Washington telegraph., 1863-11-18
For the Telanl anh-

4
would checrfully give publication to the lead
ing incidents Of one of the most remarkable
raids of the war, thereby benefting the cause
and the country, l have no hesitation in
furnishing you with the following facts, as
suting you that every word is strictly true:
On the 22d day of September, 1868, Col.
Joseph >. Shelby, With about six hundred men
and two pieces of artillery, started from Arka-
delphia, Ark, for foray on the border side
Pushing rapidly for the Arkansas river, then
held from Fort Smith to Little Rock he en-
countered about two hundred Federal infantry
near little town called Roseville, charged,
routed, and scattered them in every direction.
killing ten, wounding twenty and taking fifty
prisoners Crossing about twenty miles below
Ozark, he passed through that town at day-
light, and crossed the Boston Mountains before
nightfal. Then through Huntsville, Benton.
vile, Pineviile, ON to Neosho, where 800 Fed
erai cavalry were stationed surprised and
captured the whole party distributed their
arms, horses and overcoats; burnt their fort
paroled the prisoners; and then he went spur
ring away Northward in an hour, while the
banner of the bars foated proudly on the gale,
its folds that had been heavy with the amorous
Kisses OF Southern autumn, now rustled hard
and crisp ia the frosty air like the wall of
winter winds.
Through Sarcoxie, Bowers Mill-whicb
town was swe pit from the face Of the earth
he reached Greenfield by daylight; fought and
drove out its garrison; burnt its large fort;
appropriated the contents of three Union
stores; and then away for Stockton.
Col. Shelby seemed on this trip to feel neither
cold, fatigue nor hunger. 1t was ''moye out,
Thorp-elose up, men," from rosy morning to
dreary night, until the stars weary with
watching, and foated away in sea of amber
and gold, and blue-eyed morning came up
again from the east with the last nights kiss
on her bold, hot brow.
Stockton, with its strong fort, was taken
and destroyed; thence he hurried on to HUI
Evansville. fighting aud scattering a company
Of militia there; then forcing the passage of the
Usage river at Warsaw in the face of the enc
my, he swoopcd down upon the town with all
its stores, banks, supplies, and its large and
valuable fortifcatiou. Everything needed vas
taken. and Col. Shelbys ragged rebels were
soon changed into gay and dashng cavaliers,
with love-knots on their hats, and bedizeaed
and clad in all the coquetry of scarf and plume
From Warsaw he dashed through Cole Camp
and Florence, whose prairies were covered
with vast herds of splendid horses, and burst
like tnunderbcit upon Upton, a station on
thcf Pacific Railroad, where he engaged and
routed 1000 of the enemy, killing and cap
tufing a great many. Here, for six hours
600 men did their worst upon this beautiful
railroad; the magnificent Lamine br dge was
destroyed, with six others, and ties rails, tele-
graph poles and wire, tanks, trestle work.
abuttments, piers, and cattle-stops, were rent
aud riven as though some earth .uake's mighty
jaws had ground them to powder Syracuse
and Ottervile were visited on the same read,
and the same red hands visited sad havoc upon
everything that bore the impress Of King
Abraham.
From Tipton be da shed into Boonville, on
the Missouri river, the acme OF his desires,
Ill HI C 4 81
tory. capturing one piece of artillery, many
prisoners, vast quantities of stores, and sup
plies of every description. This was the 18th
of October, and Col. Shelby had started the
22d of September. just travelling, from Arka-
delphia to Doonsile, 600 miles, in twenty days,
thirty miles per day, at that, tco, after
fighting BATTLES, capturing towas. and destroy
ing railroads.
\ storm now gathering. Gen. Brown
came looming apfrom Jefferson City with 4, 900
men, threatening vengeance dire and dreadful.
Col. Shelby proceeded leisurely up the river
from Boonville to Marshall, pursued by Brown,
who charged his rear often furiously. At the
Lamine river and Blackwatcr lie received such
deadly, crushing, staggering blows tha: he
became very wary, AMI lid not attack any
more until the fnal battle at Marshall On
the morning of the 18th of October, when Col.
Shelby's advance had arrived within sight OF
with 500 more men, which, added to Gen.
Browns 1000, now i'll his rear, would make
5000 fresh troops of ali arms, having, be-
sides, twelve pieces of artillery Short time
for parle,ing. Col. Shelby resolved to fight,
and fight it was, bitter and terrible. Dis
mounting his command he sent them straight
against Ewing, and they were forcing him
back in splendid style, when the thunder Of
Brown guns was heard in the rear. For two
hours Maj. Shanks, with two hundred men,
held Brown in check with his four thousand,
although he concentrated against him the
whole weight of his six pieces of artillery, and
Shauks had none; but vaior could effect nothing
against such fearful odds; Shauks was fanked
fight and left, and retired fighting, while Brown
ard Ewing made a junction, and almost sur
rounded Shelby aud his heroic band. To get
cut was the question. Calling off the men
and mounting tb em under a terrible fre-al-
ways dangerous experimentation Shelly at
their head charged like thunderbolt upon the
Federal left, doubled it back upon the right;
and before they could recover from their con-
fusion, he had chnnged his front, and had the
entire force behind him. This brilliant rnanou-
yer saved his army, and stamped him as one
Of the first cavalry officers of the war. Every
thing was taken from the field save one piece
Of artillery, which, owing to the damage il had
received at Helena, and the complete breaking
eff Of the trail, was obliged to be left.
The Federnls fndiug their prev had esca ned |