Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-27

break up Jackson's forces, form juno
ton with CroxtOu If practicable, and re-
; join the Corps, with his entire Division,
bv the Centreville road 10 Selma. AL
though he did not leave Randolph till
near eleven O'Clock, A. NJ, and the dis
tanee 10 Scottsville was nearly forty
miles, hoped by this movement to do
more than secure the Centreville bridge,
and prevent jackson from joining the
force in front of the main column.
Having thus taken care of the right
flank, and anticipated Forrest IL his in
tention to play his old game of getting
upon the rear Of his opponent, / gave
directions to Long and Upton TO allow
him no rest, but push him toward Selma
| with the utmost spirit and rapidity.
These officers comprehended the situa-
ton, pressed forward with admirable
zeal and activity upon the roads which
have previously been indicated. The
advance of both Divisions encountered
| small parties of the enemy, but drove
| them hack to their main force at Ebene-
! zer Church, six miles north of Planters
I vile. Forrest had chosen a position on
the North bank Of Bogler's creek, and
disposed Of his force for battle, his right
resting on Mulberry creek and his left on
a high wooded ridge, with four pieces Of
/ artillery to sweep the Randolph road,
upon which Longs Division was advan-
| eing, and two ON the MaplesYille road.
He had under his command in lime Arm
1 strong's Brigade, of Chalmers Division,
Roddy's Division, Crossland's Kentucky
Brigade, and battalion of three hun
| dred infantry just arrived from Selma,
in all about five thousand men. Part of
his front was covered by a slashing of
| pine trees and rail barricades.
As soon as Gen. Long discovered the
4 enemy in strength close upon the main
body, he reinforced his advance guard IA
battalion Of the seventy-second Indiana
! Mounted Infantry by the balance Of the
( regiment, dismounted and formed it on
the left of the road. Pushing it forward,
the enemy was broken and driven back.
/ At this juncture he ordered forward four
companies of the seventeenth Indiana
Mounted Infantry, Lieut.-COl. Frank
! White commanding. With drawn sabers
this gallant battalion drove the enemy in
confusion into the main line, dashed
against that, broke through it, rode over
the rebel guns, crushing the wheels Of
one piece, and finally turned to the left,
( and cut its way out, leaving one officer
and sixteen men in the enemy's hands,
| either killed or wounded. In this charge,
/ Capt. Taylor, OF the seventeenth Indiana,
lost his life, after having led his men
into the very midst of the enemy, and
engaged in running fight of two hun
dred yards with Forrest in person.
Gen. AleXander's Brigade had tie adj
vance of Upton's Division and when
within three miles of Ebenezer Church,
heard the firing and cheers of Longs
men on the right, pushed forward at the
trOt, and soon came upon the enemy.
| Gen. Alexander hastily deployed his
/ brigade mostly on the right of the road,
with the intention of connecting with
/ Longs left, and, as soon as everything
was in readiness, pushed forward his line
dismOunted. In less than an hour, al
| though the resistance was determined,
! the position was carried by a gallant
/ charge, and the enemy completely routed.
1 Alexander's Brigade captured two guns
and about two hundred prisoners, while
one gun fellintO the hands of Gen. Longs
| Division.
Winsiow's Brigade Immediately passed
10 the front and took up the pursuit,
but could not again bring the rebels TO
stand.
The whole corps bivouacked at sun
down about Plantersville, nineteen miles
from Selma With almost constant fight
ing, the euemy had been driven since
morning LWeUlN-IOuE miles,
At daylight.of the second Longs Divi-
sion took the advance, closely followed
bv Upton's. Having obtained wei
drawn sketch and complete description
of the defenses of Selma, / directed Gen.
Long, marching by the flanks of brig
aides, to approach the city and cross to
the Sumersville road, without exposing
his meII, and to develop his line as soon
as he should arrive in 'front.' Of the works.
Gen. Upton was directed to move on the
Range Line road, sending a squadron on
the Burnsville road. Lieut.. RendelbrOOk,
with "A battalion of the Fourth u. :.
