The National tribune., 1882-06-10

negroes ana SeceSh clj1ZelS. lhe army post
Office was turned inside out, and letters toe
and those from the North were opened an,
all that were not carried OFF were put in
pile and burned in The street
4 large brick building on the square has
beenfllcd by our people with shot, she'll, an,
ammunition. Another building on the mex
block had been filled with poSt-cammissarl
stores 1t was said by citizens that Na1
DOrnS orders were that these stores should
be taken out and burned, hut the soldiers
having got hold Of some whisky, and the car
Tying ont business becoming little tedious
put fire to the commissary's Store, and IL
half an hour the whole side Of the square
was in flames At three o'clock the arsenal
was fired, and blew up with most awful
explosion.
While this was going on before cur eyes
the rebels commenced Mt one end Of the lone
line, taking the parole Of the soldiers. 1--WE
KNOW" said they, that we cannot hold this
place. We have accomplished all we came
for We have destroyed your stores and
taken your men. We can't take them with
us, as We are mounted, therefore we viii
take your parole not 10 serve during the
war unless exchanged, and let you go.' The
cotton-buyers, traders, and citizens were
then separated from the soldiers and qucs-
toned as to their business, etc, by one of
General Van Dorn's staff. The questions
asked me viii serve rs a sample: Where
do you liye?n ain Newark. Ohio" Are
you connected with the army?" No, sir"
What are you doing here, sir?" "WeI,
sir, am at the house of friend, Mrs. Cap
tain Barney, who formerly lived at the
North, and whose husband is an engineer,
and is now with your people in Alabama"
"Are you not cotton buyer, sir?" "Hes,
sir; (a-hem) have invested all my spare
money in cotton, and to-day it has gone MP
the spout" AN right, not a good specula-
tion. ] presume, sir the Southern cavalry
do unexpected things sometimes, sir; l adj
wise you to stay at home, sir, where there is
less risk, sir. Let NE see your money and
papers" pulled out my wallet, he took it,
counted the money, jsome SO in greenbacks)
and returned it TO me again. He noticed a
gold dollar in it, and said THAT little but
ton is worth all the balance l took the
pocket-boOk without remark, not caring TO
argue with him just then, for fear 1 should
convince him it was very valuable, and he
should take a notion to keep it. He then
passed on to the next man.
A friend of mine, Mr.. Groat, conductor on
the railroad, was examined, and had all his
money taken, some 500. His papers and
letters were all torn up. Everybody sus-
pected of being connected with the railroad
was robbed of everything he had, and many
others where the soldiers could get them out
a little.
Colonel Murphy was in command here.
He was at the telegraph Office telegraphing
to General Grant for reinforcements, when
the rebels came upon the town, and took
him prisoner the very first. If he had used
the men ne had, he might have prevented
all.
To judge from the results Of the rebel raid
into Holly Springs, one would naturally
suppose it was a surprise; such, however, /
was not the case. General Grant knew the
of Van DoTn's force during
every day of the three days previous TO the .
attack upon Holly Springs, and had taken
what seemed to be all the necessary precau- I
lions to prevent so great a disaster as oc- /
cured there.
On Tuesday, the 18th, Colonel Dickey,
with about twenty five hundred cavalry, +
oh
Twelve miles southeast Of this place, and .
earned that it was occupied by the enemy
n great force, but that they were moving .
juU OF it toward the north. Colonel DicI;ey
sent courierS back to General
5Eant, and from that time until they entered .
Holly Springs, scouts were kept upon Van
Oorn's track, and informed General Grant
very day Of his whereabouts. So well had
JeneTal Grant OWNED Van DOrn's purpose,
md so well had he timed his march, that on
he evening before the attack he telegraphed
rom Oxford TO Colonel Murphy at Holly
springs that the enemy would attack him
1bout seven next morning, but that he had
ent him sufficient Teinforcements TO drive
hem Off
The reinforcements were indeed sent from
lere, to the number of three or four thou
and; but, owing to some obstruction in the
Dad near Waterford, they arrived nearly two
lours too late, so that the rebel Tear-guard
lad been gone out of the town about an hour
When the cavalry advance of our forces rode
nto it.
At Pontotoc, Colonel Dickey, seeing the
Teat inequality Of numbers between his own
orce and that of the enemy, waited to let
hem pass through, which they did, without
that he was watching them. After
IAN Dorm had passed through toward the
orth, Colonel Dickey passed through toward
he east, and kept on over to the Mobile and
)hio road, striking it at Saltillo; from that
lace northward he tore up the track and
urned the bridges for thirty miles, making
terrible gap in that great line of commu-
ication between the South and the rebel
at Chattanooga.
But to return to the Holly Springs affair /
There were enough troops in Holly Springs s
0 have held it against the enemy if any man
courage or judgment had had command ]
ieneral Grants dispatch reached Colonel
Iurphy On the evening previous to the
nemy's appearance near the town. There
yeTe between five and six hundred infantry,