The National tribune., 1883-11-29
A DAY WITH GRIERSON.

LA CRESCENT, MINI.
A DAY WITH GRIERSON.
The Ride from Pearl River to Garlandvlle-SOme
Interesting Incidents.
To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Goldsmith tells us: No man ever sees bat
tle' and, as a general proposition, how true it
is Indeed, it was only around the camp-fi fire,
after the conflict Of the day was over, that we
were able to form proper conception of the
work we had DONE and / would venture the
assertion that it is only after lapse of twenty
years, and through the Medium of THE TRIBUNE
and kindred sources, that the people are begin
ming to know the true story of the rebellion.
| We look in the current histories in vain for
| true record OF events i'll which we participated.
/ have been much interested in the :. Grierson-
raid sketches" by Sergeant Surby, of the eth
Illinois l knew him we'll, and am aware that
he did splendid service as scout-a duty that
! was exceptionally hazardous, and required I'M
common dash and skill. l remember the dar-
ing dash at the bridge, where Surby was
wounded. and of the ride subsequent to that I
| may have something to say hereafter.
! This memoranda will give days march on
| the raid, from the standpoint of the writer and
| we will call it 81 From Pearl River to Garland
VILE" We lay all night in a drenching rain in
/ the heavily-timbered bottom of Pearl River
/
| swift and rolling river, with no means at hand
/ for crossing $50 men but one large skif, capa-
/ bic of seating about twelve men, with their
/ saddles and equipments. The horses were
| stripped of their saddles by companies, driven
/ down the narrow dugway, and compelled to
take water. They were caught by their riders
| on the opposite bank and hastily resaddled and
remounted. While the 9th were crossing, the
| 18th was on the road to Newton Station, on the
! Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad eight miles
away. Should any Of the survivors of com
/ pany L, 9th Illinois, read this-there are sew
| eral of them living near Shawneetown, H.
! they viii remember the sorry plight we were
/ in--rider and horse dripping with water. In
| this condition we were ordered to take a posi-
! ton on the Jackson road, down which force
of Confederates, report said were coming to
| dispute our crossing They will remember how
we counted off by platoon and were instructed,
should the enemy appear, to charge sabers. Had
/ the occasion required, the charge would have
/ been made in our soaked and shivering con-
dition, witt all the vitality we possessed. About
! the time the 9Th had all crossed the river, we
| heard what seemed to us heavy cannouadng
| to the south, and we were sure the 18th had
/ encountered heavy force with artillery. While
| / can hardly dignity the ride from Pearl River
! to Newton Station as a charge as neither men
nor horses looked or felt very heroic, yet We put
/ that eight miles behind US as rapidly as our
! jaded horses could be made to carry us. We
were going to the relief of our comrades of the
| 9TH, who, as we thought, were holly engaged.
A FALSE ALARM
| On our arrival at the railroad we were glad TO
| find Colonel Prince and his gallant regiment
/ busy with the pleasaiter occupation of burning
/ al ammunition train on its way TO the garrison
! at Nicksburg, and the cannonading we heard
was the exploding shells on the burning train
The railroad at this point was so thoroughly
torn up, and so many bridges and trestles had
/ been destroyed, that no re-enforcements Or sup
| plies could again pass over it before the Army
Of the Mississippi embraced it for siege. Com
pany L was ordered to proceed south a mile
/ or two. and take station as guard, while the
command completed its work of DESTROYING
/ the railroad. Arriving in view of the little
I town of Garlandville we were confronted
| by line Of armed citizens of the town, who
had been hastily gathered together at the COM
mand of the district judge. On our near ap-
/ proach they opened fire ON US, Forquer
Morrow, one Of my best men, receiving load
| Of buckshot in his body. A charge was ordered,
and, IL may use Napier's language describing
| the defeat of the French at Yittoria, "We
| chased them into the town and out of the
town, and up the town, and down the town,
and all round about the town." and finally
corralled them in woods lot " inclosed by a
| Virginia fence, and took, as | remember, the
last man of them prisoner They were
marched to a blacksmith shop in the village,
| there TO await the arrival of Colonel Grierson
to explain, If possible, their reason, as citizens
for taking up arms. The Judge informed me
that his name was Watts, and that he was
judge OF the judicial district; that his son was
| railroad agent at Newton, and that he was so
incensed at the burning that was being done
around the depot that he had hastily collected
| the citizens together to resist us, and in so
doing had only done his duty TO his State
The judge also stated that in the melee one of
my men had relieved him OF his gold watch
and chain; that the watch was an heirloom in
the family, and he should be very glad if it
could be found and restored to him. He
| thought he could identify the man who took
it. He was informed that our visit among
them was not for the purpose of robbiag citi-
Zens or destroying private property, and that
the men should be formed In line in front OF
his extemporized prison, and if he could iden-
tify the man who had stolen it, the watch
should be returned TO him; but he was eau
| toned at the same time not to accuse an inno-
cent party, as the latter might prove to be very
sensitive, and, If accused wrongfully, might
stand upon his integrity and demand retrac-
| ton. On running his eye along the line how
| ever, the judge did not feel at liberty to say
| which of them was the possessor of the heir
loom of the family of Watts. The horses of
the twenty or more men who composed the
citizen soldiery of Garlandville were taken in
exchange for as many of our own, and on the
arrival Of the column our prisoners were turned
| over to the command, and were marched along
with number of other equally unfortunates
until, as was our custom, becoming too numer-
Gus for safe conduct, they were allowed to sub
scribe to parole not to take up arms until
properly exchanged, and return to their homes.
CAPT. L Co.,
9th III. Cav.
BELoTT, KAN