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


Destroyed = 500 White Prisoners and
Oper 10000 Negroes taken.
Correspondence Of the St. Loris Republican.
YICKsBuRG, Miss, March 4th.-The
great raid of the war Is about ended,
and the army which has marched over
four hundred miles in thirty days, and
which has left so many terrible marks
of its proves IN its track, viii soon be
snug in quarters on the banks of the
Mississippi The consequences Of the
expedition are beyond calculation, and
the damage done to the Confederate
cause cannot be estimated in dollars
and cents Injury has been inflicted
which jeff Davis and ali his dominions
have not the power to repair. A breach
has been made within the limits of their
dominions which viii never be closed
during the life of this rebellion.
Portions Of the 10th and 18th Army
Corps, commanded respectively by Mai.
Gen. Hurlbut and Mcpherson, with
Mai. Gen Sherman in command of the
expedition, left their camps on the Cd
ult., and crossed Black River in two
columns, the 10th forming the left wing
of the army, at Messengers Ferry, and
the 18th, which formed the right, at the
railroad bridge, eight miles below.
No tents were taken with US, and all,
from the General commanding to the
ranks and file, bivouacked by a thou
sand camp fires on the open air, on the
first night, five miles east of Black
River, having marched distance Of
twenty miles.
One brigade of cavalry, under COM
mand of Col Winslow, and battalion
commanded by Capt John Foster, ac-
companied the expedition, and on the
morning Of the 4th Fosters advance
guard was met by Adams rebel cavalry
at Champion Hills, who charged upon
our small force, running over them and
taking seven prisoners. Their loss was
one man killed and one wounded and
left on the field. Capt Foster pushed
forward and made a dash upon the enc
my, and routed him with considerable
loss. Their forces consisting Of about
1909 men, commanded BY Generals
Writ Adams, Ross and Ferguson, and
the whole under command OF Gen. 5 d.
Lee, then fell back TO q commanding
position on the west side OF Baker b
Creek, where our cavalry force enoOun-
tered them, and were unable TO
dislodge them until an infantry
force Of the 18th Corps came up 10 join
in the assault. The enemy had several
pieces OF artillery which he used upon
US at this point, with considerable effect
Our loss here was fifteen killed and q
proportionate number wounded The
Tenth Missouri Cavalry suffered most
but Company /, Twelfth Wisconsin In
tantry, lost three men by shell from
the enemy, and Col Rogers, Of the FIT
teenth illinois, was slightly wounded
by rifle shot At shutdown the enemy
had been driven across Bakers Creek,
and We held tho bridge during the
night with two 20-pounder Parrots, sup
ported by two regiments of infantry.
During the night Gen. Mcpherson com
municated BY one Of his aids, Lieut.
Vernay, with Gen. Hurlbut, who lay
six miles north of US, and learned that
the enemy was stubbornly disputing
his advance
At sunrise on the morning of tho 5th,
the enemy commenced heavy aFtille-
ry fire upon US from the crest of a long
/ ridge which ran parallel with Baker .
Creek and three-fourths Of mile dis
tant from it An open level plain lay
between us, and the enemy's column
could DO distinctly seen from our camp
in line of battle. The Sd and 4th d.
vision of the 18th corps, Brig. Gems
Leggett and Cracker commanding, were
thrown across the creek and formed in
I line Of battle, facing the enemy, while
I our PARROTS replied rapidly TO the call
made upon them BY the enemy guns.
/ Twenty minutes were consumed IN
forming the line Of battle, when the
word forward" was sounded along the
! lines, and the troops moved forward
steadily, coolly, irTesistibly. It was a
/ spectacle which, for dazzling splendOr,
has been seldom egualed, never excel
cd Our troops were formed in two
columns about half mile IN length,
and with an interval Of two hundred
yards between, the whole preceded BY
Z a strong line OF administers; and as all
moved forward with the precision Of
clock work, with banners and battle
& lax. nuluE4tLs A4u eth AAyA1Al4 D1FA-
metz blazing IN the light Of 3 bright
morning sun, while solid column Of
sulien, grim gray-backs' stood wait
ing their approach, each Of Us felt proud
to claim place in the army Of the
United States Our troops were anx-
ious, and AL preparations had been
made for a determined and desperate
onset; but they were doomed 70 disap-
pointmentl When our front column
came within long rife range, the ranks
OF the enemy broke and lied in confu-
sion. Our men went forward az q
double-quick with q terrible yell. and
overlook the TetTeating foo in a dense
skirt OF timber IN rear Of their position,
and cut them 70 pieces badly, killing
and wounding great number OF men
and horses, al Of which fell into our
hands. Our loss here was about TWEEN
ty-iFe killed and w0unde1
! The enemy retrea5ed as fast as posi-
bic, and passed through Clinton - our
/ advance entered the town. The ROAD
from Messengers came in here, and the