The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-06-04
Correspondent of the New York Tribune

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Correspondent of the New York Tribune.
The Great Raid of The War.
The Gallant E9ploit Of COL Grierson.
New ORLEANS, Sunday Evening. May ., 1868.
Since the departure of the Columbia,
we have abundance of news; the most
exciting, however, is the arrival at
Baton Rouge of the 9th and 7th III
inois cavalry, 900 strong, who have cut
their way through the whole length of
Mississippi. They started from La
Grange, Tenn, on the morning of the
18th ult., and reached Baton Rouge
on the evening of the I'd of May, per-
formed the whole distance in sixteen
days. They made q .zigzag course
through the State, sometimes striking
east, sometimes west, but pushing
South the whole time. In this way,
they travelled probably 800 miles averag-
ing over forty miles a day. During
part of the journey they travelled eighty
miles in ,twenty-eight. hours, had three
encounters with the enemy, destroyed
two bridges, tore up the track, and
SWAN two rivers. sa hts
The force consisted of the 9th Illinois
cavalry, Lieut.. Col. LOOMS; the 18th
Illinois cavalry, Col. Ed. Prince, and
six pieces of artillery, two-pound. cal
ibre, the whole under command of Col
onel Grierson, of the 9th Illinois.
No language am IN aster of can prop
erly describe this most extraordinary
event Of the war; nor can we to-day
estimate its value to the cause. On
their way from LAGRANGE down thro'
the center of Mississippi, they destroyed
bridges, railroads, depots, engines, cars,
rebel stores of all kinds, and in immense
quantities. Their route embraced a
breadth of more than twenty miles, and
everything that could be used by
the rebels that fell in their way was des-
troyed. The telegraph, too, was cut
in an immense number of places; in fact,
so complete was the destruction, and so
rapid and mysterious their movements,
that the rebels were bewildered, and
this band of heroes were in Baton
Rouge before the rebels knew who they
were, or what they were, or where they
came from.
But / must try and give you COM
plete idea of the expedition, and what
it accomplished. You will please re-
member that they only had one full
nights rest IN the achole time that
they were travelling through the heart
of the enemy's country. When they
started they had no more idea of reach
ing Baton Rouge than we here had OF
seeing them.
Some time since Col. Grierson plan
ned an expedition to go into the interi-
or of Mississippi, and destroy railroads,
bridges, stores, &c, which plan was
submitted 10 General Grant. At that
time Col. Grierson's cavalry was an
unattached brigade in Gen. Grants
army, and was stationed at La Grange,
Tenn, on the Memphis aud Charleston
railroad, fifty miles east of Memphis,
and three miles west of the junction of
the Mississippi and Charleston rail
roads.
The force at starting included the I'd
Iowa cavalry, Col. Hatch, as well as
the 9th and 7th Illinois, already men
toned, comprising about 100 men.
From La Grange they marched nearly
due south, hating at night five miles
north of Rapley, in Marshall county.
Next morning the column moved to
Ripley, whence the I'd Iowa started
for New Albany. At Clear Springs,
in Chickasaw county, Colonel Hatch,
with his command, started southeast.
erly to West Point, in Lowndes county,
on the Mobile and Ohio railroad. After
that Col. Grierson heard nothing of the
I'd Iowa, except occasional rumors
through the rebels:
Near New Albany the Tallahtchie is
crossed by bridge, where they first
met signs of the enemy. On the op.
posite side is steep hill, which would
have enabled a few men to have held
at bay large force. Instead of charg
ing on the bridge they threw out Skin
mishers, and fortunate enough they did
for they found the bridge partly des
troyed. The pickets were driven off
and the skirmishers reioined the main
column lower down, when the whole
force entered the town.
They then moved on Pontetoc, where
they destroyed some salt, the camp an6
garrison equipage of a cavalry company
and also a gnnsmith's shop. A mai
from the post Office was secured, an(
also large quantity of oats.
On the morning of the goth, abou
us of the men who were the least effec
tive, with some prisoners, under com
mand of Major Love, were sent back t.
LAGRANGE, with orders to send scout
to cut the telegraph wires at Oxford.
A few miles beyond Starkville,
tannery, containing number of arm,
boots, shoes, saddles, brides, and
large quantity of leather, was entirel
. destroyed. The value is estimated a
$25, 900. In the building they found
negro chained to the floor, with an iro
collar round his neck, and there KEEP
at work as a punishment for running
away. That man was brought throug
, to Baton Rouge. You may be sure b
is loyal to the old flag. .s
A march of 26 miles brought tn