Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-09-10
~. Fieh, Near olive Brnneh.

EDITORS APPEAL: Knowing the eheertulness
with which you Icy before yourreaders anything
Of a bellicose tenor, I have concluded to in
dite you a communication, however meagre and
~cursory, in relation to affairs in this quarter, and
more especially Of an engagement which took
place in the vicinity OF Olive Branch, seven or
eight miles South of Germantown, on the 9Th Of
this month, between about two hundred men,
under command of LieutenankC Colonel VIII
bourne. and a body of Yankees under Colonel
Graygon. or Grearson, variously estimated at
from two hundred and fifty to three hundred and
fifty.
Authentic intelligence came here to head
quarters that the Federsls were at fernando on
Tie morning of the 5tb, and knowing the depre-
dations inseparabls from a predatory Eruption
into a country whero the people were unswerv'
iugly loyal to tho Confederacy, Colonel Viii
bourne, on the receipt Of this information, i'm
mediately started in pursuit Of the pilagiDg
scoundrels, and having arrived at Cold Water
/ depot, about seven miles north of this, was in
formed that they had LETT Hernando, and were
vending their expedition in a northeasterlY d.
~rscfon, We commenced a more vigorous pur
suit. and Preached Cold Water bridge, about sever
miles southwest Of Cockrum's Cross Roads
where we encamped that night, and being re
solved to give them battle. resumed our march a
midnight, and the hope and the expectation
so cheerfuIly entertained by the men hat WI
would overtako them, infused new life anC
energy into the command and, early next morn
ing, we came IN view of them and Immediately
began the horrid tug Of war" The enemy
were in c long lane, with a corn field on eaci
side, and also were concealed in a dwelling hare
by the roadside. We attacked them in the lane
capturing one prisoner, and the combat con
tinued about thirty minutes, many Of our meI
enduring the CALLING fire of long-range gun
with Spartan s~teadiness, whilst some OF then
were impressed with g wholesome fear at tn
proximity of Yankee bullets. and imagined ina
victory or death" was going too far, and tina
&" victory or 1coaadeR' was more consonant witt
their feelings. In the meantime a body of Yam
KEGS came in upon cur rear from off the Ger
mantown road, and placed US between two tires
Colonel WilbouIn extriested us from this unen
viable dilemma, and led Us across the field to to-
left, and formed on a skirt of woods to renew
the conflict, but found our ammunition wa
almost entirely exhausted, q great many car
tridges having been spoiled in the rain the day
previous and rubbed to pieces in our pockets, as
we were without cartridge boxes. We wer
then necessarily compelled to illustrate the Yam
kse vulgarism-'' skeedaddle!"
There were some Of the officers and men VIII
siqnaIzsd themselves by individual acts Of hero
ism and g~allantry worthy Of high cOmmenda
ton, conspicuous among whom were Leutensnh
MCGOWAN and Armistead
The casualties on cur side were one killed an
eight wounded, and the Yankee loss, as far a
ascertained, was six killed and ten or ftteel
placed hors an combat and severely wounded
This affair did not have as suspicious a termi
nation as we expected but the circumstance o
our men being but recently organized, devoid 0
discipline, and in2dequately supplied with am
muniion, mitigstes in no small degree tn
unpIeasantness of our f~ruitless efforts to captur
or -annihilale the whole Vandal crew, w
intend, however, to fight them in future whereve
we can find them, and will demonstrate to then
their inability to occupy with IMMUNITY the sci
which Mississippians have consecrated wit
their birth, and will hallow in the minds c
remote generations as the theater of valor Illus
tratsd and exploits uusivalled for their daring
and brili2ncy in the historic annals Of moderl
warfare. As North Mississippi is destined to b
the scene Of thrilling events as long as the Yam
kee-despoiled Buff city remains IN stata quo, yo1
may expect when anything Of sufficient momen
transpire-, an infection from PICKLES.
SENAToBIA, Miss, September 8, 1862.