The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-10-16
Tho Yankees At PrsntisA

A correspondent Of the Memphis ippeoI, writing
from Camp Lobdeli Miss., Sept. iTth furnishes the
following
Last Sunday, the 14th inst, Ill BE- day long TO
be remembered by the citizens OF this yiciaiy.-
Aoou: b o'clock T. NJ, the pickets in the court
house al FrentIss Bolivar county, Mss, discovered
tie SMOKE CT boats Up the river, which was evi
IDENTIFY coming down. courier was Immediately
dispatched ts Capt. G. r. Noysou, commanding u
de.sehed squsdron, consisting OF company E, Capt.
hoysons own company. with detschmeuts frsm
companies A ana b, 6tarRess cavalry, inf ,rn,ipg
hin oi the near SppTosch OF the enemys fleet
Immediately upon the captains receiving tbs
:crl2ation, boots and Saddles' vers sounding,
when the command marched to the RIVER just be.
low General Charles Clarks plantation, and con-
cta!eo themselves IA grove OF timber and quietly
Awaited taa srrivaa Of the foe They were net long
kept IN sunpen e, ior about five C!c OK r. e one
guuboat passed tlsm without interruption, then
Game lranspois, on which no troops were to be-
seer She too, passed unlaoissted. Then here
come 8 transport literally covered and filled with
AessisIs. AS she got precisely opposite our
force, Captain Moyson, i'll loud and distinct
v.,ice, gave the command dra" which was RI.
81 ondeu TO by yoiey from the entige squadron,
5 s,me OF them loading and firing the SECOND time -
The enemy returned Aonle tires from the boat, but
with effect, retr, st by Our forces t..en
ordsred As nothing mere could cc accompl,s h~d b.
remaining N our Present position. Caps MUyson
fe bach 10 d convenient and safe place 10 waite b
the movements of the enemy 1t was expected
mile, and lald thsr forces A strong picket guard
was thefeiore Kept as Eecr them was desIa
ed expeaient, in o.der that every movement
might be- discovered, and timely prepsratiu na
8ecoIdiE S.y EaGr to give them IN appropriate
reception case they saou!d see f to pay US u
passing visit But 10, and behold, surprise
when their true object was discovered, which
was fully developed about dusk, in the burning
Of the town of f-sUtiss without leaving house
After Capt. Moy son Cred, the gunhcs. O." which
ID nesr-y reached Preatiss, turned and went back
to iha assistance OF ths Transports when she o51a-
mcneed furious hhsliing OF tbs whole country
around town, which was kept up until abous dark,
when they landed opposite PrentiAs, sent out hsg
OF truce, telling tue people {who consisted princl-
pay Uf helpless women and caildreu) that they lad
thi ty minu Al to leave the town. The ladies met
the .tfc5r bearing the flag, and begged for more
time but he positively refused any longer time and
told them they would not be permitted TO re enter
their houses to get single article. Thus they Lad
TO leave their much loved homes without taking p
single article except what thsy had their persons.
Al the expiration CT this thirty minutes they COM
mencsd plunderiug the houses, and after taking
away everything they wanted, they set fire to !, he
whole town. They also fired the Courthouse and
Jail The only prisoner In jail was negro of Cap.
tain Lees OF the steamer Kentucky, who had been
caught In attempting to get TO the Yankees They
burnt him alive in the jail. Thus Monday morn,
ing last the 70 lnd the little town of Prem.
sss in ashes The ensmys fleet lay at the snding
al night. and the town was set on fire. No more
disturbance was made during the remainder Of the
ight. Capt Moyson had tne place beeis ged all
night ready to attack them u case they should
leave their boats far encu8h to give him chance
at them. This, 2m sorry to say, they did not do.
Cur fcrces remained near town all day Monday
until they left, winch was shout IL oclock. About
o'clock Monday morning their boats moved up
tne river, pcarly opposite the residence Of Mr.,
Cafee, and landed small force, and sent them 10
burn her residence, which they did IN the most in
famous manner possible. Her residence is only 6
quarter Of mile above Prsntisa When they came
TO Ers Cosess they found no one there bu: two
negross--an old negro man ani boy. They pu,
their bRyonets ae anst the negroes AMI deIuSndt
them to tell where their mistresss money was bur
led Upon bein informed that she had none bur.
led about there theiy knowledge, they ordered
the negroes beard their boats which order they
both positively refused to obey and after come lit
tie pareying the negroes We're Permitted to remain
They told the negroes the they did the burn.
ing was because they had been fred into by the
damned "secesh. and three of their men killed
During tbs morning they buried two opposite Mrs
Coffee &, on the bank of the river. one a corporal
the other private, both members CT the $50 reg
ment Illinois volunteers. During the night (Sup
day. gauboat that had gone down to ficksbuFe
some time sil ce, under isg Of trace, came up and
acted next morning. In harmony with tho others
hauling down during the rtgni her Gag Of truce
which she came up with. do not know the name
Of this boat, but she was mark H."
When they ief. Prsatss they crossed over 20 Ea.
poleon and landed. They told the people thsIs
that they had three men killed; and among them
one Of their best officers. and seveu wounded. II
Is believed they sent their dead officer and wounded
up the kunDoat L. which went up when tbs
others went down. This regimen. Ca3d nlino!s)
have rendered themxelves in Cosnora county 10
t0rious for punderins They seem to be nothing
but u band Of robbers and thieves, whose only Oh
ject is to steal and burn where they go. They
showed no inclination whatever TO fight while al
FIentiss. snd seemed only bent upon burning and
robbiug.