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

ness before the Rebels knew it, had
reached the bridge leading into Column
bus.
4 AS soon as everything could be got up
/ to the position occupied by the dis
mounted men, Gen. Upton pressed for
ward again, swept away all opposition,
took possession of the foot and railroad
bridges, and stationed guards throughout
4 the city. i- @
Twelve hundred prisoners, ffty-two
field guns in position for use against US
1 large quantities of arms and stores He'll
into our hands. Our loss was only TWEEN
tv-fiye killed and wounded. Col. G. A.
l.. Lamar, of Gen. CObb's staff, formerly
4 owner of the Wanderer," (slave-tra-
der was killed.
The splendid gallantry and steadiness
of Gen. Upton, Breyet Brighten. WINS
low, and ali the officers and men engaged
in the night attack Is worthy of the high
est commentator. The Rebel force was
over three thousand men. They could
not believe they had been dislodged from
their strong fortifications by an attack
of three hundred men.
| When it is remembered that these OPP
erations gave TO us the city of COLUMBUS
THE key to Georgia, four hundred miles
from our starting point, and that II was
| conducted by cavalry, without the ~
! spiration from the great events WnleI
had transpired in Nirginia-it viii not
be considered insignificant, although
shorn of its Importance.
Gen. Winslow was assigned to the
command of the city. His report VIII
give interesting details in regard to the
stores, railroad transportation, gunboals
armories, arsenals and workshops de-
stroyed.
After much sharp skirmishing and hard
marching, which resulted in the cap
ture of fourteen wagons and a num-
Der of prisoners, La Oranges advance
reached the vicinity of West Point at
ten A. NJ, April sixteenth, with Beck's
Eighteenth Indiana Battery and the
/ Second and Fourth Indiana Cavalry.
The enemy We're kept occupied uli the
arrival of the balance of the Brigade.
Having thoroughly reconnoltered lhe
ground, detachments Of the First VIscoh-
sin, Second Indiana, and Seventh Ken,
tuc,v Cavalry disInounted and prepared
10 assault FoTtTyler, covering the bridge.
Col. La Grange describes it as remark
ably strong Fashioned earthwork, thirty
five wards square, surrounded by ditch
twelve feet wide and ten feet deep, situa-
ted on q commanding eminenee, pro-
teeted by an imperfect d6Gttis and mount
ing two Othirty-twO FOUNDERS and twoheld
guns.
Atone d. M the charge was sounded
and the brave detachment on the three
sides of the work rushed forward to the
assault, drove the rebel skirmishers into
the fort, and followed under whitening
fire of musketry and grape TO the edge OF
the ditch. This was found impossible !;
but without falling back, Col. La Grange
| posted sharpshOoters to keep down the
enemy and organized parties to gather
material for the bridges. As soon as tins
| had been done he sounded the charge
again; the detachment sprang forward
again, laid the bridges, and rushed for
| ward over the parapet into the work,
| capturing the entire garrisOn-ln all, TWO
hundred and sixty-five men. Gen. Tyler,
its commanding officer, with eighteen
men and officers killed, and twenty
eight severely wounded. Stimuli
! taneously with the advance upon
the fort the Fourth Indiana dashed
| through the town, secured both bridges
| over the ChatahOochee, scattering q supe-
rfor force of cavalry which had just ar
rived. and burned Ave engines and trains.
| Col. La Grange highly commends the
accuracy and steadinsss of Capt. Beck in
! the use of his artillery.
/ cannot speak too warmly of the in
! trepidity, good management and sGldieFly
ability displayed by Col. La Grange in
| this affair, nor too strongly recommend
| the steadiness, dash and courage of his
/ officers and men. Capt. Ross S. Hill,
commanding the Second Indiana, dam
/ gerously wounded in the assault, and
previously wounded at scottsborough,
aud Lieut.-COl. Harden, commanding
| the First Missouri, slightly wounded,
were notieeably conspicuous, and trust
will receive the promotion for which they
have been recommended.
