, 1864-06-30

|
| years from the date Of their enlistment, and wit
out regard to the exptrstion Of the term OF Il
Eeeinentstn which they volunteered; A1thous
to grant the relief sought for, yet it is undoubte
y within the power Of Congress, and resper
fully but essy call their attention to it as I'm
demanded by Justice, good fifth and sound polio
| q. r. MonToH, Gorernor Of Indiana
THE STUEGIS DEFEAT.
Further Particulars: Of tho Nout-
H0fFOFM of the 4fetreat-Narr;atfy
Of an Officer OF the 55th CoIored Hes
11uent.
| Correspondence Chicago Tribune.l
| CAAP o5Tu Q. s. CoLonEp IsPAxrR1,)
| FoRT PICKERING.
! ME,PMs, Tenn., juno a, 1864.
Editors TRIBUNE:
wish to give you come particulars Of th
defeat and disastrous rout Of our forces /
| the late expedition under Gen. Sturgis-pal
tcn1ars that fell under my own observation
Tor was In the midst of them during the1
occurrence. I'VE pass over the account {
the march lof the army from Memphis t
GuntoWn and commence With the action.-
ED.l
On the 10th, the slirmfshing In front be
eame quite severe, but our cavalry slowl,
within about two miles Of GuntoWn. Whe1
their defense became moro obstinate. ani
and our cavalry was compelled to fall back
Col Hoge's brigade OF infantry being in th,
advance was Immediately ordered to th,
front On double quick, and the day beIne
seIy warm, many became oTer-1eated AMI
exhausted and were compelled from faint
nees to lie down By the roadside. have il
from the lips Of those who were in this brI
guide, that not more than tWo-third5 of tbefl
men reached the battlefield. As soon Us this
brigade had formed in line Of battle the reb
els came down upon them with great fury in
three lines Of battle. They withsood thfs
1mpetuous and overwhelming force bravely
for over half an hour, when the enemy
performed flank movement, and their only
alternative Tas to retreat or be captured
By this time, however, the I'd Brigade had
arrived, and WAS brought immediately iuto
action, and were successful in checking the
assault Of the enemy aud in holding him at
bay for nearly an hour. In the interim The
Train bad been HURLED up and corraled In
an open Held not more than half mile from
the battlefield, The Sd Brigade .{co1orcd1
had In the morning been disposed along the
train, four men to each Wagon, as a guard :
as fast as this brigade could be assembled
BY companies they were ordered to the
front, and were soon confronting the enemy
In deadly conflict
By The time Ills brigade lad all arrived
On the field, the other prsss-sdes were fleeing
to the rear in considerable confusion and and
dlEofder, many throwing away their arns
and accoutrements before they Ecrc f,fris
ont Of sight Of the enemy,
As soon as the panic was discovered the
tra1n Vas ordered to retreat: Int rs the enc.
mJ'a artillery had attained almost perlect
range OF the field where the wagons were
eofIaled COTE and tue road upon which the re-
utaa vas ofde1ed, many Of the teamstera
nnhitched their mules, and soldiers, mount-
lngthem, rushed frightened and PANIC -srricS-
en- to the rear, their pace being somewhat &C.
celerated by the close proximity Of shot and
bursting shell. In this way the road became
blocked, md at least two-thirds OF onr SID
ply and ammunition train was either DESTROY.
ed or captured. The ID brigade leid The en-
emy In cllcck until the most of the artiI1err
and The remainder OF the train had succeaded
In getting mile or SO to the rear; but they
We're soon overwhelmed and 1anked on thrse
successive lines Of battle and were comneli5d
TO retreat precipiDusly.
y tlis time our army Was in perfect rout
TO the rear, while many Of the wounded who
could ride were mounted On mules and w,t4
difficulty pressed their way along wlttk:3d
crowd. Night now comma: on, the cn1
ceased their pursuit. Never was darka
more welcome or distance more enchanting
TO the view than to that devoted army ol
this occasion.
It Is impossible to give ANYTHING like cor.
rect estimate Of the nuuiber 81 killed or
wounded in 1lis engagement, as they nearly
all fell into tile bands Of the enemy, Il Il
supposed, however, that they will number
over i've hundred Our loss in PRISONERS
!, sas considerable, as many Of our men, amer
IL ali directions, and were gobblcd up by the
rebel cavalry.
What was left of our army continued their
uarch all night long, and what remaiped Of
our artillery and train becoming blocked
md stuck IN crossing the Tallahatchie River,
was abandoned.
About six o'clock the following morntnr
&c reached Ripley and found that our ileeinS
torees ED halted apparently for q rest.
Every man appeared TO be going on his own
hook, and c.ring for no one bnt h.mself We |
lad betn here scarcely more than IN hour |
when an omin GUS firing was heard On the
south and east Of the town, showing that
indication the most of the cavalry started to
the rear together with the infantry, who /
we're = Nithout arms or ammunition and the |
wounded who were mounted. That portion |
Of the Infantry WAC had retained their arus |
prepared 1or resistance near the center Of tue /
[o"n. o2 came the rebels with most hide !
ous Jells, and severe fight ensued, which /
lasted nearly two hours, when Jour forces |
Il ere completely routed and driven |
% the woods. While fighting at this place. |
arge numbers OF men and women secreted |
4 tie houses fired upon our men from tie |
1oors and windows, and Colonel McCratg, OF |
he 120th Illinois, was shot dead In This man |
Ter willie bravely urging on his men. .;ur
nen becoming enroged vt the sight of this, i
Nured Eolley among them, Killing and |
rounding several women. After this en- /
.a9emenf, our forces nude no resistance as
body, but kept constantly retreating und |
'k1rm1sting. would soy, however, hat the |
d Iowa caFalry made themselves very USE
nl as reaT guard, aud would compliment
heir GOODNESS and bravery amid the heat aud
excitement Of this disastrous retreat, The |
appearance Of the road over which VIC re-
leated but too plufuly indicated how serious
sas this DISASTER 1t WIS completely lined
With hats, hoo's, ehoes, coats, saddles, and
"1ness, while there was no end to arms and
ccouHemehts.
The men wou1d pick up old horses and
nYthtDg that was ridable, and mounting it.
sould soon ride it down and leave it BY the
oad-sfde; 1nother mum being almost ex-
austed, seeing thc animal, would mount It
gain, and ~ the assistance of stick or
! ur would urge it along for mile or two
arther, uktii hnally the animal would drop
J tie road Side aud Wss then left to die. In
ute MANNER the grtnter portion of what was
r. of our army fed for two days and nights
iithout food or sleep, aud reached Memphis
n Sunday, the 1oth, having performed
sarch Of l20 miles In that time, which re- i
nired ten days to accomplish wnen going
Ut Every day SINCE men have been
ngsling In. and tho experience
some Is almost heart.rending. = col
red nan from my own company, who
:ached this place Inst evening, reports
mt lie md two others were captured by the
:oete neer ,-s~os~, T.ea-,. ~aI >~e-a tod |