The Hickman courier., 1877-06-29
Record of the 7fh Kentucky
Regiment. G.. 5. a., Win some
Army "Reminiscences.
T CONTINUED. ]

army ReEn1nfScenSes'
CosTISuEp.
The loss in some companies was much
heavier than in others, some losing near
ly half in killed and wounded
The night of the 7th was one OF tne
most disagreeable experienced during 'he
war. retreat is never pleasant after
defeat; but on the night in question
cold ram set in and lasted during the
greater part of the night. The men were
exhausted and in the confusion attendant
upon the hour. only few snatehes OF
rest could be obtained now and then' 10
give little of the writers experience
TWO rails 10 lie on, under n wagon WIN
drop of waiOr now and then trlekhhe
down on the face, was attenHeu oy
sleep far more luxurious uhough OF snort
duration, than the child of wealth can
enjoy surrounded by all the comforts OF
home and friends. The retreat was con
tinued the next day-the army feachih6
Corinth late IN the evening. Work on
the fortihcations was now In ORDER lor o'
course an advance of the enemy was eX-
pected. and for this purpose detachments
were daily made from the ditteren' com
mands. The enemy advanced Slowly
On the 10Th of May, the regiment was
transferred from Gen'L Cheatham 10
Gen |. Breckinridges division, and soon
after reorganized with the balance OF the
army under the conscript act tor three
years service.) There was considerable
opposition on the part OF many 10 thls
reorganization or rather an enforcement
10 remain longer than the term OF enlist
ment. AS TO ne merits of the question
il is needless here to discuss. Suihce 10
say, a sense Of moral duty prevailed and
the regiment reorgaI iiEed, though when
the twelve months expired there were
some that went silently away, not to re-
turn.
Ell. Grassland sshe vent TO Virginia as
.,-..-.r, =, led CoT6Sie.ha lst Ken
Sherrell elected Lieut.. Colonel and Capt.
II. 5. Hale electea- Major. There was a
general change of officers in the compa-
mics. Before the reorganization the Ar
kansas company was transferred to an
Arkansas regiment, and the vacancy fill
el by a company composed partly of Ken
tuckiaus and the balance-well we sup
pose cosmopolitan" would be the most
appropriate term; however. to this com
pany and to the latter class belonged Col
Crosslands model soldier Jack. The
brigade now made up was composed Of
the 3D. 9TH. and Sth Kentucky regiments,
9Th Arkansas, I2th Louisiana. and 35th
Alabama, and remained in tact until the
Kentucky regiments were transferred late
in the war 10 the command Of General
Forrest.
During the stay ~ Corinth. the regi-
ment was much disabled by sickness,
diarohge prevailed generally; many were
sent TO the hospitals, some never return
ing. On the 29th Aay, COrinth was evrc-
uated by our forces, now under command
of Geul. Bragg (superceeding Gen l..
Bureaugard) aud moved by marches down
to Tupeio, on the Mobile and OHIO rail
road, about sixty miles below Co ninth.
Remained at Tupeo until about the I9th
June. when Gen. Breckiuridge Lewiston
was detached from the balance of the ar
my and moved across in q south westerly
direction TO \ AbbeWile Miss, a point on
the Mississ ppi Central railroad at y hich
place the command arrived about the 10Th.
having camped two or three days on q
creek six miles from Abbeville. 26th,
moved by rail South. En- route an acci-
dent occurred near Goodman, Miss; the
cars were thrown from the track and two
or three men killed Arrived at jackson,
Miss. he night O; The 9th, aud remain
ed there two days; then went on TO
VIcksburg. arriving there the 3Jth. Re
maineI at Wick bIrg until the 18th July,
during which time the place WAS subject
ed 10 an incessant bonn bHrdmeut from the
enemys feet lying in the bend OF the riv-
er above town Though the regiment
most # the time near a high 7
iressel back from town, (two or three T.
miles il was every few days placed
upon picket dat. on the bluff Overlooking /
the river above. poetic writer might p.
give vivid and CLOWN description OF
some night scencs at Vicksburg during .
the bombardmenL The occasions were ,
certainly very interesting to those per
sonally interested.
Well can the mon remember how dur
ing the still hours Of tho nigh, vv'-h no,
a sound, save the booming OF the distant
cannon. and an OCCASIONAL explosion of
she'll They wmld lie and watch the
;ourse of the huge bombs in their cIrcui-
ous route. These messengers made a
noise when passing through the air like
rushing wind in the distance and could
1e easily traced BY the sparks they ejec
ed Not so in the day time: the sound
ould be heard, but you could not see the
light One would occasionally come In
lncomfortably close proximity, and you
would hear more than one voice say,
look out boys sic is coming" Sometimes
ne would explode near the earth, and
oung reader dil you ever throw a stone
n amongst flck of geese and notice
be movement OF their heads Now you
ave got il without any poetic sentiment,
it kts. Army rations were
ot plentiful though Irish potatoes were.
nd in the langaags Of one of our con
ributors "I are some of the biggest
ates of potatoes that ever did eat
Figs were plentiful and those that
ked them enjoyed a feast.
The seige was abandoned by the enemy
bout the 26th Of July, AMI on the 2Sth,
ZEN. Breckinridge, leaving a small gar
ison, moved out with his forces By rail,
D Jack son. Miss and thence by the New
'r!eans and Jackson rail road to Taugj-
aho, La, arriving there the 2gIh .
.ugust lst, our forces took up the line
t march for Baton Rouge, and on the
ri, camped within eight miles of that 7
lace 9th, attacked the enemy, and in
he simple light of battle, gained
ictory, but it was fruitless, the gun .
oats preventing the possession of the
lace and consequently our forces had to
etire The loss in the regiment was not
eavy two men killed ana several woun-
ed Fell back to camp, on Comite river
nd rename several days; from thence
o Port Hudson on the 18th; on the 18th,
tarted on the march back to Tauripaho
rriving there, took the cars and arrived
I Jackson, Miss the 23rd, and moved
ut to camp about six miles East, remain
u uhtii the Ilth OF September, then
moved North by rail to Davis Mills, a
'oint on the rail road, about six miles
'elOw Grand junction (near the Tennes
zee line.) Here Gen. Breckenridge, with
| part of the command left for Middle
tennessee, TO join Gen, Bragg. General
Preston, who hsf been tbe-bri gade com
nander since the reorganization, also
eft, aud Gen. Rusk succeeded in his
stead. Gen. Lowell now commanded the
About the 18Th, rapid advance was
made in the direction of Bolivar, Tenn,
10 cut off a detachment of the enemy that
was out on raid. Our advance came up
with the enemy, and some skirmishing
ensued but nothing more. 1t was the
hardest days march of the war (on FOOT
being a distance of about thIrty-fve
miles. Camped at night near Bolivar,
and then returned TO Davis Mills; 9th,
the command moved in south westerly I
direction, aud on the lst day of October
Joined with the forces under command of /
Gen. Price, Gen. Van Dorm, commanding. /
Then forward movement was made on |
Corin'h. On the 3rd, Gen. Lowell at
tackled the enemy in their advanced works /
and drove them back into their main /
works. early on the morning of the 4ih, /
lerea oft do