll imminent
risks Of being gobb1ed," but escaped thesu
all and fulfilled his duty. Surgeon Reilly sent
the wounded TO the general hospital, 1oere
they we're carefully Intended TO By Surgeons
R1ttoc aud Sccley, and Assistant Surgeon
Ormsby.
Gen Ross assured me last evening that he
had every confidence that his command at
bolivar vas all right, for he Left it in good
hands.
Saturday night, Sunday and Monday re
aid made ali possible prepl5atio1 t" rsSsi
thrut- Oar force 1str Is small on account Of
our laTirg to s, nd 60 many Of our regiment,
10 guard LIE railroads., aud rciuforca the small
commands at Meaion aod Tooa,bs statious.
We have great confidence In Gen. Ross and
believe that he las got the t. bars al put
up"
Gen. Logan and staff, and Col. Marsh, at
rived yesterday from Columbus. The ne Es
soon spread, and the boys wer. fres in their
Expressions that s'L"gsn had come, and If &c
are TO have fight here, he is the boy to lead
ue-showing the couhence Gen. Lo5an's com
manu hBv. IN him.
am obliged to omit this morning consider
able lnarier lii reference to my duties, and
hope your eSc,llency will excuse the haste
mall which l have BEEN compelled to put my
no1es together to get ready. Tor the mail, that
ttculars.
Respectfully your obediert servant,
r p Korv