, 1863-01-08

The surrender Of holly Springs, Miss, Is
one Of the most disgraceful affairs Of the war
Col. Murphy, who is under arrest, proved
himself to be coward or IN fnbecile-pcr-
haps both. The whole afCair is tins stated by
IN eye witness: ! =;
Col. B.. c. Murphy, commandant Of the
post ut the time, had been informed By tele-
graph on the previous day (Fiday) at noon,
that the rebel cavalry were approaching Holly
Springs, and advising the Colonel to be on the
alert. After II O'Clock the same night, Gen.
Grant sent another telegram to Murphy, say
ing the following morning would be sufficient
time to send out troop Of cavalry eastward
to determine the movements of tile enemy
AT o'clock on Saturday morning, q .fagi-
five negro arrived ut Col. 1nrphy's headquar-
ters with the information that Van Dorm was
advancing upon the town with 5000 or 5000
cavalry. Murphy arose and repaired to the
telegraph office near the railway depot, and
while there communicating with Grant, per-
celyed force Of mounted Confcderates drawn
up in Inc Of battle within $50 yards Of the
station.
Murphy went out at once, intending to Join
small force Of infantry near the depot; but
WIS captured By the rcbels as he was turning
u corner.
The enemy, composed Of Texas, Mississipai,
Tennessee and Missouri troops, charged i.tJ
the town on horses and mnles, yelling lik. de-
mons; went to the stables and seized all the
horses there first; and while part Of their
force was engaged, the rest fired the depot and
the depot buildings, railway hotel, nearly
two sides Of the public square, Including the
best business houses in tic place, and several
othsr structures used by the government
forces.
The rebels burned all tile cotton belonging
to spccnlators) they could find, valued :at
100000, and such Of the stores:as they could
not carry away. They seized several boxes Of
arms, and . very large quantity of army
clothing, which they appropriated to them
selves, casting of their own wrctched habili-
ments. nd1cplacing them with the new na-
tional uniforms.
They rode up and down the streets, shoot
ing at persons before they demanded their
surrender, and taking all they met, citizens as
well IS soldiers, prisoners, obtaining some
500 in all: They plundered the suffers
shops, in which they were assisted By the cit
on the truck; robbed the cotton buyers =
those they could discover, at leasi-of what
ever money they had upon their. persons,
some Of f., them Of &, 900, SIC, ,ooo, md us high
Among other buildings to which they ap-
piled the torch WIS the Masonic Hn1l, used as
I'm ordnance stOrehOuse, and In which there
were million rounds Of ammunition, With a
large number Of shells. THIS magazine OK
ploded With. tremendous effect, breaking the
windows Of half The houses In town, and ever,
shattcring the ftnmes to piccos. fhc shells
ncw III every direction, md caused terrible
CONSERVATION In the place.
Women and children rushed frantica1ly into
tho strrct, and screamed ns those nortats only
can scream, and fell into tho most violent tts
Of nystcria, deelning their last hour At hand.
The c1ltirc nmo,lnt Of property, private and
public, sto1rn and DESTROYED, c,nnut fall far
short Of 81 ,000, ,000: The Confedcrates quit
ted the plncc about dusk on Saturday eyon-
Ing, fearing our forces wero moving on them.
Tley certainly had y success as brilliant for
them rs i is lnortltying to US, and which
might md should hayc been prevented.
Much Ill feeling exists against Col. Murphy,
and lie las been placed under arrest by Con.
| Grant, who docs not scc1l entirely blalnclcss
n, tho afEalr. The Communicating .Chicfissucd
all ordcr OH tho 24tl Inst, In Which the fol.
lowing language is cinployed::t =
ut is with pain and modification tint tho Cen
render Of Moy Springs Oh the sotl! inst and that
form IN honorable exception; and th's. loo, utter
warn!nElad been given Of thc advancc Of tho enc
| my northward the previous evening. With MI thu
abont thc drIot, it would lave bccn perfectly pras
tscabl. 70 have niaac, ina few hours, sflEirnt lie:
senso TO rIstet. with small garrison all tac cav.
| mcnts which tic commanding officer wns notified
was notified ycre mn1ching to thclr relief, could
Aafc tcafhcu HIN. lnr conduct OF Tho oit1cErB and
men IN accepting paroles under tho circumstances
y highly rsprefrnsiblc, and. to say the least
thoughtless. BY the terms of the DiS.ullt cartcl
each party te bound to take care Of Ills prisoners
| and send them 10 Eickshur. Miss. Or Jan,c.
River, Va, for exchange or parole. u,les-s some
otlHr point. is mutually agrcesl upon bJ
arm1cE. Hy refusal to b. paroled
te enemy. from his inability to take care Of til.
prisoners, would have been compelled either t
rclcasc them Internationally or 10 abandon al
further aggressive movements FOR the tln,c being
which would have mado their rccapture and TIL
prisoners paroled ii HoIIy Springs vii BE- coilccte,
In camp at once by the Post Commander, and hclt
under close guard until their case can be repoStct
ut Washington for further tnstEuctions."
| Tie parolcd prisoners will leave this morn
tng, with large train Of wagons, escorted b!
obtaining supplies. The Distance is less tha,
fifty miles, and will be- made with all possibl
celebrity.