Cavalry, was instructed to move down
the railroad, burning stations, bridges
and trestle works as far as Burnsville.
BY rapid marching, without opposition,
the troops were all in sight Of the town,
and mostly in position by four P. N.
As / approached the city l perceived
that my information was generally cor
rect: | therefore made a reconnaissance
of the works from left to right for the
purpose of satisfying myself entirely a.
TO the true point of attack and the prob
able chances of success. | directed Gen.
Long to assault the enemy's works by
moving diagonally across the road upon
which his troops were posted, while Gen.
I 4
force Of three hundred men, was directed
to penetrate the swamps upon his left,
break through the line covered by it, and
turn the enemy's right, the balance OF
his division 10 conform 10 the movement.
The signal for the advance was to he the
discharge of single gun from hodney'5
Battery, TO be given as soon as Upton'S
turning movement had developed itself.
Before this plan could be put into exc
cution, and while waiting for the signal
10 advance, Gen. Long was informed
that q strong force Of Rebel cavalry bad
begun skiTmishing with his rear, ami
threatened 8 general attack upon his
pack train and lead horses. He had lefl
a force Of six companies well posted at
the creek in anticipation Of this move
ment afterward ascertained to have been
made by Chalmers, in obedience TO the
Instructions Of Forrest. This force was
at Marion the day before, and was eN=
pected on the road from that place.
Fearing that this affair might comprO-
mise ous assault on the main position,
Gen. Long having already strength
mentl, with admirable Judgment,
determined TO make the assault at
once, and, without waiting for the signal,
gave tine order TO advance. The troops
disinoHnte1, spFapg forward with conf
dent alacTity, and in less than fifteen
minutes. without ever stopping, waver-
ing OF falteriHg, had swept over the
works and driven the rebels in confusion
toward the city. l arrived on that qar,
Of the field just after the works
We're carried: at once notified
Gen. Upton OF the success, and ordered
hiel 70 pnsh on as rapidly as possible,
directing Col. AIinty nov ia command
of the SecondDiYisiOn) to gather his men
for a new advance; ordered Col Vail, I
commanding the seventeenth Indiana. to
place his own regiment ana the tUurth
United States cavalry, Lieut.. 0'COnnei,
and the Board of Trade Battery, Capt
Robinson commanding, and feneWed the
attack. The rebels had occupied a new
line but partially finished, on the edge of
the city. A most gallant charge by the
Fourth Ugited States Cavalry was re-
pulsed, but rapidly reformed On the left.
ii was now quite dark. Upton's Division
advancing at the same time, a new
charge vas made hY the fourth Ohio,
seventeenth Indiana and ioWth Cavalry
dismounted. The troops, inspired by the
widest enthusiasm, swept everything
lafore them, and penetrated the city in
all directions. naripg the first part Lf
the action the Chicago Board OF Trade
Rattery had occupied q commanding
position, and steadily replied to the enc
my's guns
] regerd the capture Of Selma the most
remarkable achievement in the history
of modern cavalry, and one admirably
illustrative Of its new powers and ten
denotes. That it may be fully understood,
particular attention is Invited to the fol
IowlAg facisi
The fOrtificatiOns assaulted and carried !
consist of FASHIONED line, on radius of
nearly three miles, extending from. the
Alabama diver l.elOw 10 the same above |
the city. The part west Of the city is |
covered by miry, deep and almost I'M |
passable creek that on the eas. si..s, Dy /
a swamp extendii,g rom the river almost I
to the SuInnerville road, and entirely |
imptacticable for mounted men at all |
times. Gen. lIptQa ascsrIaiaedi by q |
personal reconnaissance, that dismOunted 1
men might, with great difficulty, work
through it on the LEFT Of the ..ange Line |
road. The profile of that part of the line
assaulted Is as follows Hight Of para /
pet six ts eight feet thickness, bigtl I
feet depth Of ditch, fire feet; width (
from ten 20 fifteen feet hight Of stock
adf. ON the QlaciS three feet sunk into