The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-08-01

o001lCULAhS OF COL. sBUDSYS EXPE,-
plTFoN AOAKHsT CANNON. SJAcKsoN, Miss,
July 90-On the 18th inst, Col. Busy,
chief of cavalry Of Gen. Sherman's army,
with one thousand of his cavalry, and
Woods brigade Of Steele's division, start
ed for Canton, Miss, It was known that
Jackson's cavalry division, numbering
about 1000 men, had crossed Pearl river,
and was supposed to be in the neighbor,
hood, of Canton. Our forces reached
at o'clock A. NJ, where the enemy made
his appearance and fired on our advance.
Col. Wood sent forward party OF infant
Ty, drove the enemy from their position
on the bank of the river, and destroyed
the ferrysboat. Our forces proceeded on to
Calhoun station, on the New Orleans and
jackson Railroad, where, Col. Busy burn
depot building, and large quantity of
cotton, while Col. Woods forces tore up
and burned two miles of the railroad track.
This is done by marching a regiment in
line along the road, and with crowbars and
handsplkes raise the ties and iron on one
side, throwing it over, which breaks the
ties loose from the rails. The ties are then
whole fired; the ties burn up, heating
the iron bars in the center, the ends fail
down, and the rail is effectually destroyed.
Here the expedition camped.
The next day at-an early hour the troops
were in motion, and when within twomiles
of Canton, Jackson's forces were discover
ed in position, ready to meet an attack. -
He occupied the West side Of Befr Creek,
and his line extended from the creek along
the road, and circling round to the woods
on our left. Col. Stephens, with the I'd
Wisconsin cavalry, was deployed to the
right of the road, in the open field, while a
regiment of infantry, Of Col. Woods
brigade, was moved to the front as Skin
mishers. Two pieces Of artillery were or
attackingthe enemy. Our forces took with
them large wagon train, numbering rs
wagons that were not yet packed. Ashley
were in plain view from the enemy, a
movement was soon made by him to get
possession of the train. While they made
demonstration in front, a large force was
seen moving around our left flank toward
the train. Col. Bussey discovering the in
tention of the enemy, ordered one piece of
artillery to the point threatened, and sent
forward battalion of the 5th Illinois Cav
airy, under command of Major Farnan,
who encountered the enemy within four
hundred yards of the train. The Major
moved into the field and opened fire on the
enemy at short range, while our artillery
sent few shells into his ranks, which
caused him to fall back. Our gun was now
sent forward into the field to a better posi-
ton, supported by the 10th Ohio. and
10Th Iowa infantry and the 4th Iowa caval-
~, COL Winslow, and theBd Iowa cavalry.
Major Scott, were formed in line on the
left, the. 9th Illinois cavalry, Major Seley,
on the right of the infantry. This DISPOSE
ton had hardly been made before the enc
my came pouring out of the woods with
the evident intention of charging the train.
Our artillery opened fire while the Skin
mishers from the 10Th Ohio pushed for
ward, causing the enemy to fall back in
great disorder. 1t was impossible to pur-
sue, as the fences are heavy hedges of
Usage Orange. which makes it difficult to
get man or beast through them.
While these operations were going on,
, under the immediate direction Of Colonel
Busy, Col. Woods, with the Sd, 18th and
18th Missouri and 3lst Iowa, were gaining
ground to the front. The enemy now fell
back along the whole line, and disappear
ed behind the thick brush on Bear Greek,
Col. WoodA moved his forces into the
thick brush where the enemy, from his
cover, opened severe fire, which was re-
turned by our skirmishers. The enemy's
position was very strong. He posted his
artillery, one six-pound and one twelve
pound gun, in position raking the road,
and being covered by the dense under
position. He kept up a vigorous Smelling
which, however, did no injury. Colonel
Wood finally dislodged the enemy. reach
ed the bridge oyer Bear Creek, which the
enemy had destroyed, and soon erected a
crossing sufficient to cross our forces,
when it was discovered that the enemy
were in full retreat. His loss is known to
seen moving about on the field collecting
the wounded. The expedition camped
here for the night.
At FIVE o'clock next morning, the forces
moved into the town, which is one Of the
most beautiful places in the South, a town
fof about fifteen hundred inhabitants. The
junction of the Mississippi Central with the
New Orleans and Jackson Railroad, makes
it place Of considerable importance. At
this place was located the ''Dixie Works.
containing twenty-fOur FORCES and machin-
cry for the construction Of gun carriages
and materials of war. This establishment
has been In successful operation for the
Confederate Government. 1t was COM
pletely destroyed by our forces. They tore
up and burned six miles of railroad track
in the vicinity of Canton. They also burn
ed thirteen large machine shops and rail-
road buildings, with all their contents, five
locomotive, fifty cars, and one hundred
Thousand feet of lumber belonging to the
Confederacy. Jackson burned the railroad
depot and SAX hundred bales of cotton as he
was leaving the town. Not dollars worth
Ol puOlc property was Ielt III canton. COL
onel Busy also sent force of cavalry and
destroyed a pontoon bridge over Pearl riv-
.er. He also burned the railroad bridge
over Big Black, twenty miles north of Cam
ton. with one mile of tressel work and the
depot at Ways Bluffs. The expedition re-
turned to Jackson last night, having lost
about twenty men. They captured seven
ty-two prisoners and lost none. Our whole
force did not exceed two thousand men. n
Several regiments Were represented, but
they were very small ones, the SIst Iowa
numbering less than sixty men. The enc
my's force consisted of two brigades, and
two regiments of another brigade. They
claimed to have four to five thousand men,
with two pieces of artillery. General Jack
son commanded, with General Whitfield,
of Kansas notoriety, commanding one bri-
gade, Gen. Crosby and Gen. Adams the
others. The whole expedition was most
brilliant success. The railroad has been
completely destroyed for forty miles. 1t
cannot be repaired while the war lasts, and
therefore cannot be used to transport sup
plies to support an army within striking
distance of the Mississippi river. =
The expedition is an important one con-
nected with the war in the South, and re-
fleets prpat credit npop COlopoJ RISsv and