Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-08-04
Correspondence Of the Charles City lntelligencsr
Gen. A. ]. Smiths Expedition.
MEMPHIS, july %, 1854

FRIEND HILDRkTH .-b1nce writing you last,
have been out with rho expedition under
Gen. "A. J. Smith in Northern Mississippi.
The expedition comprised 8, 900 infantry, COM
manded as follows, 1st Division, under Gen.
Joseph Mower Sd Division, under Col. Moore
of tho 2lst Missouri LIST Brigade of LIST Di-
vision, commanded by Col. McMillen of the
95th Ohio; ID Brigade, commanded by Col.
wilkins of the 9th Minnesota Sd Brigade.
commanded by Col. Wood of the 18th Iowa
4th Brigade, commanded by COL Ward of the
l4th Wisconsin LIST Brigade, 81 Division,
commanded by Col. Murray of the seth Indi-
ana ID Brigade, commanded by Col. Gilbert
of the 9th Iowa; Sd Brigade, commanded
by Col. Wolf of the sgd Indiana also, one
Brigade Of colored troops, commanded by
Col. Bouton of the Goth U. 8. Colorcd In
fantry, with Battery I, ID U. s. Colored Light
Artillery. To each of the other Brgadcs was
attached one Battery of Light Artillery and
Gen. Grierson, with 5000 Cavalry, accompa.
MED the expedition making our entire force
1000. ..ar..s .--s &C.,. .-...
On the 5th July, the entire expedition, un.
der command of Gen. Smith, broke camp near
LAGRANGE, Tenn, and marched in south.
east direction, meeting with but very little re-
sistance. We marched each day amidst the
heat and dust till the 18th inst, when we
reached the town Of Pontotoc, Miss. Here
the army halted, except q portion Of the I'd
Brigade, Sd Division, sent out to forage grain
On the 18th orders were given to Move, and
at an early hour We were marching in the
direction of Tupclo, on the Mobile and Ohio
railroad. The enemy did not like to have us
reach this road and undertook TO capture GU,
supply train; but the Colored Brigade, assist.
ed by portion of the first Division, brought
the train through safely. r..- $500.
The troops were encamped near Tupelo, in
line of Battle, after march of 10 miles. All
was quiet during the night, and until O. clock
A. NJ. on the 18th, when the enemy drove in
our pickets and advanced in force upon on,
lines. -. ~. .....
Gen. Smith was ready for them. He had
chosen his ground, and held favorable posi-
ton. The attack was first made upon our
right, and the rebels fought with the spirit OF
desperation. They made seven attempts tc
take Battery G of the 81 Illinois Light Artil.
lery, by charging upon it, but were repulsed
each time with great slaughter. The 2lsi
Missouri, It'll Minnesota, 130th Illinois, and
l2th Iowa, held the right the seth Indiana
6sth Illinois, and 10th Illinois held the cen
tire; the Colored Brigade, assisted by por.
ton of the Sd Brigade. and Battery g of the
I'd Illinois Light Artillery, were on the ex
tremc right the Sd Indiana and I'd Iowa Bat
terics of Light Artillery, held the centre
and the Colored Battery the extreme left.
The enemy, being repulsed with great los
on the right, made an attempt to break oul
centre, but were repulsed and driven back
Then they massed their forces on the Coloret
Brigade, with the evident intention of ami
hilating the African race /! But our smoked
Yankees, with an earnest and manly courage
opened upon them with such a shower of crap,
and canister that they were willing to with
draw until more convenient season.
The battle lasted about three hours and re
suited in completely routing tho enemy ant
giving tho entire victory to us. Our loss dur
ing the fight viii not exceed 200 killed, woun
ded and missing while Of the enemy Their,
were 69l mortally wounded who fell into oul
hands, and 463 Of the rebel dead that were OF
the field after the enemy withdrew.
1t was my fortune to visit the battle fslt
in the afternoon. l saw the dead bodies 0
the notorious Faulkner, Nelson and Harris
Col. Faulkner was recognized by those wht
had previously seen him, and the other TIVE
had proper papers in their pockets which de
signated them. They We're each of them il
command of Brigades during the engagement
but ranked as Colonies Of Regiments. 1t il
reported that Forrest was severely wounded
during the fight, but we have nothing an
thentic on the subject. The enemy's loss vii
not fall short of 1900 during the three hour
engagement. Judging from the large numbe
of guns that were lying upon the field, Their
must have been very many Of the enem,
wounded who were removed before the battl
closed. "a Ia.
During the engagement we lost Col. vii
kins Of the 9th Minnesota. killed. The bal
ance of tho day passed OF quietly till abou
sunset. when the enemy made faint demon
stration and retired. At 10 o'clock p. nj
they came up again on the extreme left. Her
they found the tried men Of the 9th low,
who opened upon them with such deadly vol
leys that they were once more glad to retir
and leave Us "slone in our glory" Ate
this the night wore away quietly. and in tn
morning, July l6thD no signs of the enem,
appearing, orders came from Gen. Smith L
march back to lagrange. After moving
about ave miles the enemy made q slight dem
onstration upon our wogon train, but soon re
tired and we moved on till p. NJ. when w
went into camp about one mile north Of Old
town Creek. Here the ensmy placed two
guns Of the Waterhouse battery, which they
had taken from Sturgis. and commenced shell
ling our camp and supply train. Col. Gil
bert's Brigade was ordered into action, bu,
only the 9th and l4th Iowa regiments Of THU
Brigade were In the fight, the other two regi
nents of the Brigade being held a. reserves
The enemy's guns were soon silenced. OuI
men charged through the creek NEARLY waist
deep and up the hills and through the brush
Here the enemy were stubborn and refused to
move, when the loud shrill voice of Col. Gil.
bert was heard, even by the rebels, ordering
his men to fix bayonet. The command VA
;ueS .v,xJv obovsd and our vv,av v,Iucuo1 Coz