Col. La Grange destroyed at this place
two bridges, nineteen locomotives, and
| two hundred and forty-five cars loaded
with quartermaSter, cOIlnissary and ord
nance stores. Before leaving he
established a hospital for the wounded of
both sides, and left with the Major an
ample supply of stores to provide for ell
their wants. .r
Early OH the morning of the seven
teenth he resumed his march toward
Macon, passing through La Grange,
Griffin and Forsyth, and breaking the
railroads at those places. He would have
reached his destination by noon of the
twentieth, but for delay caused by an
order to wait for the Fourth Kentucky
NllANh Aittu Eptlt lAliNttsIAt w
lumbus. r
The afternoon Of the seventeenth di-
rected Col. Minty to resume his march
with his Division on the Thomaston road
toward Macon, and tosend detachment
forward that night to seize the Double
bridges over Flint river. Capt. Van
Antwerp of my staff accompanied this
party. He speaks in the highest terms
of the dash with which Capt. Hudson,
fourth Michigan cavalry, discharged the
duties assigned him. BY seven O'Clock
4. NJ. the next day he had reached the
bridges, fifty miles from Columbus, scat
tered the party defending them, and took
forty prisoners, .Is te
Before leaving Columbus, Gen. Wins
low destroyed the rebel ram Jackson,
nearly ready for sea, mounting six
seven-inch guns, burned fifteen loeomo-
tives, two hundred and fifty ears, the
railroad bridge and foot bridges, one
hundred and fifteen thousand bales
of cotton, four cotton faasories,
The navy yard, fQIndry, armory,
sword and pistol factory, accOutrement
shops, three paper mills, over a hundred
thousand rounds of artillery ammuni-
ton, besides immense stoves Of which no
account could be taken. The rebels
abandoned and burned the gunboat Chat
tahooohee, twelve miles below Columbus
On the morning of the eighteenth. the
whole command resumed tie march on
the route pursued sy the Second Diyi-
sion. IN the evening of the twentieth,
When Wlth..Il twenty miles Of Macon, the
.uvanced guard, composed of the Seven
teenth Indiana Mounted Infantry, Col.
White commanding, encountered about
two hundred Rebel cavalry ON the road,
but drove them rapidly back toward tae
city, and saved the Echcoanes and
Tobessapke bridges. Col. White de-
serves great credit for the boldness and
skill with which he conducted his com
mand.
When within thirteen miles of Macon.
he met flag Of truce in charge of Brig
Gen. Robertson of the Rebel army, bear
ing written communication addressed
to the commanding officer of the United
States forces. Col. White halted the flag
and his advance, and sent the cornmuni-
cation to Col. MintY, commanding the
division. After reading it, Col. Nintv
forwarded it to me; gave Instructions to |
Col. White to renew his advance, after
waiting five minutes for the nag of truee |
to get out OF the way, and sent note to |
Gen, Robertson informing him of his ae-
ton. | received the communication at |
six, P. NJ, nineteen miles fFom Macon |
and upon examination found it was \ |
letter from Gen. Howell Cobb. COM |
manding the. rebel forces at Macon. THE
following is a true copy of the original
HEATssJ ARTERS HEPARrMES9 :
TESNEssEE ANR SiGoReIA |
-. MACON, April ~, 1865. | |
10 tine Commanding General OF the Jnffed !
STAT Forces:
u General: I have Just received from,
Gen. q. I. Beauregard, nv hnmediafa
commander, a tel2graphfe dispateh Of /
which the tOiiowing is q COPY.
" "GREESsBoROUGa, April ID lsa g,
Ia columbia 18th. via Augusta 9oft /
Maj Gen. NJ fsa5: Inform General |
commandiag enemy's forces in yonr
fran,, that truce for the purpose 9s
final settlement was agreed zson yesfer- |
day between Gems, I0nnston and Sher- I
man apphcGe1e to ag forces under their /
g.-''''iiands. = message to sRat effect |
nom Gen. Sherman viii De sent him as /
soon as practicable The eontending for |
ees are " C-ecHpy their present position.
fartY-eight hours notice being given of a
resumption ofhostilities.
"Slgnede g. T. BEAUREGAaD5
General SecoE5 in Command.
MY force seing a portion of Gen.
ioh+iston's command, l proceed at once
IN 1Nppnfa tho fof.,,,e A. Tsss,