Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-05-16
GRIERsoN's RAID IN MISSISSIPPI.
Correspondence of the Chicago Tribune. !
CAMP OF THE SEcoND, Iowa CAVALRY,
LAGRANGE, Tenn, April 30

CAMP OF THE SEcoND, iowa CAVALRY,
LAGRANGE, Tenn, April 30.
AS you are already aware of the great
activity prevailing in this region of Rebel
dom, will give you sketch Of what our
regiment, with others, have been doing
lately. a,
On Friday, the 18th inst, our brigade
consisting of the Sixth and Seventh Illinois
Cavalry, and the Second Iowa Cavalry,
started southwark with five days rations,
and were to trust to Providence, through
Rebel generosity, for ham, which, by the
way, was most bountifully supplied. At
noon we passed the well known Dick Smith
plantation, at which place one of our Sixth
Iowa Infantry boys was most brutally muir
dered last January, and in retaliation for
the murder, General Denver ordered his res
idence burned, with all his household effects.
He had an excellent library and much valua-
ble property destroyed. We encamped for
the night a few miles west of Ripley.
At noon on the second day we stopped
and took dinner with Colonel Joel II. Berry,
one of the Mississippi delegates to the Char
lesion Convention, who voted the State out
of the Union. He had heard that we were
coming, and left at midnight the night be-
fore. He had been Colonel in the Rebel
army, but resigned and now enjoys pri-
vate life. His servants, of which we have
several, say that the old fellow has been in
the habit of skedaddling whenever our for
ces came anywhere near; but it so happened
that we came unexpectedly by his place,
called, and took him, his horse, revolver,
carbine, and several fine mules. We took
him along, but through some fair promise
he was released.
n,,rr ol, 20, 30
and meet at stated points for several reasons.
We get all the shot-guns, rifles, muskets,
mules and horses that we can, break the
shootng-irons, and tell the negroes to mount
the mules and follow. Quickly do they go
at our bidding.
The news OF our advance went some six
or eight miles ahead of us, and the whole
| country was panic stricken. Rich old plant
ers would fly and leave everything except
one or two loads of valuable property-silver
plate, fine clothes, etc. We overhauled quite
a number and searched them. OF course
they were not harmed, and were advised to
return home and take care of their property.
One place we stopped at, all was deserted
There was none to ask protection for private
property or any other kind. There was
plenty of corn, fodder, ham, flour, meal, lard
dried apples, peaches, sugar and molasses
| nice cans of butter, honey and preserves. OF
course the boys went in; who wouldn'tl
A few miles from this place, squad OF
six of our boys stopped at large plantation
The old aristocrat had left the night before
taking with him some thirty horses and
mules. In the high state of excitement that
he was laboring under before lie started
he ordered one Of his men servants to &c
along.
The servant refused to go, on account oI
having wife and a young child, which he
did not wish to leave. Upon the refusal the
old chap shot his slave dead upon the spot
and our boys saw the corpse before it wa.
buried next day. Why the boys did moi
burn him out cannot tell.
We passed through Pontotoc late on Sun
day evening, the Sixth Illinois on the adj
vance. They had, on entering the place
shot two Rebels dead. This caused thi
citizens TO be much alarmed. Large quaint
ties of salt had been found and scattered
over the streets, in every direction. Tn,
Salt had come down to-day Yesterda,
it was thirty dollars per bushel." Offices
and stores were opened in search of Rebe
supplies, papers and books were distributed
and the darkies in high glee, gathering
boxes of ribbons, lace, and fine fixtures
generality.
From Pontotoc we passed on to Houston
Chickasaw county, leaving Okalona som,
twelve miles to our left or east. lively,
miles southeast of Houston, COL Griersoi
left us with the Sixth and Seventh Illinois
and four pieces of light artillery.
1t is said that he intended to go on L
Meridian, the great junoture Of the life-corc
OF the existing rebellion capture lhe place