The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-17

slight damage to US at this point /
Lieut. Col VIM. T. Clark's horse was /
shot from under him, and he received /
slight scratch on the hand from q /
rife ball We passed forward as rapid (
" as possible, and at 10 o'clock 2 II. /
the 18th army corps bivouacked among
the ruins of the fallen city of Jackson.
Our cavalry had pressed the enemy \
closely 70 this point, and as he entered
the town was compelled to abandon 8
fine Whitworth gun, which fell into
our hands From here the enemy " mt I
north 20 Canton, and crossed Pearl
river and marched again to our front,
with his forces augmented by the adj
dition Of Gen. Lorings division Of in
fantry, 1000 strong
The 9th was consumed in construct
ing pontoOn bridge across Pearl river,
and Ia destroying q largo amount Of
public stores and arms, and the track
of the Mississippi Central road, which
had been repaired a short time before
by the Confederate forces Five Of
Gen Jackson's courier's were captured
during the day, and from dispatches
found on their persons we learned that
| their loss 50 far had been go men kill
ed and wounded
On the 18th we crossed Pearl river,
and marched twelve miles to Brandon
a small force Of rebel cavalry skir-
mished with our advance guard all day,
and We took several prisoners and cap
tured number of horses and mules.
a large lot of cornmeal and other sub
sistence stores, were found and de-
/ strOyed We also obtained late files Of
Southern papers; one of which con-
tanned a correspondence from one Miss
Latham, who was expelled from our
/ lines some time since for taking on
horse airs in church Il made the
startling announcement TO the Southern
/ public, that the Yanks' had added
another animal to their uenagerie in
/ the person of Beast Mcpherson"
The General felt badly, but could not
I weep.
/ On the Sth, We encountered the enemy
/ fourteen thousand strong at point he
/ had selected to check our progress, but
a charge made by our cavalry, and o
! few rounds from our infantry, soon scat
4 tered them, and they again marched
eastward in disorder. They formed
their line of battle in front of house
occupied by a family, and woman was
unfortunately killed by one Of our skir-
mishers. Lieut-COl Strong under in
structious from the General command
Z ing, procured a coffin, and had the body
decently inferred
i large number of prison ers and de
serters were brought in at this place,
who all agreed in saying that their army
was in most wretched state of de-
moralization, and that they were deter
mined not to tight-that every prepa-
( ration had been made there for fighting
| desperate battle, and the officers made
/ every effort 10 bring their forces into
/ il, but utterly failed The men said
I they had been defeated and cut to
I pieces by superior numbers repeatedly
I under bad leadership, that they had re-
I treated and been harrassed until they
had no heart to fight and would not
{ One regiment was disarmed and sent
back in arrest, and when. volunteers
were called for to attempt TO hold their
ground, they could not find an hundred
to the regiment who were willing 70
make the trial
The 18th Corps halted at Morton Sta
ton on the 9Th and the 10Th Corps
passed to the front Great numbers of
dead mules and horses lay along tho
road wagons, ammunition, blankets,
clothing and guns, were scattered by
the wayside, and all went to show the
disastrous effects Of that disorderly re-
treat
We passed through Hillsboro, town
I of about twenty houses, on the 10th,
and on the llth passed on toward De
catur. During the day, Fosters cavalry
was sent to Lake Station, on the South
ern railroad where they destroyed three
steam mills, two locomotives, thirty-fve
cars, depot and machineshop.
We encamped at Decatur, a dilapi-
dated old town, on the night OF tie
/ 18th, and destroyed n large tanncTy
While the supply train Of the 10th
corps was passing through the place,
Jackson's cavalry made a dash at it,
and killed twenty-tour mules, when a
regiment Of infantry came up and sent
them bowling to the woods, with a loss
| of several horses, and one man killed
| and one wounded During the march
Of tho 18th they made a similar at
tempt upon the train of-the 18th corps,
but were driven OF before any damage
was done.
On the 18th we received word from
the rebels that they would make a de
terinined stand at Summit Hill, few
miles in advance, and we began 70 look
for fight; but when we reached that
point We found a board nailed to a tree,
upon which was written in frightfully
unmistakable characters, Is miles 70
He'll" But it proved to be n migrate
~ locality, as we never discovered il,
unless the fellow meant Meridian.
which we reached on the morning Of
the 18th, having marched one hundred
and sixty miles in eleven days, with
desperate foe lowering upon our front,
flank and rear, during nearly every
hour Of the march.
Before we reached Meridian, General
Force was sent TO Chunky Station TO
destroy depot warehouses and a large
amount Of trestle work, which he &C
complished He was attacked by Lees
cavalry, but soon put them to flight
with severe loss Gen. Force captured
and destroyed his train Of seven wagons,
all be had with him. Our loss was
Z three men wounded in 45th Illinois In
fantry.
Meridian was a town made up Of
supply and railroad depots, stoTehOuses,
hospitals, officers quarters, &c, all Of
which were burned A large amount
Of shelled corn, salt, sugar, meal. bacon
and beef, was found, which we either
/ consumed or destroyed
Detachmcnts Of the army went to-
ward Mobile, Selma and Columbus,
Mississippi. and destroyed the track
trestle-work bridges and depOts in all
directions from Meridian At Enter-
prise, large amount Of public stores
and several large supply depots and
hospital binding were destroyed. AT
Meridian We found large arms manu-
factory in successful operation, and II,
with large number Of guns, was con
suned by fire
The army marched on the 10th for
Z Canton, coming on q route north Of the
one going out; arrived ct Canton on
tho 18th, where It remained several
DAYS Colonel Winslow had severe
slyirrnish with Adams forces on the 9th,
ont II. no rahrI fgrrE