, 1863-09-01

ADVANTAGES Of MOUNTED IgFAH-
TRY,

While the public attention IL being called
to the necessity Of an increase In the mounted
force in the Southwest, for "cleaning out"
guerillas, and the proposition to mount In
fantry for this purpose, is gaining favor.
Some facts in regard to our Illinois regiment,
which has been mounted, showing the e1l-
cheney Of this branch Of tho service, may no.
be ami5s.
In the latter part Of March Inst by an order
ftom Brig. Gen. Dodge, commanding the
"Dist1ict Of Coriuth," the 9th Illinois In
fantry was mounted on mules. In the capac-
ity Of mounted infantry they accompanied
the expedition from Co1inth into Alabama in
April, aud took leading part In the cavalry
fights at Bear Creek, Buzzard Roost, Towue
Greek, and In fact in every engagement during
the expedition. Whenever the 1ebeIs made 4
stand, the 9th Vas ordered forward, dis
mounted, and sent up to break their lines and
throw them in confusion, that the cavalry
might make sabre charge to better a1Yan-
tage.
Lieut.. Col. Phillips commanding, would
send out three or four companies as skirmish.
ess. These skirlnishers invariably drove tho
enemy from their position in confusion, thus
giving the cavalry chance to operate with
theif eabres. On one occasion tie rebels,
about 500 strcrg, made stand Oh = bluff bank
'ith muddy, miry creek at the foot of It,
and no means OF approaching except orer
open 1el5s. Col. Phillips mas ordered to ad-
rance and break their line. He dismounted
his men and started forward, deploying bis
ski1nsishers as he went. As soon as his line:
was within range the rebels opened On 1t, but
the boys moved on loading and firing a. they
went, 'takirg reat' on every stump or busA
that presented itself, and Ia one Or two In
stances stepping up to neighbor, telling him
to stand still a minute, and " taking atm'' or
his shoulder. In twenty minutes after begin
mir 6 to fire, this ekirmish line, only about l50
strong, Tas within thirty yards Of the enemy,
tie road; to ecape, and our cavalry dashed
into them with drawn sabtes. 49,
Cavalry, and especially Southern guerilla
cavalry, cauuot Withstand infantry firing.
The long range Of the muskets ussd BY them,
snd the deadly accuracy of the aim to which
tu at nearly every shot, and half dozen
rounds from well drilled Infantry regiment,
will throw into confusion any line thai guetIl.
las can form, and then the Immediate sabre
charge Of well mounted cavalry, brings the
"blue jackets" right among them before they
can get away OF even form to receive the
On Col. Cornyn's expedition to Florence,
Ala to destroy factories, DC the 9th formed
portion Of his command. When the rebels
we're driven from their first position near
town, by zen our artillery, ana made second
not HishjDg to peril the lives of women and
children By artillery firing, ordered Phillips
to dlsmount his boys and drive the rebels
"out Of that." It YVES done, and Roddy's
whole force, fncludidg artillery, was soon
flying before two hundred 1ofantry.
About the LIST Of June, this regiment was
moved Ito. Pccahontas, Tenu. Since then
they have travelled TWO thousand miles. They
have, sometimes alone, sometimes in COM
sany with other regiments, fought, and in
every Instance defeated the command of Gen.
Rupgles, which is about {, 900 strong, OF Gen
jesse Forrest Nersham, Wilson and Rich
ardeon, besides completely obliterating sew
e1al smaller bands. They have completely
tcoured Northern Mississippi, from the Ala
bama line to the Mississippi Central Railroad,
ard from one hundred to one hundred and
fly miles south. They hare trayersed West
err Tennessee from the Tennessee River to
within: twenty-five miles Of the Mississippi
River, and nortlward to within twenty miles
Of the Kentucky State line. They have kept
themselves well mounted, and " turned oYer'
to the Government near five hundred horses
and mules. They hare killed between one
hundred and one hundred aud fifty guerfllas,
and taken near three hundred prisoners.
They have destroyed an immense amount Of
Tebs l property.
The fact is that an infantry regiment which
has been well drilled and disciplined, is In
gincib1c as against any number Of partisan
rangers that can mass themselves against It.
4 regiment, after passing through the trying
ordeal of pitched battle and coming out
with honor to themselves, have no regard
whatever for the random shots fired ffom
double baIreled shot guns and old Harpcr'g
Ferry muskets, cut down to carbine length,
by g0erillas on horseback While the rebels,
unused to such warfare, stand in perfect hor-
ror Of the clear ring and deadly 'fzlp'' Of the
rife, which tells so strongly on thefr ranks,
AS soon as they find that there Is au Infantry
regiment firing a. them, no earthly power
can hold them-they Will run. Il, therefore.
they know that our old infantry regiments,
whose GOODNESS and Talor have been often
tested, are being noun ed to fight them aud |
hunt them to their holes, the country will be |
soon eleuaed OF them; or, II any attempt to |
remain, it will be only to be sent to Athat |
country to which the Southern Confederacy, |
lot as it Is, is supposed to be but proba- |
tlonary state. MU1ETEER.