Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-02-12
NEWS EROm NoRTm ALABAMA.
B1ttls of RaceoOB BTaaek-- capfsTs of bthsas,
hEa-FleIsPcs IS 1t Es--Ths Latest YGsAss
Raid, Etc, Etc.

In this portion OF sunny land tie regions OF lux
ury for awhile unemployed and the pleasure ssdi
out votsres desOiats groves and gardens, scr
rounded everywhere by dark and crumblng ruins-the
inevitable result OF civil war. Those who would pass
ths lie in continual tumult Of diversion who would
open their eyes In the morning., bat upon some
new delight nor sleep at nlsi without dream Of dan
ces ald music or Of soft Eghs aud hambls suPpica'
tons must now retire foIa the desosta plains Of North
Alsbsma for here the sirens Of attery scarcely to
be heard Beauty spsrklss mors and wis Is repeat
ed only by the echo
Since my letter Of The 18th instant giving you an ae-
count Of in this district since the ltof No
vembsr We hsve had round Of excitement; and du-
ring This period there fought, this place,
Que Of the most Brilliant cavalry battles Of The war
During the last three months the enemy have con
nued make raid after raid through this county snd
In all this period have had opportunity Of
meeiing them face 10 face Their raids have eonse-
qusnily been attended with success. But they have
now learned lesson not soon to be forgotten.
LAST Monday, the 25th instant, news reached here
that the enemy sPprozehIug on the Huntsville
rosd Johnsons regiment OF Roddys eavary or rather
small part Of it. happened to be moving in thai diree-
ton shd as soon as they heard the report hastened
meet the Yankees who had advanced within four miles
Of town The force Of the enemy proved be Wild
ers lightning brigade all armed with the Spencer re-
peating rifle and numbering between fifteen hundred
aud two thousand men Our whole force did not mum
ber two hundred, SO yOa 1t glance what adysu.
tage they had there. Having secured a good position
on the brow Of the bill just beyond RaecooD Branch
! they awaited the attsck Capt Ward Mcdonald
brave Kentuckan, who has bsen 10 our ssryies f.om
| the beginning Of the war Of the above regmeut-4th
Alabama cavalry, Roddys dlvsion-Isd the charge at
! the head OF his gallant company, numbering shout
twenty-five mounted men. He was supported on The
right by a portion of two eompsnies-DAIy's snd
Doughery's-sud on the efl by a par. of SIosss and
Iagrabsn's companies all acting Infantry. He had
gained the op OF the h passed old log house the
left and was ilkin forty yards of the enemy when his
morse was shot from under him. This threw his com.
| pany into some confusion when he withdrew to tie
support Of the infantry and the hghs Continued about
ore hour at the end Of which sime-sbOut P. M-tbs
o. der was given to our small squad to fz back short
distance from the feld The enemy remained uoti
darkness cane on aud were tAon reinforced BY C-l
Philips's Oh Illinois cavalry Bat, notwithstanding
this they retreated under cover Of The night carrying
| with them their dead aud wounded, estimate Of
which you probably make whom tell you they bad
| fifteen ambu heavily loaded. This We learned
om citizens aud escaped prisoners They had at least
one thousand actually engaged, while the largest
number Of ours engaged d nos exceed one hundred
and twenty-five. The affair certainly throws great
credit upon the commanding ofieers-Col Bill johnson
and Lieut.. Col Withstand establishes the fighting
reputation Of this noble regiment beyond doabt. The
Yankees reported on their retreat that we too
srcng for them" suppoEing they had encountered not
only BOddy but Forrest with his division.
