The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-26
TIE 18th INDIANA,
And the Part It Took in the Famous
Wilson Raid.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:

I haVImE VOIuIItteftd j 9IVt,
| with your kind consent brief account of the part
! taken by my regiment--the Seventeenth Indians
volunteers First brigade. Second division, cavalry
| corps--in that ever memorable campaign. Perhaps
| it will call out competent writer and parti-
cularIy some member of the Fourth Iowa
| airy.
Having laid in camp at Gravely Spring since jan
uary 25th perecng our discipline and getting ready
for the spring campaign, which understood was
to open with raid, we felt elated when on March
18th received orders to move and on the MORN
ing of the 18th struck tents and got the saddle
again. We marched the first day to Waterloo,
fourteen miles, and in the night ferried across
! the Tennessee River by the steamboats, Swallow,
| Echo, and Westmoreland, camping, disembarh-
ing, about two miles from the river Here We lay
awaiting the crossing OF other troops, getting sup
plies and packing up and sending Oft all the extra
baggage The transportation cut down to
two wagons to each brigade, officers
dueed to the allowance men, and all sur
plus stores were shipped Louisville or Nashville
BY the 2lst everything was ready and orders were
| received to march on the I'D. AT daylight, that
morning, started and marched on the Cherokee
road, the regiment at the of the brigade, and
the brigade at the rear OF the division. We passed
Cherokee Station the Memphis and Charleston
Railroad and marched towards Frankfort, camping
on the roadside. We found the roads very muddy.
Distance marched on the 22d-twenty miles. The
daily record of our march thereafter Is as fol-
| lows:
March 23d-Started at daylight marched six
miles and ma tied pontoon close up woods
on fire. Marched through Frankfort and camped
one mile from town. Distance marched-twelve
miles.
March 24Hr-Started at a. M; marched to Russell
vile mine miles, crossing Crooked Creek several
times Marched on Tuscaloosa road (Russeliville
| to Tuscaloosa one hundred and fifty miles, up
Russel1's Valley, camping at foot of mountains.
Forage plenty and country rich. Distance marched
fifteen miles.
March 25th-Wated until 10 q. m, before starting,
to allow McCook's division to pass Marched TO
Bear Creek eleven miles,, and then into Buttahat-
chic Valley, where we camped Distance marched
sixteen miles,
March 26ih-Started at 7, brigade in rear of dvis-
ion. Led our horses up very steep hill, and then
bod %tvntl Lotto tfrN
Marched via Thorn Hill and Antioch Church, getting
OFF the road on the way near Splunge Creek Got
supper at IL p. nj crossed and camped about one
mile from the creek. Distance marched-sixteen
miles
March 27h.-Up at 3 a m. Marched at g over
very muddy roads. Wagons stuck. Carnped on
roadside, nine miles from Jasper Rained in the
night Distance marched-eighteen miles.
March 2Sth.-Regiment rear-guard of
DIVISION left wing being duty with pontoon train.
| Roads very bad Marched to Jasper; thence to near
Big Black Warrior River, getting into camp at ~
p IN. Jasper to riverten miles Distance marched
nineteen miles.
March 29th.-Crossed Big Black Warrior at a very
| deep ford, and marched thence to Little Warrior
River, crossing and camping four miles from the
river. River TO Elyton twenty-one miles. Dis
lance marched-ftteen miles.
4oreh 30th-Started at 6; marched along and
| across Five Nile, Greek at deep ford Regiment
| Elyton. Passed Red Mountain Iron Works, four
miles from Elyton, and destroyed the machine
shops, &c, attached to the works. Camped on
| Muddy Creek. Distance marched - twenty-five
miles,
March 3ist.-Marched past Central Iron Works
across Buck Creek by the Central Mill. across
Cahawa River on the railroad bridge and past the
coal pits to Montevalo fifty six miles from Selna
! twenty-five miles; thence four miles further and
camped. Distance marched-twenty six miles.
april 1st.-Marched at daylight TO Randolph.
