Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-08-06

UeFCe SLTuSSie Vi the CeuITe.
cannot, with the authorities now before
me, place the rebel loss in killed, wounded
and prisoners at less than $500 men.
Gen. A. j. Smiths Mississippi ExpeditiOn---The
defeat Of Forrest at TupelO.
A dispatch to the Chicago journal says a
cavalry officer, who actively participated in
Gen. A. j. SMITHS late expedition against
FORREST, furnishes the following particulars
concerning the affair:
The expedition, comprising two divisions
of infantry, one brigade of negro troops, and
a division of cavalry, commanded respective
| ly by General Mower, Colonel Moore, Colonel
Benton and General Grierson, all under the
command of General Smith, left LaGrange
on the 9TH instant, proceeding southeast to-
wards Ripley, and on the 18th the advance OF
the cavalry under Colonel Haynes, arrived
seven miles north of that place, when short
skirmish took place, which resulted in the
falling back of the rebels three and hall
miles, with the loss of seven or eight men
killed and wounded, our loss being none.
Here they took strong position on high
bluffs from whence they were dislodged after
an hours fight by the I'd Iowa cavalry, who
charged up the hill, killing five or six, and
occupying the position vacated by the rebels.
The cavalry encamped on the ground and
waited for the infantry to come up, and on
the morning of the Sth the army entered
Ripley, then moved toward New Albany, with
| the cavalry on the left. The Sd Iowa cav
airy was sent ahead on a reconnaissance to-
wards the Tallahatche river, where they met
large force of the enemy occupying a
strong position on Kelly's Ford. A slight
skirmish occurred, resulting in routing the
rebels with loss of three men on our side
when the regiment returned to the main force.
On the morning of the 9th the entire ex-
petition crossed the Tallahatchie, encamping
on the south side that night. On the 10th
they marched south towards Pontotoc, the
infantry by the main road, and the cavalry by
another road, three or four miles to the left.
Still further to the left was a battalion ofcav-
airy, which, on striking the Tuscumbia and
Pontotoc road, discovered a broad train lead
ing towards the latter place. 1t proved to be
that of Buford's rebel division from Tupelo.
The whole army marched into Pontotoc on
the 18th, the cavalry still on the left, with
the exception of the 18th Kansas, which
brought up the rear. After an hours fight,
the rebels were driven out in every direction,
leaving a number of killed and wounded. Up
| to this time our loss did not exceed three men
from the time of starting. ..@
Forrest at this time was in strong position
at Brasham's Cross Roads, expecting to meet
the expedition at that place, but finding that
he was misled, moved rapidly towards Tupe-
| 10, and from thence to Okolona, where he
| threw his forces out six miles west to Prairie
Mount, taking strong position on a range OF
| hills extending two miles around. On the
| 18th, the expedition, instead of moving to
| n q
meet it, marched direct to TupelO. Forrest
heard of this, and at once started north fol
Tupelo again, but General Smith reached the
place first, obtaining the choice of position,
where terrific battle occurred, in which the
rebels suffered a terrible punishment at the
hands of the cavalry and negro loops, who
| charged them with desperate fury in every
direction. The rebel loss was heavy; 100 OF
their men fell into our hands.
At night the rebels made an assault on the
temporary works thrown up by our men, but
were again terribly repulsed.
On the 18th another battle occurred, the
enemy assaulting our lines three times, but
meeting nothing but disaster on each at
tempt.
4 On the night of the 18th the last days ra
| tons were distributed and the next morning
our forces started on the return, followed al
a respectable distance by Buford for -four
miles, when he returned with heavy loss from
skirmishing expedition.
i From the night of the 18th to the night Of
the 10th Gen. Smith was obliged to subsist by
foraging, his supplies being entirely exhaust
ed. At Salem, on the night of the 18th sup
plies were received, and on the goth the
expedition reached Lagrange, with the loss
all through, of less than fves hundred mel
killed, wounded and missing. He brought
back two hundred and fifty prisoners. Oh
several occasions the rebel dead were burieC
by our men.
Gen. Grierson says the. entire rebel los
cannot fall short of 1000 men. Rebel dis
patches captured by Gen. Hatch admit the
loss of 2,400.
The brunt of the battle was borne through
out by the cavalry and negroes, who wer,
constantly in the most exposed positions.
The return of the expedition was owing t.
the falling short of supplies. 1t did tlost
a gun or a wagon from the time it started
from LAGRANGE. .SIgLsTA bgsEs
Among the rebels killed were Colonies
Faulkner, Mowbray, Nelson, Harrison ant
IForrest-the latter brother of Gen. Forrest
whoswas wounded in the foot Col. wilkins
of the 9th Minnesota, and Lieut.. Mcmahon
of the. 9th Illinois, were the only officers
known to be killed on our side.