New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-03

found nearly all the cavalry ENGAGED anu lo pS'
rrowue warm; but no ertllsry had yet opened on
,her ID We had -four pieces OF artillery at the eross-
rnadq hnt bov had not been placed in position OWING
10 the dense woods on all sucs anu INC Aquarium III P
ability of using them TO Gd'h hldEe. =, , T
Findins that our troops were being holly pressed
ordered one section 10 open on The enemys reserves
tn. snemys artillery replied, and with great ac
shell bursting over and Ia the immediate
v;c;niv of our guns. Frequent calls were now made
for rgenSorcenents bit until the infantry shond arrive
Jbai ~ course mono TO give Col. Winslow sth Iowa
cavalry commanding brigade and occupying posi-
ton on the Guntown road, little ia advance OF the
especially clamcroas 20 be reheved ana
permitted 10 carry mis- brigade 20 the rear rearing
that Col winslow might abandon his position without
authority, aud knowing the importance o' the cross
roads as directed him. in case be should be over
powered 10 fall back slowly toward the cross-roads,
thus contracting bis line and strengthening his position
was especially anxious on this point because tbrongh
Misunderstanding thai am unaple 70 e1p1il IN
tine cavalry had been Withdrawn without my knowledge
frou tie left and was compelled TO occupy the ihe
temporarily with my escort consisting o.. about ioO OF
the 18th Pennsylvania Cavalry This handful OF trcos
somely and held the line until the arrival Of the III
fanfry. ,.o
About balf.past one the infantry began to arrive.
Col Hoges brigade was first to reach the field anc Whs
placed an position by Col. McMillen, when the enemy
was. driven a little. Gen. Grierson now requested
arthNbty 10 withdraw the entire cavalry, ss ny VIZ
exhsS ted aud well nigh out OF anmnnitOn WAS in
authorized as as sufficient infantry Nus , l
position to permit it, and he was directed 20 Icol
his command in the rear. and hold II ready 10
a.
ton Of artillery to be placed in position GU Knoll H.
The bridge some three or four hundred yaids ~ w.
rear for the purpose Of opposing any a'''nP' W Wv
enemy TO turn our lett ~. - o.dors had
been executed and also give directions ior Inc nnn
agement and protection OF the wagon linAh aos Ia
the section properly ported u brown Forward as
skrmishers and the whole under the uperintenaehee
Of that eIeeent o s S Wacon rnS which lad been
renorted still mile and half in the rear arrived II
WIS Immediately ordered into en- open field near where
the cavalry were reorgsnilng. there 10 De Nuheu
round aud carried further toward The rear
The pressure on the right Of the line was now becom
ING yefy great and Gen GreIson directed TO send
portion Of his cavalry to that point AZ TINS ''n.
received message from Col. Hoge that Inc was satis
fed the movement the light was eint ana mat te
real attack being made on the left AnotIer sec
ton of artillery WAS now placed IN pos on, e on p
main line; and portion OF the cavalry was thrown
out as skirmisbers The cavalry which had been sent
to the extreme night began now 10 give ohu DIV VI.
same time the enemy began 10 appear IN IOiee ln rear
of the extreme left, while Col MeAlien required re
euforcements in the center now chdesNored 10 get
hold OF the coored brigade which formed the guard 70
the train While travelling the short distance 10 where
the head o, the brigade should be found the MAIN line
bes to give way 81 various points oIdr soon gave
sv 10 confusion, and confusion 10 panic. sent An
aid to Col McNIilen. informing him that was unable
10 render him any additional assistance ana mat nc
must do I'll in his power with what he lad 10 Lod DIS
posltion until could form line To protect his retreat
On reaching the head of the supply Train, Lieut. Col.