seven miles; thence towards Selma. The enemy's
forces, under Roddy and Forrest contested the road
| We fought them at Bogues Creek (Ebenezer
Church,, and at Selma. The following is the Off
pIl at nf ptrir both
fights:
TWO wELL-FoCGHr ENGAGEMENTS
ION April Ist the regiment was third in the order
of march of the brigade, which was following the
tinuay skirmishng with and driving them The
advance had pushed them easily until near Bogue's
Creek twenty -nine miles from Selma. Here they
made stand and offered q good deal of resistance
TO our further advance Four companies &c, q. III
and II were ordered forward by Colonel A. o. Mil
Ter, commanding First brigade Second division,
Cavalry Corps, to charge the enemy. Lieutenant
Colonel Frank White took command and moved
forward charging the enemy who were engaging
our skirmishers. Oyertaking Patterson's regiment
and running past them, men sabered large
number, and, dashing on. struck the enemy's line
of battle about mile from where the charge
commenced They then charged and cut
through Them under a fierce FIRE, to where the
artillery tour pieces, which had been firing as
advanced, stood. Here Lieut-Coionei
White, finding another line of battle confronting
him and firing on him, and being so weak in num-
bers and far from his support turned off and rode
into the woods to the left charging on the enemy
there and cutting his way out with all his COM
mand except Captain Taylor and sixteen enlisted
men The captain had command of the advance
company (G, and not hearing the order to t,Irn off
the road charged beyond on the artillery, and cut
the enemy right and left until shot down himself
OF the sixteen enlisted men following him six were
killed, five wounded and five taken prison
ers Leut.-Colonel White being forced to fall
back with his command, could not return or bring
OF the captured artillery. When the enemy after
wards fell back they left one 12-pound howitzer
on the field, wheel being broken by the horses
rushing against 1t in charging-a fact often dis
puted, but nevertheless fact. There were about
one hundred of the enemy captured but as we
were unable to guard them, all but fifteen or
twenty escaped. The four companies that took
part in the affair numbered 200 men, The loss was
Killed, one commissioned officer and seven
listed men; wounded, eleven enlisted men; miss
ing, five enlisted men. The enemysloss could not
be aseertained. 1t could not have been less than fifty
killed and wounded, for more than that number
had been sabered They got their killed and
wounded off the field, with the exception Of one
killed and ten wounded. who fell into hands
We camped Tor the night near Plantersvilie On
the I'd inst the march towards Selma resumed
ana we marched on the Plantersyllle road until
within six miles of Selma We then moved a
cross-road to the Summerfield road and advanced
by it. On arriving in sight of the euemy's works
that encIreled Selma were dismounted by
order and formed IN line of battle III single rank
, The line was changed shortly afterwards and the
regiment placed on the right of the brigade. At
about p. were ordered TO commence the
attack on the works, and we advanced across an
open Held and swamp, across a deep rlvine, and
up to the road, under terrible fire from the en-
emy's line behind them. AS we advanced de-
llYered our lire rapidly, drove the enemy from
their position and broke through the embrasures
, into the forts cheering and firing. The enemy
as they were driven back, fought stubbornly, but
their batteries fired with seemingly little effect in
Juring but few of our The left of regi-
ment was opposite and took forts Nos. Is and l6
and the center and right took fort No. II and the
lunette near fort No. 49, The enemy having fallen
back to the railroad which served them as a
bfeastwork, being about three feet higher than the
adjacent ground and having line still in the rear
. we reformed our line preparatory to advancing
; them. At this time, Colonel A O. Miller having
been wounded, and Col. J. G. Vail having assumed
! command of the brigade, the command of the
regiment was turned over to Lieut. Colonel Frank
White. t5a1L
Sufficient credit cannot be given to the officers
and men of the regiment for their gallantry and
Tor the proinptness with which every order was
/ executed. To mention acts of individual bravery
would be to speak of every man of the regiment
I engaged: Special mention, however is due Lieut.
/ Colonel White and the officers and men who par
!, ticpated in the fight on the LIST inst. for their
. broke through the enemy's lines, ran over their
face OF such overwhelming numbers, cut their way
out.
On April I'd, the command of the regiment
having been turned over to Lieut-Colonel Frank
, White, shortly after passing through the enemy s
. works, and the enemy being in force in front
beind the railroad enlhankment and interior line
: OF works and forts he moved forward with the
regiment charged, and drove the enemy from
!, their position, and followed them into town so
closely that they had no time 10 rally. On his as
y | Stunning command he regiment almost denIoyed