Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-05-12

CAMP 33d RECT Wis. Vors..
near Memphis. Tenn. April rs

/ ING of the 18th and 33d WIS.,, and DIST
III, Infantry, the 5lh Ohio cavalry and
the 18th Ohio battery of four guns, sup
Piled with five (instead of FOUR days ra.
tons, left camp for Codwater, distant 35
miles, April 18th. When out twelve
miles, the cavalry encountered the enemy
and skirmishing then began, which was
kept up for ten miles; then, when within
| two miles of fernando, distant near TWEEN
ty.fiye miles from camp, our cavalry fell
back for the Infantry. At about five
o'clock, p. IN, all hove in sight Of Herman
do. a beautiful town Of 1000 inhabitants,
and the County seat Of Desoto Co., Miss.
The Court House is situated in a square
in the center and business part of the town.
The enemy were stationed in this building,
and were expecting only the cavalry; but
when they beheld the long lines Of infantry
and the rumbling artillery, their confidence
in themselves was considerably lessened
then came the brilliant cavalry charge Of
the 9Th Ohio, under Major Hays, Drawer
man than whom. we believe, never drew
sword. The fight lasted till dark, and
resulted in the killing and wounding Of
fifteen rebels and the capture Of seventy
| two more, among them several officers.
The prisoners were then brought and put
into the Court House for the night. The
soldiers then lay down on their arms TO
wait for morning. The day had been hot
and the road dusty, but the boys had
marched twenty-five miles; We had very
heavy rains during the night. and the air
was very chilly. At o'clock next morn
ing we started again for Coldwater River,
distant about ten miles, where the enemy
were fortified. Two hundred cavalry and
companies A, f Ind d, Of the SD com
posed the advance Which led off NJ brisk
pace; skirmishing was kept up all the time
/ till within two and half miles of the river
when the boys were ordered to hurry up
and assist the cavalry who were still in
/ the advance of the three companies, and
who had met the enemy in full force then
came the run, aud it must have been
grand sight to witness the strife between
the above mentioned companies Of the 33d
Wis, and the 18th Ohio battery, to see
who should get there first. The battery
boys put their horses on a keen ruin,
swearing "here goes your flying artillery"
but the three companies werenot to be baf-
/ fled by feet horses, for ere the artillery had
unlimbered the boys were filing into line
Of battle to support them. In twenty min
utes after the run commenced, they had
met, unhesded, the bullets of the enemy,
and soon gave them good taste of lead
discharged from the celebrated enfield RI
fes In few minutes, Col Moore came
! mp with the other seven companies of the
regiment, when the fight began in earnest.
Our regiment soon formed our Cd line
forward, and drove one regiment OF rebs
from tic field; yet it was not long before
their place was filled by another, and it
was then that we lost two of our gallant
officers Capt. IsinsIey of Co Fl, ana Isl
Lieut.. Swift, Co. L. The ID rebel regi-
ment was not locg in learning that "ds-
lance lends enchantment to th. view" and
they TOO fled 10 the dense woods; some
two or three hundred yards from our lines
There they concealed themselves, except
as they occasionally rose to fire, while their
batteries were playing upon our men; but
our rifles proved TO long range for
theirs.
The river is deep, but only about fifty
/ feet wide; a dense forest stands on each
side Of it, with any amount Of underbrush
and fallen trees on the (south) enemy's
side of the river. Our men were often
within one hundred yards Of The enemy,
but Col Bryant, commander of the brig
ade, was ordered not to cross unless Col.
Smith, who was to have started from La
| Grange in time to co operate with Col.
Bryant, should come up in the rear of the
rebels; Col. Smiths arrival was delayed
by high water; so we fell back, within
one mile of fernando, having fought six
hours and marched twenty miles. Our loss
in killed and wounded is sixteen, including
Major Hays MORALLY wounded and who
died the 2sd in an ambulance on the way
to Memphis.
Next morning the brigade fell back to-
ward Memphis, and camped about seven
teen miles from said place. Tuesday the
22d, our men Continued to fall back till
/ " lthih SiS IL illilCo VI 4uSIipulSy WHICH iHcy
were reinforced and ordered back toward
Coldwater; camped at night about eight
miles north of fernando. Wednesday
morning started toward South; passed
about three miles beyond fernando, and
prepared for the night. Thursday fell
back, AMI camped about twelve miles
from Memphis, and Friday The oath re-
turned to camp near Memphis. Ia all
we captured 100 prisoners: OF horses aud
mules we took about $50, brought away
or destroyed about 5000 lbs, bacon and
burned about $4,000 worth OF dry
goods.
give these facts as stated to me by Cd
Lieut.. Barner, Co. d.
About sundown, the evening of the 18th
while the boys were preparing for this trip,
John M. Sitford, I'd Sergt Co. d, was
out in the camp street talking with tho
men about the prospect before them. and
seemed to be much Interested, as he has
long been unwell, several Of the boys asked
him how he felt. lie replied, III think