The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-23

AZ Union Church, 40 miles from
and 10 from Fort Gibson, a
skirmish occurred with Adams Alabama
Cavalry, in which several OF the enemy
we're wounded, the rest roireatiug 20
Port Gibson.
At Brookhayen Camp Of Instruction,
four companies, under mmand OF Mai.
Stark took two companies, one lieuten
ant, one surgeon, and 10 privates priso-
nora. They also captured lot Of Mis-
sisaippi rifles, mules, OK teams, $1,000
worth of commissary stores, and $685.
GOO worth Of army clothing.
AT the crossing Of Pearl river Col.
Prince captured a courier VITA instruc-
tions 10 destroy all bridges, &C., which
fortunate circumstance added somewhat
to the safety Of the command.
At Hazelhuist Col. Prince Of The 9TH
Illinois, captured a train of forty cars,
several of which were loaded with shell
and ammunition. Another train, which
had just arrived, escaped by the backing
out of tho train by the engineer before
be could DO captured.
About four miles east Of Gallatin a
battalion was detached to strike the New
Orleans and jackson Railroad at Babala
Station, where wafer tanks, cars and
other property were destroyed.
AT Walls Station, on the Ticklaw, a
regiment of rebel cavalry was discover
ed, who were routed with several killed
and wounded Our loss was one killed
and five wounded; among them was 1t.
Col. Blackburn, of the 9TH Illinois. He
was shot in the thigh, aud slightly in the
head. He was lett, with several of the
wounded, at a house, with the Injunction
that, if not kindly treated, when our
boys returned, they would take their re-
venge.
AT Summit large amount Of Govern
ment sugar, wood and locomotives, &C.,
were destroyed. The camp of Hughs's
and Milburn's Partisan Rangers, on Big
Sandy creek, was attacked and destroyed,
and large number of horses captured (;
from here they moved on the Greenville
Spring road toward Baton Rouge. About
nine miles from Baton Rouge the entire
command of Stusrt's cavalry, il officers
| and 80 men, were captured. The men
made very little resistance, retreating TO
the river, where they were surrounded.
II is almost impossible to give you any
thing like perfect sketch of the sixteen
| days march Of this band OF heroes.
How they managed TO endure and hold
out under the fatigues of SO long and
perilous a march through the enemy q
country-living as they best could
sleeping but an hour or two at a time, is
one Of the most remarka ole events in the
history Of human warfare. In compar-
ison, the deeds Of Stuart, Jackson, and
other Confederate cavalry, dwindle into
the most contemplate affairs--not worth
speaking OF.
a. one plac, number of old grey
headed men rama out 10 resist the cav
| airy with shot guns and fred several
shots--uot a shot as fred in return
they were surrounded, disarmed, and
their weapons destroyed This very
much sstc nished them they had been
led to believe they would be killed, their
homes destroyed, and every imaginable
cruelty perpetrated upon them. But
when they found the men of the North
were only fighting against efficient re bells,
they seemed TO wake up from delusion
They then willingly gave our men what
assistance they could, and one of them
undertook to act as a guide.
The amount of damage done to the
| rebels IT is difficult TO esiimate-not a
bridge or railroad, not line of tele-
graph anywhere along the whole route
but what was destroyed. Horses, when
necessary, were impressed TO replace the
| worn out ones. Only small stock of
provisions was brought along, so that
they had to live on the enemy, aud toll.
eraby hard fare they had, too. Large
numbers Of men offered themselves to be
| psrolled as a means of avoiding the con-
scription of the rebel officers.
hundreds of negroes joined them as
they came along, bringing, all one, some
| two horses or mules.
The success of the expedition could be
shown in no more palpable manner than
the health of the men. When thew
reached Baton Rouge, after a sixteen
days ride, with only one whole nights
rest, and badly supplied with food, only
twelve men were turned over to the sur
geOn. Many of the men suffered from
swelling of the legs and erysipelas, from
sitting 30 long in the saddle, but it was
only temporary.
They had avery clever way of cutting
the telegraph wires, so as to avoid dis.
covery. Instead of cutting the wires
and letting the ends hang loosely, they
tied up the ends with strips of leather, so
that it would not be easily seen, and vet
the connection was severed.
Far into the interior they were mists-
lrnn fnr l.al Il i
upon the fneness of their outfit. On
more than one occasion they prOfited by
this ignorance.
To show you what courage and dar-
ing will accomplish, may mention that
they had nothing for their guide except
one Of Colt0n's county maps and a COM
pass. In order that your readers NAV
form an idea Of the route of these daring
men, l add list of counties through
which they passed. Starting from La
Grange they first struck Marshall coun-
ty, in Mississippi, passing in succession
through the following counties: Tippah,
Pontotoc, Chiekasaw, Okibbeha, Win
ston, Noxubec, Neshoba, Newton, JAS
per- Smith, Simpson, Copiah, Lawrence,
Pike, and Amite, and Helena, and East
Baton Rouge, in Louisiana.
at several points the enemy tried to
catch or surround them, but in vain.
Thirteen hundred cavalry were sent after
them from Mobile thousand came south
Of Port Hudson, crossing Pearl River al
Columbia, and two thousand came from
the vicinity OF Greenwood and Granada,
to cut off their retreat to La Grange.
They all fell to the rear, supposing Col
Grierson would return.