The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1864-08-03
An Authentic Account OF the Yankee
@ Raid. ~.

/ r
| We are indebted to General James H
Clanton for verbal statement Of the
"rise and progress" Of this exhibition, from
lis start in North Alabama, to its retreat
tlropgh Lafayette, where he found fur
th5r pursuit useless, reined UP his tired
| horses, and gave rest to his worn-out
men.
The raiders were cavalry division un-
der command Of Major Gen. Rousseau,
formerly lawer of Louisville, Ky. They
started from Decatur, Ala, coming
| through Blountsville and Ashville to
Greensport on the Coosa river, some dis
tance above the Talladega. Gen. Ganton
who has raised a large force of cavalry for
State defence, but whose troops had been
taken from him from time to time and
sent to other commands, had but small
force left. On the evening Of the 18th
" 4s 49, siI siiis Z afla Bius Mountain. and
els iAcEled i portion Of his command to
check them. On the morning of the
18th, with only 200 men, he arrived near
Greensport, and found that one regiment
of the enemy had crossed the river there,
and that the balances were preparing to
cross at Ten Islands ford, three miles be
|. low. Gen. c. divided his force Of 200 and
sent 100 under Col Henry j Livingston to
Ten Islands, with instructions to dispute
the passage of the river, which order he
very valliantly executed, driving the enc
: my from the river, and preventing their
crossing. In this gallant affair we
lost Capt. Moore, killed, and several
privates whose names connot now
be given. With the other hun
dred men, under the immediate COM
mand Of Lieut. Col. Leary and Maj. +. L.
McWhorter, General Clanton successive
" resisted the advance Of the Yankees on
the Greensport and Jacksonville road, at
Greensboro Ferry, losing five of his staff,
two Of whom were killed, two wounded,
and one captured, and about thirty five
men altogether. Lieut.. Col. Leary, Ma
jor j. Il McWhorter, and Maj. Albert
Hyer,were captured, Major r. S. A5er-
combie, acting Adjutant General, and
Thomas Judkins, acting Abide Camp,
were killed; Willie Peals, acting Abide
Camp, wounded through the arm; Capt.
Batt Smith, OF Selma, on Staff and acting
Chief of Ordnance, leg broken; capt. Nc
Rae, of Henry county, shot in side and
saved by.h his canteen. 1t is due to these
officers to say that they were shot while
in advance of their men, within twenty
PAGES OF the enemy, and firing at them
with their reVolvers. Capt. Abercombie
fell after firing the last charge of his re-
volver, in the epen road,. not more than
twenty five PAGES from the enemy.
The Yankees, thus stoutly rasisted, fell |
back and crossed the river at Millier's |
3 ferry; and Gen Gianton at first heard and |
supposed that their destination was Blue |
Mountain and Jacksonville, and made |
dispositions 10 throw himself in their way |
on that route, This mistake allowed the
raidersfto get getaboukt0RptXzfke miles the /
start in theireout t&I{f and Gen.
@. never overlook them Until he got to
LoachapelSa on Sunday the 18th, where
heattacked their rear guard. Mai. Gen.
Rousseau told prisoner captured by him
that in this encounter he lost Captain
and four or five men killed, and as many
missing. General Clanton here took the
wagon road to Tuskegse TO get ahead of
the Yankee force going to Chehaw, but
while he was making this diversion force
unknown to him met and turned them
back at Chehaw. Resuming the pursuit.,
he overlook and captured some of their
stragglers and deserters at 0pelika. AL
together, he captured 25 or 30 prison.
ers, 10 or 80 herses, and a number of guns
and some ammunition. From Opelika
he followed them TO and through Lafay-
ette, until they turned their course direct
ly towards Sherman's army, when, his
men and horses being entirely broken
down, he stopped further pursuit.
Gen. ClantOu modestly claims for him.
self and his men that their close pursuit
prevented the enemy from detaching par
ties to plunder and destroy the country
- ~ Il u.
l,,,S..s.. ~ itss ~ rniv Ali This but
50 retarded the advance of the raiders
and harrassed them so in their rear as to
afford the people time TO rally and stop
their progress, had they only been or
ganized and armed IN anticipation Of !
such expeditions. The necessity OF such !
must now be sean and felt,