The National tribune., 1883-08-16

Sunllng Il cOnEenbeu look, Sergeant, you
played your part well, and / have no cause to
find fault; you have all treated me with re-
spect" Indeed, he become quite sociable, and
wanted to know how he was to get back home.
AT this went up to the colonel to inquire ii
any horses were to be abandoned, and found
that he had just issued an order that all ex=
hausted animals were to be left behind; so
picked out one of the best, found good saddle
and bride, called Mr.. Mosby, and, handing
him the reins, told him to keep the horse in
remembrance of the Yankees He seemed much
pleased; Weshook hands and, after had wished
him n safe journey home, we parted company.
| was afterwards told he was brother of the
noted guerrilla Mosby. The prisoners having
all been paroied and the exhausted horses turned
loose we left Union Church at 6 o'clock in the
morning.
THIRTEENTH DAY.
The 29th of April, 1863 found us directing our
course towards the railroad, the Seventh Illi-
nois in advance. We passed through the woods
for several miles without any signs of road
(another flank movement), leaving Colonel Adj
ans, with a considerable force on the Natchez
road, waiting to ambush Us. He did not
learn of our departure until 2 o'clock IN
the afternoon. We were now directing our
course towards Broekhaven, on the New Or
leans and Great Northern Railroad. A good
deal of lodging was done the first four or five
hours march of this day. We scarcely missed
travelling toward every point of the compass,
and occasionally the scouts would pick up
Johnny. Finally, we struck the main road
leading to Brookhaven and met oxen and mule
teams drawing hogsheads of sugar from the
railroad across the country to Port Gibson. Of
course it was destroyed, but not before the men
had rep1enished their haversacks. When
within four miles of the station we surprised
and captured five guerrillas without exchang-
ing shot. At a house near by we found eight
shot-guns and rifles and three revolvers. They
were destroyed and the prisoners turned over
to the command. / was then ordered to pro-
ceed with my men and reconnoiter the town.
When within a mile of the place We. met
squad of eight Confederate soldiers without
arms and afoot, on their way to join their COM
mand at Port Hudson. They were also turned
over to the command. Coming in sight of the
town, and when just on the edge of the timber,
l saw a considerable number of men collected
here and there on the street corners, but could
not see any armed soldier so l sent back
report TO that effect, and as soon as the column
came up they formed by fours, and just then
a shot was heard off TO our left in the woods.
The order was then given to "Trot gallop,
march" !" and away we went, charging through
the streets causing some confusion and excite
ment and soaring the citizens into taking TO
their heels. They had anticipated visit from
the Ianks, but not SO early. The shot was
warning of our approach, but ere the echo of the
report had died away we were in and among
them. While the Seventh Illinois was charg-
ing in this gallant style the Sixth was making
good time towards a camp of instruction. one
and a half miles south of the town, where the
boys expected to find considerable force of
conscripts They had left, however, the evening
| previous-s0me 800 Ia number. This camp was
capable of accommodating about 10, 600 troops
Long rows of small frame buildings, few
| tents quantity of arms, and large supply of
commissary stores were destroyed. few con-
| valescents were left TO guard the property. 1t
was truly most delightful camping ground,
situated as it was on high hill in shady
| grove of oaks.
SCENES AT BRooKHAvEN.
| Captain Lynch, of the Sixth Illinois, with
companies E and T, was now sent out and de-
! stroyed one mile of trestle-work, while the
| Seventh burned the depot, twelve freight cars,
| considerable commssary stores and railroad
| bridge. Two hundred and sixteen prisoners
| were par0led at this place, and ii was rather a
tedious task. Many of the citizens We're hiding
| In the woods but as soon as they learned that
we were not destroying private property they
! came into town and urgently requested us to
| parole them, IN order TO save them from being
| conscripted. In the meantime Lieutenant
| Colonel Blackburn had ordered dinner at one
! of the hotels for 200 of his men, paying the
proprietor III Confederate money. The land
| IOiQ SApTEScSu Il WISH tUdP INC links WOulu
come every day if they all acted like we uns /"
| did. The heat from the burning of the depot was
so severe that it would have set fire to private
| dwellings had it not been for the eXertions of
| the soldiers, who formed in single file and
| passed buckets of water along, keeping the
roofs wet. This humane act was personally
superintended by Colonel Grierson. The citi-
zens of this place were generally very clever,
opening their doors and inviting US III to par
| take OF their hospitality. There was not the
least appearance of bitterness or hatred for
their enemies. The town is very prettily To-
Gated in Lawrence county, and has popula-
| ton of about 800.
1t was nearly sundown when boots and sad
| dies was sounded, and we took our departure,
leaving the people with much better
opinion of US than they had before. After
| marching six miles we camped for the night,
and for the first time in thirty-eght hours a
portion of the command took the saddles of
their horses and had time TO sleep
FOURTEENTH DAY.
The command moved out just at sunrise
there was every appearance of a lovely day
the Sixth Illinois in advance. We proceeded
to Boyachitta, a small station on the railroad
and while the Sixth were destroying the depot
and some eight freight cars portion of the
Seventh were ordered TO follow the track south
short distance and destroy large railroad
bridge and $50 feet of trestle work. From this
point we proceeded towards Summit, crossing
the railroad to the east, between the former
and latter place, and destroying railroad
bridges and trestie work rs we went along
I've couriers We're captured by the scouts, and
valuable information was obtained through
them to the effect that our pursuers were ex.
pecting us in some other locality. We arrived
in Summit about noon, marching in quietly
The people seemed to expect US, and no signs
of excitement or fear were displayed. They
had received favorable report of our conduct
at Br0okhayen, and Colonel Grierson was al.
most as much of a favorite with them rs Gen
Pemberton We spent nearly half day there
improving the time by destroying large mum
Der of freight cars, as also quantity of sugar
salt, meal, and mulasses, government prop.
erty,-which was loaded into the cars run
down the track, and burned. The depot was
saved, on account of,being so near private resi-
dences. Some of the men had meanwhile dis
covered between thirty and forty barrels OF
Louisiana rum hid i'll the swamp, about mile
from town. 1t was the meanest stuff in exist.
ence, warranted to kill quicker and ut longer
range than any rifle III Uncle Sans service
and when it was discovered why the swamp
had become such favorite for the boys, the
commander immediately dispatched an officer
and a squad OF men armed with axes and the
waste the balm Of a thousand flowers Many
OF the boys left the scene of destruction with
sad faces and fond hopes disappointed. In JUS
tice to the citizens, | must say that some Of
them knew what good whisky was, and kep