Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-08-03
Gen. 4. j. Smiths Mississippi Expedition---The
defeat of Forrest at Tupelo.

USHs IL J' SH1itH iAiSsisSippi
defeat of Forrest at Tupelo.
A dispatch to the Chicago Journal says
cavalry officer, who actively participated in
Gen. a. J. SMITHS late expedition against
FoRRFsr, furnishes the following particulars
concerning the affair:
The expedition, comprising two divisions
OF infantry, one brigade of negro troops, and
a division of cavalry, commanded respective
ly by General Mower, Colonel Moore, Colonel
Eenton and General Grierson, all under the
command of General Smith, left LaGrange
on the 9Th instant, proceeding southeast to-
wards Ripley, and on the 18th the advance of
| the cavalry under Colonel Haynes, arrived
seven miles north of that place, when a short
skirmish took place, which resulted in the
falling back Of the rebels three and half
miles, with the loss of seven or eight men
killed and wounded our loss being none.
Here they took a strong position on high
bluffs from whence they were dislodged after
an hours fight by the ID Iowa cavalry, who
charged up the hill, killing five or six, and
occupying the position vacated by the rebels.
The cavalry encamped on the ground and
waited for the infantry to come up, and on
the morning of the Sth the army entered
Ripley, then moved toward New Albany with
the cavalry on the left. The Sd Iowa cav
airy was sent ahead on reconnaissance to-
wards the Tallahatchie river, where they met
large force of the enemy occupying
strong position on Keiy's Ford. 4 slight
skirmish occurred, resulting in routing the
ret IS with loss of three men on our side
when the re giment returned to the main force.
On the morning of the 9th the entire ex-
petition crossed the Tallahatchie, encamping
on the south side that night. On the 10th
they marched south towards Pontotoc, the
infantry by the main road, and the cavalry by
another road, three or four miles TO the left
Still further TO the left was battalion of cav
airy, which, on striking the Tuscunbia and
Pontotoc road, discovered a broad train lead
ing towards the latter place. 1t proved to be
that of Buford's rebel division from Tupelo
The whole army marched into Pontotoc on
the llth, the cavalry still on the left, with
the exception Of the 7th Kansas, which
brought up the rear. After an hours fight,
the rebels were driven out in every direction
leaving a number of killed and wounded. Up
TO this time our loss did not exceed three men
from the time of starting
Forrest at this time was in a strong position
at Brasham's Cross Roads, expecting to meet
the expedition at that place, but finding that
he was misled, moved rapidly towards Tupe-
10, and from thence to Okolona, where he
threw his forces out six miles west Prairie
Mount, taking a strong position on a range OF
hills extending two miles around. On the
18th, the expedition, instead of moving to
Okolona, where Forrest was expecting to
meet 1t, marched direct to Tupelo. Forrest
| heard Of this, and at once started north tor
Tupelo again, but General Smith reached the
place first, obtaining the choice of position,
where a terrific battle occurred in which the
rebels suffered terrible punishment at the
hands of the cavalry and negro loops, who
charged them with desperate fury in every
direction, The rebel loss was heavy $50 of
their men fell into our hands
At night the rebels made an assault the
| temporary works thrown up by our men, but
were again terribly repulsed.
On the 10Th another battle occurred, the
enemy assaulting our lines three times, but
meeting nothing but disaster on each at
tempt.
| On the night of The 18th the last days ra-
| tions were distributed and the next morning
| our forces started on the return, followed AT
| respectable distance by Buford for four
miles, when he returned with heavy loss from
| a skirmishing expedition.
From the night of the 18th to the night of
| the 10th Gen. Smith was obliged to subsist by
| foraging, his supplies being entirely exhaust
| ed At Salem, on the night of the 10th sup
| plies were received and on the goth the
| expedition reached LaGrange, with the loss
| all through of less than five hundred men
/
| back two hundred and fifty prisoners On
| several occasions the rebel dead were buried
| by our men
| Gen. Grierson saws the entire rebel loss
cannot fall short of i, 900 men. Rebel dis
| patches captured by Gen. Hatch admit the
| loss of :, 400.
| The brunt of the battle was borne through
| ont BY the cavalry and negroes, who were
| constantly in the most exposed positions.
| The return of the expedition was owing to
| the falling short of supplies. 1t did not lose
| a gun or wagon from the time it started
| from Lagrange.
Among the rebels killed were Colonies
| Faulkner, Mowbray, Nelson, Harrison and
Forrest-the latter a brother of Gen Forrest,
who vas wounded in the foot. Col. wilkins,
of the 9th Minnesota and Lieut. McMahon,
of the 9th Illinois, were the only officers
known % be killed on cur side
TRADE REsTmCIIoNs.--An order has been
received at Cairo, from the Treasury Depart
ment. prohibiting the granting of ''authori-
cations for the purchase or transportation of
products or merchandise to or from any in
surrectionary States or districts whatever,
either under existing trade regulations or
otherwise" This resumption of trade re
strictions is owing to the fact that certain
reasonable parties have abused the trade
privileges by ren tering aid and comfort to
the enemy.
WARNEsr IAT.-Prof Looms, OF Harvart
University, says that Sunday, the 18th, was