The National tribune., 1883-08-09
THE GRIERS0N RAID.
Captain Forbes notwithstanding
the Rebels the Slip.
IBy r. IT. sisr5y, Battle Greek, Mich.l

".
| Captain Forbes, who had been sent to Macon
| on our sixth day ont with his conpany-com-
| pany Is. Seventh Iilnois-had rejoined us Just
| as the rear-guard was crossing Pearl River, and
as the whole command, after reaching Hazel
! hurst, rested four five hours, was Afforded
a good opportunity to hear Captain Forbes relate
| his adventures. On his way to Macon he had
| been preceded by two ofmy scouts-lsaac e. Rob
| inson and William Buffing ton-and when with
| in three miles of that place he concluded to
| camp. In the meanwhile the scouts had cap
/ tured twelve Confederate soldiers, picking them
up one two and three az time. While the
camp ground was being selected, Robinson was
| ordered to advance toward Macon about mile.
! 1t was getting dusk, but when he had gone
about the prescribed distance, he heard the
! tramp OF horses, and, coming TO halt, awaited
| their approach. In iew minutes squad of
SIX Confederate cavalry put In their appearance,
| and when they were within tity yards he
| halted them and demanded, WHO comes
! there!" The answer came, Friends" "Ad-
vance one and give the cOuntersign,' said the
! scout; whereupon one of them (the C plain adj
vaneed, and the following conversation took
place:
Captain: "You appear to be picket here"
Scout: Yes, sir; Captain, have you not
heard that the Yanks are coming?"
Captain: - Yes, / have learned that they are
about six miles away, but | was rot aware
that any of our piekets We're stationed here"
Scout: Oh, yes; WAS sent here and told to
watch these cross roads,
Captain: How many men are there of
your
Scout: "Only about twenty of u.s.
Captain; What are your instructions about
passing, &c. ?"
Scout: The orders from General Loring
commanding forces at Macon, are not TO pass
any soldiers, except commanding officers and
! citizens.
Captain: well, my friend, I am command
| ing officer, and have permission to take squad
| OF men and scout around the country"
Scout: will call the sergeant of the guard"
SUCCESSFUL MOVE.
WhereupOn he shouted Sergeant of the
| guard three or four times, but without getting
any answer, OF course. By this tisle, for some
| unknown reason, four of the captains men had
Withdrawn, aud they We're soon heard putting
their horses TO gailop. The captain did not
seem to understand this, and calling his fifth
man he told him to remain at his post while he
brought back the rascas and ascertaIued what
i'll - they meant By leaving in that manner.
Robinson, the scout, now saw that this was his OPP
p0rtunity, and ne decided to improve it. The
confederate sat on his horse with MS doG ble-b bar
| relied gun elevated cooked, and ready for instant
| use. Robinson had on long gray coat, beneath
| which his carbine hung, attached to sling he
u,
seized his carblne, and cooking tslently, unbuU-
toned his coat, aud III an instant had il pre-
sented at the rebels heart, ordering him AT the
same time 10 drop his gun, ride forward and dis
mount. Then, drawing MS revolver and order
ing the reb SO precede aim, he hurried his captive
back to Captain Forbes, who scared the fellow
| into telling all he knew. lie informed the
captain that there were about four hundred
troops stationed at Macon and that on that day
nine hundred more had arrived from Mobile; so
! the captain Concluded not TO visit Macon and at
| an early hour retracvd his steps for distance
OF about eight miles, when the scouts picked up
| q reb belonging to the Second Mississippi artii-
| lery. This man, who was not in sympathy
with the rebellion, rendered valuable service to
the command. Having a good knowledge OF
the country, he was just the man the cap ain
| wanted, and ne used him. the captain III
| tention was now to burn a bridge between
Macon and Enterprise, bur on nearing the rail-
road he learned that strong force was guard
| ing 1t, so he gave up the project. However, he
destroyed the telegraph TO some extent, and
| then proceeded towards Newton Station, at
| which place he was informed that Colonel
GriersUn had gone 70 Enterprise. Tho captain
had tedious time reaching this point, being
| forced for hours to pick mis- way through
swamps, swim streams, and penetrate woods
| without roads, in order to avoid forces that
were patroling the country in quest of the in
| vaders. From Newton Station he took the
nearest route to Enterprise.
BOLD PROPOSITION.
When within one mile of the town he learned
that force of three thousand troops were
getting of the cars and promptly raisinga white
| tag he rode forward and demanded the SuFreu-
der of the town in the name of Colonel Grierson.
| In response to this demand the rebel COM
mander, Colonel Goodwin, made d request for
all hour in which TO consider it, and inquired
of the captain where he could be found at the
end of that time. The captain replied that he
would fall back to the reserve.
| do not know whether Enterprise did really
surrender or not, but an article in the jack
SON Granada Memphis appeal, of April Goth,
| stated that fifteen hundred Yanks had de-
manded the surrender of the place.
| The captain made good use of the hour in
getting to the reserve. He followed our trail
for four days, making forced marches of sixty
| miles day, and swimming the streams where
we had burned the bridges. At one time his
men were purposely led into a trap by thei r
guide, but his scheme was discovered in time
to defeat it. Previous to this, and when the
party were near Philadelphia one of the scouts
William BUthngton) was shot dead from an
ambush and c. E. Martin wounded. l felt
the loss of this scout deeply, for he was a good
and brave soldier, ever ready and willing 10
perform his duty. When near Raleigh, Robin
| son feared that q company OF guerriIaS We're IN
that place, and the captain ordered a charge.
So complete was the surprise-the rebs thinking
that all the Yanks had passed-tha6 not one
OF them escaped. They were taking dinner
| when our boys surrounded them, and though
| they numbered twenty-nlue men, their arms
were ali destroyed, except soIue revolvers.
The men were turned loose, but their horses
| and their captain were taken along. After leav-
ing this place. the idea was suggested by Lieu
tenant McCausland that three men, well
| mounted, should be sent ahead to oYertake Colo
mel Grierson and report their situation, which
was done, and, as | have previously mentioned,
they were successful. Captain Forbes and his
command deserved great praise Tor their perse-
verance. He was highly complimented by
| Grierson on his success.
REsUMING THE MARCH.
At o'clock p. IN. the entire command left
Hazelhurst, the Sixth Illinois cavalry in ad-
vance. Taking northwest course, we proceeded
towards Gaiiton. Ii now became necessary 20
use every precaution. We had passed within
twenty-five miles of the capital Of the State,
and had cut the railroad and telegraph COM
munications the New Orleans aud Great
Northern Railroad. The enemy's scouts were
watching our movements, courierS were living
in every direction, and forces were concentrating
and trying to intercept US, hem us in and an
initiate us, as they had boasted they would do.
They certainly had every advantage on their
.side-a perfect knowledge of the country,
every road, public or private every stream OF
water, small or large, and the fordable places