Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-01-27

NV hfN uplS" u iHhANA
from gallant EOuug Delawarean, member OF
the Anderson Cavalry, to his sistcr in this city.
Il /, highly interesting and will amply repay an
attentive perusa.
CAM SEAR HUETsvILLr. ALta,(
January l4tb, 1866.
now acknowledge the receipt Of
yours Of November 10Th aud Goth, aud Decem-
ber 18th. Tho twa latter were only received by
me yeateriay. tho former one vas received be-
fore wa left cur camp at Wahatohic, on Decem-
her 20th. Since then we have been on the 60
all the time Our Regiment has been operating
with Gen SieAdman's forces On the solth side
OF the Tennessee River. On the afternoon Of
the 29th of Drcemher. we crossed the Tennes-
see in tIsnFporia IN Decatur, and here joined
Gen. SteadmRD. This force was TO operate
against the rebel Gen. Roddy'a forces, part Of
ihein hoiuR within seven miles Of Decatur, with
two pirees Of Artillery. Tho night of the day
va came Decatur. about 8 p. M, our Regl-
ment with n small Brigade Of other cavalry
started out for night surprise OF the Rehs -
Our Regiment hsing In the advance, our advance
guard, numbe ling about forty men, proceeded
cautiously till within sight Of the Rebel pickets,
when We charged in on them taking them conf
plelely hy surprise. We captured the two
cannon with about eleven prisoners, without
! even wounding man on our part. The lebs
felt their less soiely aud tried to reeapture the
cannon, but the boys could not see il Since
this, we have been diminishing with the Rebs
every day, driving them all the time
On the night OF the 50th Of December, we
encamped ai a town called Lection We here
heard that Gen Hoods pontoon train had gone
through the town only the day before. Colonel
Palmer, who was in command Of the cavalry,
got permission from Gen Steadman, to go after
il and destroy il. In our front, at Lection, there
was a Nhole Rebel Brigade OF ca,aliy encamp-
ed, waiting to give us fight the next day. but
Co. Palmer was a little too cunning for them
A bout one or two hours before daybteak, (thi,
night was oue Of the cOldest have experienced
this winter, nnd raiuing and snowing) We sad
died up aud started out and marched completely
around the Rsbs, After we had left about one
hour. Our piches (who we're left on post 30
| to screen our movement from the Rebsl DASHED
in on the Rebel pickets, drove them in aud theI
left and joined tie command. The rebs WerI
completely fooled, for tley waited in line O
LATHE very near the whole day for us, hut they
soon I, und out the Yankees had Aown, but they
knew not wb,rc. During this whole day, the
8lst, we did nothing but capture kehs -
Amongst ths captures was a Col. Warren. About
dark our advance oame up with tho Pontoon
train, but the Rebs who had heard Of our com
ing nn hour or two before, got astride Of The
best mules aud left in haste. II WAS dark Wher
the balance Of the Regiment came up, but suol
a scattering Of wagons, mules and oxen, uevel
saw. They were scattered for about four nile,
along the road Some Of the mules wOrO etl
hampered to tho wagons whilst others vert
grsIi0g about in the woods.
The train consisted Il 154 wagons and pon
toon boats (this was one sf the pontoons thai
Hood reerosstd the Tennessee onl 80 were pen
toon boats the balaOce were army wagons partly
loaded with various things, Quaftermastef'
stores, &c, We here went into carp for thu
night, about P. IN. We oil start out a-foo
10 burn the trnin. II took us till about o'clJcl
the nOEt morning 1t was beautiful sight, til,
whole raiu Of l5s wagons. a.retUhing about iou
miles, NIL On FIRE. This 10 the way We ccleblate
tho going out " tho old yeDq aud the coming II
Of the new one. The boys icing unable to car
ry any u the plunder away with ihem, con
sumed ~ all with tho Wagons.
About o'clock next morning, (N6W Year
day. We again started On the march, Col Pal
mer having heard OF another train Of 70 wagon
that we're dsy'a advance oe us. As we Wer
on q general mid in the rebel lines 1 supros
he cencnded to do tho thing up right. W
marched all New Years day and night W
camo up with the train about midnight. III
train WAS encnmped about half mile FROM III
line in the State Of Mississippi. We dashed il
On 'hem, took few prisoners and burned III
wagons, inside OF two houIr. The wagons Wer
mostly empty. All the mules we could not TAX
with US wO shot, 20 they would be of no NOR
uso to the Kebs. Niter burning this train "
turned our horses omeward. Wo were now +
far away from our own lines, we knew that iii
greatesI danger was to come yet. but after Iva,
cling night and day, and through tho help ul
good guide (whO was n rebel Surgeon whom til
Colohel had taken prisoner, but promised hin
bis freedom II he would guide us Igh) aud tn
onnningness OF Col Palmer, We arrived safe q
Decatur on the afternoon Of the 9th inst A
times VIC were ehtiTely surrounded by the ere
Iny, but always ihAunged to eludo them. Abou
noon on tho 4th inst, wC ran into Col. Russell
command Of about 700 men with six wagoui
They showed fight, hut we sent them skedadlu
and burnt their wagons. Our command con
sisted Of about 800 men Ia ALL This raid en-
: be put down IS ono Of the greatest Of the wa
1t Is stated that We damaged tho Rebs TO I'll
, amount Of 50 100000. We took about 30 nj
I sonere, including Colonel and three or lou
L'eutenants, with the loss of but one man, VIII
; was killed .u u charge. lie belonged To the u,
Indiana Regiment.
You ask me whether had good Thanksgiy
lug Dinnei. eau say no, for the soldiers
this Department, (especinlly those in the iislJ
! shared nome Of those luxuries that the soldier
ut home and in the army Of the Potomac di,
You state in your last that on Christmas da
you were all III The sitting room talking aboL
me Whilst sou were all comfortable in iii
e house, was enc OF detail of 40 men, on IA
cars going down to Decatur. We were in cherg
of cur regiment Commissary ard Quarterma,
} ter's storef. The train We were on was ii
seventeenth train going down to Decatur carr,
ing troops As the track was torn up amen,
We were detained all day. 1t being Christine
We thought we ought to celebrate il somehow
no We started out and killed rebels cow. Ih
With milk, molasses and corn bread, gave us
, Christmas dinner.
| remain, alleeti onately your brother.