, 1864-02-25
G)ifugo Gribnue.
OUR NATCuEZ LETTER,
A GALLANT FIGHT At VipAliA.
Defeat ofthe RebtIs-Gal1artryo ofthc
Negroes.
From Our Special Correspondent
FArr1tF1 Misc Feb If 1HSf

Capt. Call WINS guarding cotton train; his
men strung along the length Of 1t, were at
tackled by large force Of rebel cavalry, pnrt
OF an escort to supply train OH Its way from
above Mobile to jackson or Brandon, it is re-
ported, and after sharp fight the Captain,
the Q. IL Sergeant Of the regiment, and
twenty-six men were gobolcd up.> So much
for guarding cotton for Jews. Who ordered
the Captain outs is now the question.
But on Sundny, the 7th inst, the monoto-
ny Of garrison duty was very summarily bro
ken in upon. Opposite Natchez, in Louisi-
ana, is the town Of Vidnlia, where force Of
- man, under command Of Col B. G. Far
far, End Miss. ARTILLERY of 4. D. is stationed.
On tie evening Of the 5th, the Colonel recel-
we'd reliable information that large force Of
the enemy from Harrisonburg, distant thirty
five miles, was advancing to attack him
They we're then reported at Crosse Bayou,
seventeen mi1es ont Sending notice to Capt
Grier, Of the gnnboat Benton, that the enemy
WIS approaching, tho Colonel brought over
12-pounder howitzer attached to his regi-
ment, and throwing up breast-work of cot
nlEy was sent out to watch the enemy, md
lowering around Lis advance, gradually fell
hack towards Vidnlfa. On the morning Of
the 1th messengers brought in word Of their
steady advance, and ut 2 P. II. they were seen
moving out Of the woods two miles from our
advance, in line-of-hattle, heavy force Of
skirmis1!ers being within seven hundred yards
Of ne. From the wood to the river an un-
broken tut offered magnificent field of bat
tic Over a thousand strong, with three bat
tie flags In tleir. advance, their tanks covered
With cavalry, on they came in gallant st5l le.
But suddenly the loHftzer opened on them,
tile gunboats obtained the range, and the
bursting shell throwing their ranks into con-
fusion, they withdrew to the shelter Of the
friendly timber.
In the mean time two battalions Of the I'd
Mississippi Artillery, Of African descent,
Lieut-fCol Il. =. McCaleb commanding, had
been brought over from Natchez. (The other
battalion having been left to serve the heavy
guns in the forty Taking post across the
neld, In rear Of q narrow ditch which crossed
It. they awaited the attack. To prevent
company 4, I'd Mississippi Artillery, 4. D.,
and one company Of the Eth Louisiana a. D.
were drawn up on the left, near the river,
aud one battalion of the I'd artillery was
changed from the first position to prevent a
similar movement on the right Rendered
more cautious BY his check, tie enemy came
Oh more steadily, marching directly against
oui tcAA1C. hACIc Que DalIOlOu OF LlG "a ar
1i1iery A. D. Endcr Lieut. Col. McCaleb held
position. Having lost the use of our how
itzcr from the breaking Of its carriage, the
advance Of the enemy was unchecked. their
uen, With aEnlE ut support, seemed to ex-
pect any easy victory. Allowing them to ap-
proach within SIX hundred yards Of our line,
Col Farr1r ordered the centre battalion OF
the I'd aiiss. A1t,y a. D. to advance. This
they did in splendid style, and In unbroken
lire the black soldiers, yelling as they ad-
yanced, took up their new position at the
double-4uicR, when, within three hundred
yards Of the enemy the were halted, and
pouring u tremendous yolley amo"g them,
checked their advance. Halting, wavering,
despite the efforts Of their officers; who could
be seen IN front endeayoring to raily and en-
courage their men, is volley after yo11ey was
poured into them, the enemy turned, and
taking with them the most Of their wound
ed, commenced rapid retreat. The 18th
Illinois, Col. L. Kent, now came up on the
1oubie-qulck, not being able to cross the
river sooner. They were ordered forword
in pursuit, trying, Il possible, to cut of re-
treat BY the Trinity Road. Darkness and an
intervening gully prevented this
ordered to act strictly on the defensive,
called oil his troops from the pursuit, and
the 9th rccrosEed the river the same night
Sending ont reconnaissance the next
morning, under Ifeut. Col SchGdt, Of the
G0th Mo-, it Was found that the enemy had
never halted in his fight until ten miles
from the field Of battle, and that they were
then in full and rapid retreat towards Trinity
or Harrisonbu1g.
The forces ofthe enemy were Texnu troops,
Gen. Tor Prince) Pollignac's brigade, consist
ing Of the 18th consolidated Texas, Col. Tay-
lor, three Texan regiments, Coils. Alexander,
Stephens and Hopp and one battalion Lorisi-
ana cavalry, MAJ. Caldwell. The fight was
plaiply visible from the bluffs OF Eatchez,
every movement Of the enemy, every
change Of our men could be distinctly seen,
and the male and female citizens of this loyal
city, who had lined the banks to see *'thei1
brave boys drive the Yankees and niggcrE
into the river" had the satisfaction Of seeing
one thousand .'sonthrons," With reserve o.
about one hundred and fifty Yankees, md
1our hundred and fifty negroes, for but five
companies Of tie ed Mississippi Artillery, ot
4. D., one hundred and tifty OF the G0th Mis-.
souri,, and one company Of the eth Louisiana
A D.: were engaged. the other companies
being held In reserve, and the Goth Illinois
coming on the field afterthe enemy had start
ed in retreat.
Too much praise cannot be given to Col
Farrar, who con1euded SO successfully
against overwhelming numbers, personally
directing his gun and leading the men ii
every advance. Lieut.. Col. McCaleb, mount
cd On 1nrge grey horse, Was mark for all
the encmy's sharp shooters, but as cool os on
parade, lie directed the movements OF hif
men. This is the first action the I'd Missis
sippi artillery has been in, the regiment only
being mustered on the 20th Of January, but
veterans could not have acted better, and tht
only trouble the officers had was to keep tht
men back. 1t ts useless to speak Of the 3ott
Missouri; the bloody field Of Chickasaw, Ar
kansas Post and Eicksburg are their guarln
tees If the 2.th Illinois Wcs not in tue f5gh1
It certainly was not their f'u1t, for men ney
er showed more cayerness to be engaged.
Strange as it may seem, incredible as it ap
pears to those who witnessed the rapid and
incessant firing, not . man on our side was
touched.
The enemy lost eix killed, ten wounded in
cur hands, and eight prisoners, and how mn
NJ wounded were taken OF In their ambu.
lanccs it is impossible to say.
4 negro at whose house Gen *Pollignne
staycd represents him as saving, that he was
rebels on this Side to cooperate with him
that the plan had been well laid, and al
means taLcn to insure an attack on botf
Natchez and Vadalia at once; TINT he consid
ercd himself fortunate In coming oil so casi
u, and that he fully expected to capture o.
drive into the river eTers Yankee ut Fldalia
II the attack had been Simultaneous, the.
would hare scanght tartar for Col John
Ion, commanding here, contemplating sucl
Thus agnin has the black soldier Of the Re
nublic yindicated lis manhood and addc,
Eew glory to cur Tag. He has proved Iii
value as one Of our nations defenders, an
developed new element Of strength. VII
not his e1anderers soon acknowledge that 8