The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-16
From the asd IOWA Cavalry.

,
From the .sd IOWA Cavalry.
CofLIERsvIbLE, Tenn, Dec. Sd, 1855.
EDITOR HAWK EYE, iowa winters are
! thrown into the background by the cold
Dixie boasts OF this New Year Eve. But
thanks to kind fortune, We have Just
reached camp from ten days scout, and
now rejoice BY As cosy, comfortable fires
as II at home. As we have no New Years
Eve spree here, I VIII tell your readers Of
a neC nGV we have OF dealing with the
Rehs, since Hatch was woCnded-but be-
fore l commence you Will be glad 10 learn
that he is doing finely and will doubtless be
able for the saddle for the spring campaign.
To fully appreciate the occurrences Of the
past ten days. the reader must know
that when Hatch drove Lee from this
road IN the raid il which he was wounded,
Gen. Forest, with 5000 men and three
pieces Of artillery. Went North INTO Ten
nessee. His object was to aid the ocnscrin-
tion officers, which thicilly invest Middle
Tennessee, III getting their victims, 1909 III
number, to Tire rebel army, where they
could Ie drilled for "a spring campaign =
should Forest ue allowed ~ peaceably
take these con1criIts through our lineN3
was the question, How General TnttIe
answered it yon shall know let 10 one
longer claim Tor Mcclellan superior skin.
Ihe oih Army corps, headed Id Generals
Iiurlbut. I'ultle an' C-ierson, tie lailer
Chief OF Cavalry, have 50 successfully
used the strategy 81 Little Mac" as 10
oGt do even the Grand Army Of the Po-
tpmac. Ana Forest has been coared ID
take his loo c0nscapts through our lines,
~tthoUt dong as Grs material tt0nlq0e Ii
WAS ~ this WISE or the morning OF the
22d all the cavalry Of this Department
were started cut with ten days ratione.-
Col. ilatch's Brigade moved East TO Ia
grange and vicinity, while the Cornth
Brigade moved to Forests rear and drove
him across the Hatchic River. He was
now between the Hatchie and Wolfe rivers
and closely beset by vastly superior mum
hers, and would have been in close quar-
ters had Hateh's .fghtin9 policy obtained
but strategy, my boy Christmas
found Forest in Summersvilie, ten miles
from Wolfe river, which he must cross
upon pontoon bridges. This river was
guarded by some twenty regiments of in
tantrv, four Of cavalry and a large supply
of artillery. From Summersyile Forest
sent a f.ag Of truce TO General futile 1T La
grange. OF the import OF this truce, OIL
course we know nothing but as soon as il
returned, Forest moved direct for La
fnyette, while futile moved us the
other way and placed US safely under pro-
lection of the fort at Grand Junction
Leaving two small companies OF the 9th
Illinois Cavalry to contest the crossing mt
Lafayette. About 80 Of the 9TH Illinois
Cavalry had before been sent 10 encounter
Forrest, near the Hatchic River, but these
being unsupported had been badly whip
ped. and narrowly escaped with a loss Of
their train and 20 or so prisoners. AT o.
clock p. m. Dec. 9th, Forrest commenced
crossing at Lafayette, where he came near
capturing the downward bound train of
cars. This was communicated to General
Tuttle by telegraph, and al 3.lo p. m, q
train loaded with infantry started for
Grand junction to go to Lafayette, distance
20 miles, TO protect the crossing. OF course
nothing was accomplished by this force,
for Forrest was safely over with his train
and conscripts. For "A hours more we re-
manned under shelter OF the fort at Grand |
Junction, when 'tboots ana saddles" was |
sounded and all was hurry and hlstie-- !
pursuit being the command. Daylight |
Of the 29th found us at Mt. Pleasant, where |
we were joined by a brigade Of infantry,
who were now "A hours behind the mount /
ed force they were expected TO cvertake.-l
That day the infantry marched 80 miles |
over heavy roads, and camped on the Cold |
Water. The next morning they were or
dered back, while Cavalry pursued fifteen |
miles further, when we took the homeward |
track, thinking much Of our stragetic lea |
der; but still willing to remain in camp
until Col. Hatch should be able to lead Us |
again.
After Forrest had crossed the railroad
and started his train and conscripts south. |
that all the fighting force was
away from Colliersville, he sent part of
his command down here to burn our camp |
by way of compliment to us, for letting /
him cross 50 easily. But what was his in
to meet, some Ave miles from
here, Capt. Foster Of this regiment. at the |
head of 50 Home Guards of I'd Iowa and !
9th Illinois Cavalry, who, disregarding the |
strategy" OF the General. impudently re
fused to allow the camp to be burned by l
Forests order. 4 sharp fight ensued.-j
Forrest, Sigel-like, fighting and falling |
back at the same time. When within halfI
a mile Of camp, finding that these Home |
Guards had such a careless way OF using |
ii re- arms, concluded not to come any far
Their, and left for Dixie. A. they passed |
Mt. Pleasant, they boosted loudly that they |
had driven the ID Iowa this time, but ac-
knowledged they had to fight for It. The |
9ath Ohio were here, but refused TO send |
man to Fosters aid.
We see In your columns some sparrins
between "meMbers Of the church about a
S. bill, which has been, or should b., paid |
to the Sanitary Fund. Now If both par
ties will drop pen warfare, and enlist, we
boys Of Company X viii see the s. paid.
PIERCE.
At the Boston Sanitary Fair an article
was put up for rattle in fifty shares ut one
dollar each. A gentleman soon after came
NJ to the table ant! said he would buy il.
but he was informed that il was too late, Las
ono share was already taken. "rhen,u
said he. IL viii take the other fo.ty- nine
shares. and he paid tho money Tor them,
$40. Strange TO say, whom the draft occur
red, he name Of the owner Of tho single
share was driwA from he hat, and he re-
cl.Slts .4G prize.