The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-21
Ofe Ratln auurttar..
Greatest Exploit of the War...FuIl
Particulars OF Col. GriersOn's Ex-
DeditiOu. eiH IE-I L8f'sl11->.

petition. i..@ taa1iuf
BATON RoUGE, la, May 5, 1862
For some time we have had considers
bic cavalry force in Lagrange, Tenn
q small place on the Memphis an
Charleston Railroad, about fifty mile
east of Memphis, and nearly four mile
west of the Junction of the Mississippi
and Charleston Railroad. This fore
formed part of General Grants army
and has been considered as made up o
the best materials in the service. Colo
mel Benz. II. Grierson, commanding til,
trst brigade of cavalry under Genera
Grant, has for long time been desirou,
OF visiting the rebels in Mississippi, ane
has repeatedly submitted a plan witt
that view to General Grant. On the frs
OF last month it was intimated to Colone
Grierson at Headquarters that his wishes
would be gratified, and he would be per
mitted9 to take this command into the
heart OF the enemy's country. One OF
the objects of the original plan was the
destruction of all lines Of communica.
ton between the rebel army of the West
and General Bragg, in Middle Tennessee.
On the morning of the 18th of Asril.
Colonel Grlersonf received instructions
from Gen. Grant to move his forces. con-
sIsting of the Sixth Illinois Caval '. 1t
Col. Loomis; Seventh Illinois Cavalry,
Col. Edward Prince, and Second Iowa
Cavalry, under Col. Edward Hatch. out
on the Ripley road, which he did, and
blyouaced for the night about FIVE miles
northwest Of Ripley, on the plantation of
Mr.. Davis. t a- u -,
q. Previous to the marching of the expe-
dItlon, feints were made in force from
Lagrange, Memphis and Corinth, in Or
der to divert the attention of the enemy
as much as possible from the movements
OF Grierson. Early on the morning of
the Ioth, the command proceeded to
Ripley From that place the Second
Iowa, marching on the left flank of col
umn, took. a south-easterly direction,
crossing the Tallahatchee about five.
miles northeast of New Albany The
main body proceeded directly south,
crossing the river two miles east of that
point. At the same time battalion of
the Seventh Illinois, under command of
MAJOR Graham, marched on the right
flank of the column and crossed the
at New Albany. y
A IL portions of the command were at
times skirmishing with the enemy's pick
cts, who were on both sides Of the river!
evidently for the purpose Of attempting
to prevent our forces from crossing. The
enemy engaged was part of the rebel
ten. Chalmers command, who was sta
.lon with the main body Of his troops at |
sihera, q distapca of hetr-oo-, 4-e a.sa !
six miles from New Albany The ene2
mys pickets were soon driven in They
the rebels made their appearance M
sm all .detachments, at long ranges. Al
though the march was not impeded by !
them, skirmishing was kept up until
nightfall. This day closed with the fol |
lowing disposition of our troops: the
Sixth and Seventh Illinois encamped ct
Sloan's plantation, about four miles
south OF New Albany; the Second Iowa
four miles east Near midnight this
regiment was attacked by considerable !
force of the enemy, which was promptly
repulsed.
On the morning of the 18th, Colonel !
Grierson ordered detachment TO pro-
eeed eastward and move back of New
Albany, and third to march northwest
to Warsking bridge, where it was under
stood a rebel force was encamped under
command of Major Chalmers, nephew
of the General of that name These
movements were made principally with
q view to mislead the enemy and make
him believe the object of the expedition
was to break up the different militia or
ganizations in that part of the country.
The ruse succeeded, and the enemy were
left in entire ignorance of the course
taken by our forces
During the night of the 18th hard
rain set in and continued till 9 clock
next morning, at which hour Col Grier-
son with the main body took up his line
of march in a southerly direction, Col.
Hatch moving on the left flank as here
tofore. The different detachments sent
ont soon after joined the centre column,
when the whole force proceeded to Pom
tosoc, where the advance encountered
small rebel force, a portion of Captain
Wetherlies command. After the ex-
change eff a few shots, the enemy fed
was captured, also four hundred bushels
of salt. all of which was destroyed. Col;
Grierson continued his march antii
about 8 o'clock, when he encamPed SIX
miles south of Pontotoc, on the road
leading to Houston.
Reveille was sounded on the morning
IF the Doth, at two clock, and at three
O'clock Major Tull, Second Iowa, with
obont 175 men, the least effective por
tion of the command, with one piece o
aVing artillery, and all the prisoners ant
captured property, proceeded northwar''
; ON his return to Lagrange, whittier 1t
, had been ordered by Colonel Grlerson
, for the purpose of relieving the force Q
. all encumbrances, and induce the enem
!. to believe he had retraced his steps
l which return of Major Tull would IND
, cate as directed. The Major sent sir
Gle scout west to cut the telegraph wire
> in the vicinity of Oxford.
In addition to the damage done to II
. rebels at Pontoroc should be added II
CAPTURE of large mail, which was q
: stroyed, and the killing and woundiI
of several guerrillss, and the taking OF
e small number of prisoners. After Il
departure of Major Tull, Colonel Grle
son resumed his march southwark, al
=. passed the town of Houston, and e
ii camped for the night on plantatI.
th about ten miles from that place.
Is - o. L.,,t Gva m Colonel Hat