But tbs brilliant fight wss not made without some
loss to Our entire loss was six killed aud about
aisssn wounded and among these who arc most deeply
| deplored mus mention the name Of Capt Thomas
J. Ingrahan, who fell pierced IN the right side ty
| ball early in the action, He might be termed The
"bTsvest of tho brave" and his uniimely death has
oauSed deep gloom to spread the whole commu-
nifty He was buried yesterday, with masonic
/ honors- and his remains were foliwed to the
grave By large coneourse of frieAds
/ Rsqdes5at in pace During the engsgesnens
news WAS brought 10 town that Maj sIoss was raOrtay ?
wounded bus much gra,iaed a few hours afser'
wards, to take him BY the hand, alive aud well
While This movement YVES being made, Gen Roddy
not inactive. He moved up on The south side Of
the river from Tuscumbs, crossed psrt OF his com
mand ST Browns ferry, and marched Athens, sur
prisng and capturing the place Win umber Of prs-
oners, and al the cOmnaissaFy and sutlsT stores So
you not inactive here, and while we have
such as Roddy and Johnston 20 lead us rest as.
sured that this part Of the country viii show an hon
orsbe record in the 'hstory Of the great rebellion
But while penuiug these lines my light Is rapidly
disappearing, and candles sre an article net to be
hsd in this country, mus. close my remarks unit,
| Aurora wakes the morn"
FRIDAY. January 29th.-The morn hss come, and
with IT the most charming weather we have had in
long time. The sun is shining beautifully, and the
trees look Ike hey nre almost ready to bud and blOs-
into new life How charming would this place be.
! IN marx Of fFa r,a.t ,,nor
every hand. Every day here, looks IKE Sunday all
the stores closed, ard the streets deserted. Yet
have few signs Of civilization left. We have two
colleges sill In operation notwithstanding tue frs-
quon presence OF the enemy In our midst These are
the FLORENCE Wesleyan Unyersiy' In chsrgs Of Rev.
R. A. Young, D D., sud the "synodosl Female Col
| leSe7-Rev. Dr. Mitchell, principal They have bsen
well attended considering the existence Of the war,
and have been admirably conducted by the worthy
gentlemen their head. The presence on the street,
toward evening, Of troop Of young ladies' is about
the only thing left draw attention from the great
struggle for liberty and independence. AS they pass
going down street osly think OF happier mo-
uents in cur life when surrounded with
peace and its attendant that knew no
shade Of sorrow"-and wonder ii they viii re-
turn. In the greup are particular 10 observe one
f4iry-ke little dressed in black "lJus bark
4
the tramp of cavalry, and--,hey Yankees sure
ss live The town is full to overAowing and win
Just lay this document away In some obscure corner,
until further developments, until can finish 1t.
| SATURDAY, A. NJ January 30--An opportunity is
again offered me to continue this letter. wrttsn under
80 many difficulties. The Yankees have come and
gone. They merely passed through town yesterday
morning when my pen Wss 50 uncsTomOBiously laid
aside. counted them they ode along and they
Numbered between i've aad six hundred comprising the
9,h Illinois osvary-Col Philips who visits Us frs-
quently-and the l9 b Missouri cavalry. They
shout one hour passing through and did halt long
enough to do much injury sksR Continuing their march
they down the Waterloo road aOai fifteen miles,
carrying away stock, negroes wagons, etc, and laying
wsse to the country generally. light in that drsc
ton last night told Of the destruction of the large
wooden factory Of Poster Faut Porter, together with
their mills and other buildings. This the seventh and
last factory one in this county burned since last
May This was once reslly manufacturing district,
but the ruthless hand Of the invader has numbered it
among the things that and not"
Mr. Wash Foster lost nearly all bis negroes and after
taking them they burned his negro cabins On their
turn through here this morning they halted awhile snd
the strsggers robbed several citizens ia town. They
ssSrcsed the house Of Thomas Simpson old resident
here, worthy citizen and who has been blind for a
number OF years, and after demanding money, broke
open his trunka aud carried away clothing etc It YVES
downright robbery and they relieved several other
soaz Of watches, money, etc The 9th Illinois took the
Huntsves and the 18Th Missouri the Nashville read on
their exit from the place, and counted fifteen wagons
loaded with negroes mostly women and children, and
Numbering between two and three hundred They
lptured oily few prisoners DHg whom were Ned
Stewart aud Mr Watson, OF Roddys cavalry. Uafor
4 a.. ,fI,,,
side Of the river orwe would have given them vel
. CONS they little desired. They seem to be movirs
back towards Pulaski the eenierof their radiation
and presume viii have peace and quiet for few
days, 81 least, while anticipate much pleasure >
] ths grand isblsaux vvsnts and chArsde party" L