, 1880-05-03
GRIERSON AND HATCH.

GRIERSON AND HATCH.
A "Reminiscences OF l6B3-Tlie Union
Cavnlry Raid Through MishtshipPt.
specta, Correspondence of Tho Chicago Tribune.
CoLustnus, O., April o7.-Tlu nows received
a fcw days since Of the successful engage
ments against the Indians In New Mexico by
Gems. Gricrson a,ld Hatch must OF necessity
attract tho attention of many Of the survivors
OF tile late War, especially In Illinois and
Iowa. Tho linking together of these two
names ut tho present time carries one back
seventeen yearB ago, when the SAME COM
manders wore leading Illinois ind Iowa vol
unteers into the very heart of tho so-callcd
Southern Confederacy; butmark tho change!
Seventeen years after, these two dashing
cayalry-lcadcrs meet again; but the CAUSE Is
far different, and the field Of operations Is
hundreds of miles distant Both meet In the
mountains, where, by q previous understand
Ing, 1t ls understood that, by tho unlted
actlon of both, & the Indians !, would s.G oon 6o
sS1g9Saa' S1ssaa stafhx Ill., om e %aSas d
Hatch from point on our Western
that those two commanders formed q Junction
in far.pif Now Mexico lust seventeen e. ye9rs
the. month and dase being tic same; but such
" On IN tie 18th of April, 1868, the writer-who
was at tlat time In ne etnpioy Of !, tho Goy- 10y
Tenn, and Witnessed the departure Of tho
two brigales of cavalry as they passed over
the hills in q southerly direction, It was
foot, but that 1t was. one regarded as Of ex-
traordInary risk and danger was known by
those who In the telegrapllic department.
translated the clphor.dispatches, One could,
dItion which started out on that bright April
morning expected to. move with rapidlty
only attalnable with good horses, =, nnd
unincumbered by wheels of my kin.,
snns nsS' taws + wsfq BY sw f s aa and ~
horses. This was the commUncement Of TINT
most during raid through the entire State OF
Mississippi which created the wl!dest eXclo'
and which nearly appalled, tho North Mt whit
WIS termed thb foolhara[ness Of the UNDER
taking. That there was uncaslness III the
minds Of tho department commanders. Wls
readily apparent; but the general expression
among both officers and men WIS, TINT, II It
could be done at LII any body Of men
could possibly wadethrouEh tho C9nfederacy
Bon Grierson was. tho man to lead them.
troopers would not be able to stand UP under
such hard riding rs was necessary to n siic-
cessful raid. No fears were expressed us to
tho horses giving out aS i hS was TSll Inown 1ov
liz
Ing over tile Constitution of the United
Stites to ascertain whether be would be jus-
tilted In taking horses II ho haa llso for
them; and It Is hardly necessary to ADD that
his troopers would sooner taKe good horse
than walk Mt any and oil times.
The first few days Of tho march carried tho
raiders we'll Into the heart Of Nltsslasippl,-
the command being divided Into two or three
narts, for the puTposn Of destroying public
property, railroads, and telB4raphs, us we'll
is to confuse the Rebel cavalry, who were
vvry nctiye In, trying to lscertatn the where
abOnts OF tho invadtrs., On the Nth or April,
command about 100 Of tha most rugged und
bcstMounted, and, directing the balance to
return to camp at La Orange, Tenn, c.tt
loose from all comnunleston Witi te te is!, Ees
heart Of the, Colliederacy. III this connec-
ton, It might be proper to say TINT Gen;
Hatch, with his command, became engaged
with large force of Rebels, and. as s., was
Grange, thereby drawing the Confgderate
forces north. while Grlerson was dashillg
south at a rate Of forty 10 sixty miles q day,
Tho Confederate commanders never atscoy- =.
state that Gen. Hatch was 9ady wounded
and his command scattered. II this, wus SO,
It never attracted tue writer's attention, who
was In q position to know.
that exciting raid, Is of dramatic lntorost,
and, during the weary hours OF march later
IN the War, served r. IT, entertaia ne .s tile wrltsrl
who often a:so'npaned both Griefsol1 1!1 and
Mateh on th9Ir rMds into s MlssllsSinpi s,a an4 my
Tennessee; Tho crossing VI Fear! @ Nlyer. alid
unwitt!nMgly M coming aPon a,s dofths1 rtS emp, ra
whnre 3,oo C0,lloaerates Weto, w'in tolee ,la
dlatosurren.ler, are full Of INTEREST, and VIZ
be more appreciated ~ the future lh9!l " the
present time. The ~ dan!aEe @ 1ons py & Gan; =
Grlorson o9 thss n'Grcll was serious r. 9ne 20
supplies and munitions, but u moral seslss. ~.
Us effect lessened the conlidenee u me
Southern people in the success of ti!olr cA,isa
Nor ls this al. me presence o. EeuarA
| large rclnforcelnents jotnlng l'enlberton ut
VlGksburg and Jollnstah Ut Jackson. +. T..
Referring buck seventeen years aBo, u IS