Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-25
OUR ARMY CORRESPONDENTS,
From the Second Cayalry-Its part in General
SlOeum's Expedition.
CAMP % WIS. CAV, VIcKsBUgG, Mss
.Tulv 9th 1874

s' HS'S'~ SS''' INK - see py FeaQlng q leL-
ter written by a correspondent of Chicago
paper, giving an account of an expedition
which started from this place on the first OF
this month for Jackson, Miss. under command
OF Brig. Gen. Dennis, that the troops that
took the most active part in skIrmlshlng ana
did some of the most stubborn lighting while
out, were left entirely out of the ring, and
that none got praise or scarcely mention save
Illinois regiments Therefore, | may not pre-
sent much that is new III regard to the gener
al details of the expedition, yet | hope to
show that the I'd Wisconsin Cavalry has been
"tried in the fire" and not found wanting. The
following are some items from a journal kept
by one of the soldiers
On the lst Of July, '64, our regiment with
Two days rations, took the advance of the
grand column of cavalry, artillery and infan-
try beside large train of wagons Co. &C"
taking the advance of the regiment, met the
enemy's pickets about three miles to the other
side of Big Black River, skirmishing with
them, drove them back to Champion Hill, and
from the road where the command canned.
SiA ILAC l4iOiL lh5 VI Guc tJH Gnc "a CaVaIrF
formed the rear of the column; Co. 'F" the
rear guard The advance by a brisk little
fight, drove the enemy from Clinton. The
enemy appearing in the greatest force in the
advance, the Second was ordered to the
front and took up position three -fourths of
mile IN advance OF the column on the Jack
son ROAD ana prepared to camp for the night.
The enemy fell back out of sight, when the
boys began strolling out from camp for black
berries which were abundant when the rebels
advanced, fired a Volley in among the I'M
suspecting straglers when they ran back for
their arms and rallied under command of Lit.
Hamilton, OF Co. " }" and drove the rebels
back about two miles. The enemy formed
III line to check them, but lost both ground
and men, seven of them being killed to one
wounded on our side. Our men returning to
camp the rebels soon followed and secured a
safe position behind a railroad grading. Capt
Ring, with about seVenty-fve men, relieved
the Lieutenant with his volunteer force and
finally thinking that as it was near night, the
rebels would not make further demonstration,
fell back to camp, when to the surprise of all,
Col. Scott, (rebeD with about six hundred
men, charged into the camp of the Second,
compelling the men to saddle their horses
and form their line of battle under the enc
my's fire. Cos c, NJ, F. forming quickly, held
the enemy at bay from their own ground but
the lett, more unfortunate, gave back when
the rebels took possession of their supper of
hot coffee, hard tack, forage for horses, &c.
A few volleys from the companies that held
the ground on the enemy's flank compelled
him to fall back, and then the whole regi-
ment charged in line, breaking that of the
rebels, and the 9Th Illinois cavalry on the left
of our line, being all mounted, followed up
the rout. All hostiities then ceased for
the night.
On the morning of the 9Th the 18th Illinois
cavalry taking the advance, skirmishing inn
mediately commenced, and one of their Cap
tains and a sergeant were killed. Infantry
took the front, and the cavalry took an :
other road to protect the infantry's flank:
the 9th Illinois still keeping the main ad-
vance of the cavalry, while the 18th Illinois
cavalry and Companies L, Ii and B of the I'd
Wisconsin were deployed on the right of the
road as skirmisherS. After advancing about
three miles, Companies | and G of the End
reinforced the right and advanced still an
other mile, when the rebels were discovered
in considerable force on commanding emf
hence, and in possession of a peach orchard
across an open field. Lieut.. Hamilton,in com.
mand of Companies NJ, f, | and to the
right, and the 1lth Illinois on the left, our
gallant men moved on in the shower of bull
lets as though it was a hail storm, though
they brought death to many as they clipped"
through the air, and the wounded pressed
back to the rear Our boys fought rapidly and
long enough to empty their cartridge boxes
The rebels fell back slowly until they could
support and use their artillery Our men
then advanced dismounted, in support of our
artillery, under severe fire from the enemy.
The infantry making a flank movement on
ha rnhnlc thny we anD,nnlIaI +o ohap
their position, and reiterated through the city
of Jackson, part of them across Pearl river.
The Mayor come out to our forces with a flag
of truce and surrendered the city to them,
and we marched in and took possession.
Maj or Gen. Slocum, who with his staff Off
GERS overlook the expedition at Champion
Hill, and had assumed chief command. learn
ed by rebel dispatches from Gen. Adams to
Col. Scott, and captured by our scouts, that
the former would reinforce the other with
three thousand men if he could hold the AN
KEGS a short time.
Having accomplished all that was intended
by the expedition and having limited sup
ply of rations, our forces on the afternoon of
the 9th, commenced the march back towards
Vicksburg.
Gen. Socum ordered Major Richmond,
who was in command of the I'd cavalry, to
Lieut.. Hamilton, in command of five compa-
MES to remain as rear guard to the main
column. As soon as our forces were on the
move the rebels dashed upon them from all
sides. Fierce fighting commenced in front,
and the Lieutenant with his five companies
being ordered to the front moved along by a
road on the left of the main force, when the
rebels opened upon him with shell from their
battery, many Of the shots striking on all
sides but doing no great damage, and he
formed for battle under cover of grove of
timber. The 9Th III. and Sd Miss (colored)
cavalry were in line of battle on the crest OF
hill, and protected somewhat by fence
repulsed three desperate charges made by
the rebels. They, in one of these, discover
ing that portion of our forces were negroes,
the rebel commander leading the charge was
heard to give the order to kill every id
one Of them, when a negro sergeant shot
him dead on the spot and we'll timed volley
from these troops staggered the rebels and
they fell back in disorder. Lieut.. Hamilton
with his detachment of the I'd received or
ders and formed his men near a railroad en-
bankment, while she'll from the rebel battery
was passing through his line, and he then
moved under constant fire farther to the front
to hold IN check an expected charge by the
enemy, and IN his new position was exposed
IN open and easy range of their guns, but the
boys with great GOODNESS closely watched the
shells as they came with their scream OF
death and avoided them as much as possible
by running to the right or left to give them
room to pass, but did not break their line of
battle. There were only FIVE horses injured,
and the men escaped unhurt. The whole
line continued a rapid and fierce fire until