The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-06-04

loaded with railroad ties, came into the
depot, which was also secured. Wood
was piled up around the engines and
tenders, set FIRE TO, and by that means
the boiler burst-the torch was applied
to the train of cars containing the am
munition and about 5000 shells. When
these were fred, the main column was
four or five miles of, and the NOISE
of their explosion led them to suppose
the rebels had opened on the advance
column. They hurried on, and soon
found ont their mistake. Major Starr
moved his battalion east, and destroyed
three bridges and lot of tressle- work,
extending over two miles, the track
torn up, rails broken and burned, and
telegraph destroyed for FIVE miles.
Near Gallatin, 400 pounds ofpow-
der, 2 wagons, 26, yoke of oxen a 80
pound Parrot gun, were captured.
The gun was spiked.
At Union Church, forty two miles
from Natchez and twenty from Port
Gibson, a skirmish occurred with
Adams Alabama cavalry, in which
several Of the enemy were wounded,
the rest retreating to Port Gibson.
At Brookhaven Camp of Instruction,
four companies, under command of
Maj. Starr, took two captains, one lieu
tenant, one surgeon and nineteen pri.
Yates, prisoners. They also captured
a lot of Mississippi rifles, mules, OK
teams, S., 900 worth of army clothing.
At the crossing of Pearl river, Col.
Price captured a courier with instruc-
tons to destroy all bridges, &c, which
fortunate circumstance added some
what to the safety of the command.
At Hazelhurst, Col. Prince of the 18th
Illinois cavalry captured train of
about forty cars, several of which were
loaded with shells and ammunition.
Another train, which had just arrived;
escaped blythe backing out of the train
by the engineer before he could be cap
tured.
About four miles east of Gallatin a
battalion was detached to strike New
Orleans and Jackson railroad at BAHIA.
la Station, where water tanks, cars, and
and other property was destroyed.
At Walls Station, on the Tickfaw,
a regiment of rebel cavalry was discov-
cred, who were routed with several
killed and wounded. Our loss was
one killed and FIVE wounded among
them was Lieutenant Colonel Black
burn, of the 18th Illinois. He was shot
in the thigh, and slightly in the head.
He was left with several of the woun.
ded at house, with the injunction
that, if not kindly treated, when onr
boys returned they would take their
revenge.
At Summit large amount of Gov
eminent sugar, wood and locomotives
&C., were destroyed. The camp O
Hughes and Milburn's Bartizan Ran
gers, on Big Sandy Creek, was at
tackled and destroyed, and large mum
Der of horses captured from here they
moved on the Greenvile Spring Road
toward Baton Rouge. About nine
miles from Baton Rouge, the entire
command Of Stuart's cavalry, IA officers
and 80 men, were captured. The men
made very little resistance, retreating
to the river, where they were sur
rounded.
1t is almost impossible to give yor
anything like perfect sketch of the
sixteen days. march of this band O
heroes. How they managed to endure
and hold out under the fatigues of sc
long and perilous march through the
enemy's country-living as best as
they could--sleeping but an hour OIL
two at time, is one of the most re-
markable events in the history of bu
man warfare. In comparison the
deeds of Stuart, Jackson and Other
Confederate cavalry, dwindle into the
most contemplate affairs-not wortl
speaking of.
At one place number of old grey
headed men came out to resist the cav
airy with shotguns, and fired severa
shots-not shot was fred in return
they were surrounded, disarmed ano
their weapons destroyed. This very
much astonished them they had beer
led to believe they would be killed
their homes destroyed, and every i'm
aginable cruelty perpetrated upon them
But when they found the men of thu
North were only fighting against eff
cient rebels, they seemed to wake VI
from delusion. They then willingl,
gave our men what assistance the,
could, and one of them undertook t,
act as guide.
The amount of damage done to tn
rebels it is difficult to estimate-not
bridge or railroad, not line of tele
graph any where along the whole rout
but what was destroyed. Horses
when necessary, were impressed to re
place the worn out ones. Only a sma
stock of provisions was brought along
SO they had to live on the enemy, an
tolerably hard fare they had tor
: Large numbers of men offered then
: selves to be paroled as means {
avoiding the CONSUMPTION of the rebt
officers.
Hundreds of negroes joined them a
they came along, bringing, all one
some two horses or mules.
The success of the expedition coul
be shown in no more palpable manne