Hcsse was directed place in position IN a wood TIE
first regiment OF colored troops he conl hnd Inns was
done and il is due to these troops 10 say here t hy
held their ground WELL aud rendered valuable aid TO
Col. McMien who was soon after compelled to w!t-
draw from his original line. and take up new positions
in the rear 1t was ) O'Clock p IN. For seven
hours these gallant had held their position against
Overwhelming numbers but at last oNerpOwerod ana
exhausted they were compelled 10 abandon not only
the field but many Of their gallant comrades who had
fallen to the mercy Of the enemy, Everywhere the
army now drfed toward the rear, and was soon alto
gether beyond control. requested Gen. Giierson to
accompany me- aud 10 aid in checking the neeing col
urn and establishing a new line. ny Gint OF entreay
and force and aid Of several officers whom called
10 my assistance. with pistols IN thc hahds, We az
length succeeded in checking some twelve or fifteen
hundred and establishing line, OF which Col NDhlns
ON Minnesota, was placed IN command About This
time it was reported 10 me! tnat Coi mc4l ~. was
driving the enemy. placed but Little faith IN TINS re
mort vet disseminated il freely for the good eject II
might produce upon the troops. -
in lew minutes. however, the gallant Colonel BE
Men sad and disheartened aniNe ed and reported MS
lines broken and in confusion. The Few hne under Col
Wilkins also gave way soon after and 1t was now I'M
possible 10 exercise any further control Ihe road De
came crowded and damned with troops. the HagOnG
and artillery, sinking into the deep mud, became ns1
ticabe and added 70 the general confusion which now
prevailed. No power could now cheek OF control ths
osnicstreSen mass il swept toward the rear led on
by Colonel Wins0w. nj tie head VI his brigade OF cay
airy and who halted until he had reached Siubtss
ten miles in This was the greater pity. a. ms
brigade was nearly. If not entirely intact and might
nave offered considerable resistance TO the advancing
foe About ~ O'Clock P. M reached Subbss IN FER
son where found Colonel Winslow and bis brigade
then informed him that his was the only organ.
lied body OF men he'd been able 20 ind, and directed
him To add TO his every possible force he could rally
hey passed. and take charge oil the reaI-ren aiming
In position until all should have passed. also informed
him thai. OIL account Of tie extreme darkness Of the
night snd the wretched condition OF the roads, had
little hope Of ssylng anything more than the troops,
and directed him therefore to destroy al wagons and
artillery which ne might hnd blocking up the road and
preventing the passage Of the men, In this way about
two hundred wagons and fourteen pieces OF artillery
were lost many Of the wagons BENG burned aud the
artillery spiked and otherwise muIated; the mules and
horses brought away. by seven o'clock a m, OF
tie llth we had organized at Ripley, ana the army pre-
sented quite respectable appearance, and would have
been able TO accomplish an order! retreat from That
point but for the unfortunate circumstance that the
cartridge boxes were Wen nigh exhausted
AT seven ciOcA the column again put in motion
the Salem road the cavalry IN alvarez, followed by
nfaatry. The enemy pressed heavily on the rear and
there was now nothing left but 10 keep in motion 80 as
prevent the breaking up of the rear aud TO pass all
roads before the enemy could reach them tie
command in condition TO offer determined re-
distance whether attacked In front or rear.
At eight O'clock, a.in o. the 18TH the cOnmn reached
Concrye worn out and exhausted by the fatigues Of
fighting and marching for two days and two nights
without rest and without eating. About noon of fle
same dav train arrived from Memphis bringing some
. coo infantry. commanded by Col Wolf ard supplies
for my suffering men, and determined 10 remain here
until the next day. for tie purpose OF resting and afford
ing protection TO many VINO had dropped 10y the road
side through fatigue and other causes.
Learning however. toward evening. that the
mand al Whites Station had information Of large
force OF the enemy approaching that place from
south east and knowing that my men were Ia
dion 10 offer serious resistance 10 enemy presC ming
himself across my line Of march, informed the Genera
commanding the district by telegraph, that deemed II
prudent TO continue my al oh TO hites Station; &C
cordngly at p. H.. the column marched again. ard
arrived at hites station at light the next morning.
This report having already become more eircumstan
tal than was anticipated have pufpOseiy omitted the
details Of our march from Ripley to Whites Station as