The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-12
TheLate Cavalry Raid.

TheLate Cavalry Raid.
CAMP I'd Iowa CAVALRY, GERMANTOWN,
Tenn, Feb. %, 1S64.-Editor Hawk- Eye :
The big raid is over and many accounts OF
it in print, more or less correct, as the re-
porter was biased by the love Of official ia
| vOr. AS general thing reporters aim not
at truth, but strive to please the Generals
who support or favor them. viii! try and
| give an account as viewed from the stand
point of a soldier in the ranks.
The cavalry brigade of the 18th army
corps left the line of Railroad between
Memphis and Corinth, on the morning OF
| the llth inst. The division was divided in
to three brigades, and moved IN three col
umns. Little OF interest occurred until we
reached Aberdeen, Miss, where we cap
tured quite squad of rebels. We were the
inst Yankees ever in this place, and hence
created great curiosity and terror among
the inhabitants. A feint was here made up
on Columbus, resulting in the evacuation
Of that place. We now moved towards
West Point, situated on the Mobile and
Charleston Railroad, l25 miles south Of
Corinth. This place is in the centre of the
most beautiful prairie countryside only
prairie ever saw in Dixie. As We crossed
this prairie millions of bushels of corn, and
! thousands of bales of Confederate cotton
were presented to View, and stalwart ne
grOes tiocked to us by hundreds bringing
! mules and horses by the thousand These
animals had been hid i'm the swamps and
LETT in charge OF these slaves, the most
trusty their masters owned. The ears Of
these slaves had been filled with hOrrid &C.
counts of Yankee cruelty to the black race,
and the planters thought they could trust
them; but while these blacks wisely pro-
feSsed to believe all their masters told
them, they really believed that freedom
was in some way connected with the Union
army, and earnestly prayed the God OF
battles to send us to them; hence as we ap-
preached the males fiocked to us, while
many ''GOd bless you,' greeted US from
famales who must yet remain behind.
AS we neared West Point, Feb. 10th, the
enemy appeared in force and stOutly con-
tested our approach. The "a Iowa was the
advance guard. We entered the town at
p. m. In this tight Lieut.. Devine of Co. +,
was killed, and several others severely
wounded.
On the morning of the olst the main force
started back with the plumber, consisting
of 500 negroes, and 3, 600 horses and mules.
while the I'd Iowa and one battalion Of the
9th Illinois, encountered the enemy and
drove them across the SOOkataunchie riv-
er. When we started back to rejoin the
command the rebels followed and harrassed
our rear at every favorable point. AS we
were obliged to continue our homeward
march in order to Overtake our support
which was itself moving OFT, the rebels
had very great advantage, and il was
only by the most desperate fighting that we
saved our cannon from capture. About
shutdown We were relieved 10y the 9Th Ills.
The rebels made q desperate attempt to
stampede our rear guard, continuing their
efforts until 10 O'Clock p. M, when they
drew off for the night, having been am
pushed and severely punished by the rifle
men of the 9th Illinois.
Prisoners report loss on their part of
over 200 in this days work. Our loss was
less than 40 The next day the Sd brigade
| aided by the 4th Regulars, took the rear
As they passed through Okalona the rebels
made u furious charge upon them, this was
repulsed by the 4th Regulars who in turn
fell back upon the I'd Tennessee. This reg
iment broke in a disgraceful manner and
caused q stampede in the entire brigade
The 9th Illinois battery, of five guns had
just been transferred from our brigade to
the Sd and thus failing Of its support fel!
into the hands of the enemy in this dis
graceful stampede. The scene that follow
ed was sickenng. Hundreds Of democrat
ICED soldiers, mostly from the Sd, brigade,
mingled with the plumber train and rushed
to the front, thinking only Of avoiding the
hot fire poured into our rear by the exut-
ant foe. At this juncture the LIST and I'd
brigades hastily formed a line and after a
severe fight checked the enemy, stopped
the stampede. and brought order out Of
perfect confusion, but not unit! one cannon
| from the 4th Mo. battery was disabled and
abandoned. Night now covered US, and
before another sun, the straglers had most
ly been driven back into their respective
regiments, and at 4 a. m. Of the I'D the Sd
brigade, in charge of the negroes lead stock
moved for the Tallihatchie river, on the
double quick, leaving our brigade to deal
with the rebels. The enemy tried hard to
get up another stampede, but got only lead
for their pains. BY ; p. IN. all was safely
will come between $50 and 800 men and a
large number of horses which died from
exhaustion and the want of food. It is
the opinion of most engaged, that We should
have got off better if We had made stand
ing fight and moved home at leasure, after
u general engagement, but We obeyed
orders and fought for four days with little
rest or food for man or beast.
While near W eat Point we burned 3,O00,-
Geo OF bushels Of corn, 1000 bales Of Con-
federate cotton and long train Of cars
We destroyed about 30 miles Of railroad
and captured 200 prisoners. Wewere COM
rnanded by Gen. w. s. Smith assisted by
b. II. Grierson. PIERCE.
MATCHED EY Wo&AN.-In the some
what famous case Of Mrs. Bogdens will,
which WAS tried some years ago, MIR. Web
ster appeared as counsellor for the appel
liant. Mrs. Greenough, late Of West New
ton, q tall, straight, queenly looking wo-
man, with o keen black eye--a woman Of
great self-possession and decision Of char
acter-was called as u witness on the Oppo-
site side. Mr.. Webster at glance had the
sagacity to toresee that her testimony, If it
contained anything of importance, would
have great weight with the jury. He there
fore resolved, II possible, to break her up,
and when abe answered the first question
put to her
II believe" Mr.. Webster reared out, 1--WE
don't want to hear what you believe; we
want to know what you know
Mrs. Greenough replied, ''1,hat is just
with her testimony.
And, Notwithstanding his repeated efforts
to disooncert her, she .pursned the even