The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-03-12
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Gen. SMITHS Cavalry expedition
Highly Interesting Particulars.
Some particulars Of the late expedition
Of Gen, VIM. l.. Smith, lately returned to
Mem phis. have already been published.
Gen. Smith, in person. arrived at Cairo,
Feb. 18th. His Official report TO the mill
t.rv authorities VIII undoubtedly sot ssrth
then .os: ;fag fssts : IS y
~Se exred.tion moved from Memphis on
thursday. the ,lth ult.. some 1900 strong,
Rr;c Gen. Vim. l.. Smith in command,
the purpose being 70 clear the country Of
strarsling rebel forces. and. if possible, 10
creafe . diversion in favor Of Gen. Sher-
man. with whose rear il was thought the
caya,ry expedition might. IL due season,
comm ancase. Il IS stated that the enemy
were posted IL force beyo the Tallaltat-
chic. and tia; they woula deternnediy
resist lie Federal advance. After tive days
heavy marching, the expedition reached
the I'allai,ataiiie. 4 brigade Of infantry,
teo,norarily attached 10 the expedition.
unde- coniaand &c Col. Mcmillan, WAS
sen, forward ana ;Aie;slened Panola, and
aferward 10 Wyatt. tQr q similar pose.
The move Was successful. The infantry
attracted their attention aud The forces OF
the enemy 10 these POINTS. when General
smith swung his cavalry around to New
Albany, where he crossed without iriug a
shot. He then pushed boldly forward 10
pon, near the ionioloc, III the vicinity
Of Houston, where he encountered some
State Confederate troops under Ghoison,
numbering near COO. They stampeded at
his approach, throwing away iAeir arms as
they ran Gen. Smith pursued hotlv and
until be reached Houlka swamps, when he
found the enemy concentrated in heavy
force, holding corduroy road, the only
one across the swamp. This could not be
turned either to the right or left, so Gen.
Smiths whole force was moved rapidly to
the eastward, while heavy demonstration
was made on the front, as though he inten-
ded to force a passage over the road. The
enemy were again deceived, and our forces
fell back upon Okalona. This was on Mon
day, the 18th ult. The attack on Okalona
SO little expected, that several Confederate
officers, at home on visits to their families,
were captured. The 9Th Illinois Regiment
Of cavalry, Lieut.. Col. Burgh command
ing, was then sent out TO Aberdeen, to en-
deavor to secure crossing at Tombigbee.
On the next morning, Hepburn's brigade,
commanded by Gen. Grierson in person,
was sent out to support the 9th Regiment
at Aberdeen, and with directions TO threa-
ten Columbus strongly. With the re-
down the road towards West Point, tear
ing up the railroad completely as he ad-
vanced, and also burning all the corn he
found. There were vast quantities OF this,
cribbed and ready for transportation. The
amour: destroyed could not be much less
than two million bushels, and was prOba-
bly, much greater. Two thousand bales OF
cotton were also devoted to the flames
During this portion Of the march, negroes
focked to Gen. Smith by hundreds aud
thousands, mounted on their masters hor-
ses and mules, with brides and saddles OF
the most primitive description. They vel
coined Gen. Smith as their deliverer where
ever he met them. .'God bress We, has yer
come at last; we've been lookin' for yer
for a long time, and had almost done gone
and give it up" was the cry Of many
They bid farewell to their wives and chill
dren, and marched in the van.
Hearing thatthe enemy was concentrated
in heavy force at West Point, the brigade
ut Aberdeen was called over by forced
march to the line on the railroad, ut a sta
ton fifteen miles from West Point, while
the main force moved down upon West
Point. Two miles north of that place
Smith came down upon brigade OF the
enemy, drawn up in line of battle to re-
ceive him. This was on Wednesday, the
18th ult., about three p. IN. Our forces
charged in gallant style, and after a sharp
engagement Of some fifteen minutes dura-
ton, drove the enemy back, through the
town into the Luchntoucha Swamp on the
right. Skirmishing continued on the bor.
ders of the swamp during the remainder OF
the evening until dark. Meanwhile the
whole Federal force was being brought for
ward into position. Through his scouts,
Gen. Smith ascertained that the enemy
was upon his front in powerful force; that
be held every one Of the crossings OF the
swamp on his right and on the line OF the
Oktlbbeha in the front. He was confined
on the left by the Tolnbigbee, which it was
impossible 70 cross. His force was heavily
encountered with the pack trains, horses
and mules captured, t0the number OF full
three Thousand, and an equal number OF
negroes. These he felt Obliged TO protect,
and it took such u heavy guard force AZ to
reduce the effective fighting force nearly
one half, leaving him powerless to drive
the enemy, SO strong in numbers, DetOre
him, and who had taken up a strong posi-
ton that he could better defend with mill
tary and rifiemen than Smith could attack
with only light carbines, his horses being
0seless in the marshy ground occupied -
There was little time for speculation. The
position was imminent-Gen. Smith did
the best he could under the circumstances.
hs made . strong demonstration uPon tne
rebel center, and while sharp fighting was
going on drew all his encumbrances and
the main portion Of his force rapidly back
toward Okalona, covering his rear with
we'll organised force which fought the enc
~ from every line Of concealment thai
offered on the back ward march. The enc
my pursued in force, and made desperate
attempts to overwhelm the rear guard, but
without success. They also failed in At.
Acking the main force in flank, which they
several times essayed, but were rs often
oiled. All their best movements were thus
handsomely checkuated, and Gen. Smith
soon had the fighting all in his own way
until he reached Okalona. At this place
after the pursuing force had been three
times repulsed in most brilliant matter, .
battery of small howitzers-six guns o.
Perkins Illinois Battery-were run of o.
tne road into ditch, where the carriages
were 80 badly smashed up that they were
unable to get them off, and they fell inte
the enemy's hands. All the ammunition
q the battery was destroyed, however, al
s0e harness cut, carriages destroyed, guns
spiked, and horres saved.
1t was with the greatest diff Guilty tha
tnis uncalled for panic could be broker
ana order restored, Organized forces Wer,