The National tribune., 1883-07-26
CoLEMANS CROSSROADS,
A Skirmish in Which the CoIOred Troops Fought
BrayeiY.

To the Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
Allow me to correct your Chronology of July
4th, 1864, as to a skirmish at VicksbuTg, Miss,
by the FOrty-eighth regiment U. s. c. t. There
was no skirmish at VieksbuTg, Miss at that
date. The Forty-eighth regiment T. S. G. T.
was engaged in a skirmish that day at Cole
mans Crossroads, twelve miles from Rodney,
Miss, which is on the Mississippi River, some
sixty miles below Vieksburg. General Elliott,
commanding marine brigade, "a force, / under
stand, made up of inyalids from hospitals, &c,
who were not physically able for active or Sc
we're service, and whose chief duty was to
patrol the Mississippi River on transports as
patrols to look after small marauding parties,
batteries, &C., for protection of the river traffic
was in command of Federal forces at Coleman's
Crossroads, Miss, July 4th, 1864. The force
consisted of his own force, or part Of it, the
Forty eighth regiment O. s. G. T., and another
regiment, L think, the Forty-ninth U. s. c. 7.
The colored troops were commanded by Colo
mel f. VI. CTandal, FOrty-eighth U. s. c. T. We
were resting when Lieutenant Colonel NJ. III.
CrOwell stated that our picket-post on the Rod
ney road was fired on. | was detailed with
twenty men to relieve the piekets and hold the
post. Presently a lady came up and desired
TO pass through our lines to visit a sick girl
only fourteen years old, supposed to be near
death. / could not see any traces of sorrow in
her face aud doubted her story. Just then an
officer came out from headquarters and adj
mittcd her to headquarters. As she did not re-
turn, and as | had strange unaccountable
feeling, such as | had experienced once before
on an eventful occasion, i concluded that
after she had passed our lines as it was possible
for cavalry to travel around to my post, l would
be attacked, and as the enemy knew the posi-
ton OF the post, moved some forty rods In adj
vance to an elbow in the road and took position
IN some saplings, briars, &c, in the fence
corners, on bank some eight feet above the
road-bed.
About this time the main command was en-
gagged in sharp skirmishing, and soon after
three or four Johnnies appeared on hill in
our front and, with glass, were seen scanning
the field of General Elliott and the position we
had Just left.
We were lying on the ground expecting bust
ness. We had counted off. No. was to fire,
at command, from right to left, then No. 2 and
afterwards at will until the Confederates sur
rendered to us. l had posted one man to our
right and one to left, and we were nineteen
strongl The Johnnies now advanced on the
slope. On they came, and when about eighty
feet from US | forgot my prayers for moment
and yelled at the top of my voice, " Give 'em
-" Bang, bang, went our musketS, and as
the sound was diminishing got excited and
banged with my revolver. The rebs were sur
prised and were scared as badly as we were, and
before they knew what they were about they
had wheeled around and were skedaddling
We scrambled out and retreated a few rods and
lay down out of their sight Again three or
four of them appeared ON the hill and used the
glass, but they didn't come for u.s. Instead
they commenced making preparations 10 flank
us. We knew it was necessary TO hold them as
long as possible, and, having dispatched a man
to headquarters to report the condition of
things, we waited for Developments The main
pDTp and llal 10 ft5 nd
some twenty rods to our rear was ravine
grown up with trees and young yines-a belt
through which the cavalry could not pass. The
road here led west some eighty rods parallel to
the ravine, thence south to Colemans house.
On either side of the road was rail fence and
nearly all the ground around us was planted in
corn, high enough for men to conceal them
selves in somewhat, but not high enough, of
course, to conceal cavalry. Everything was in
our favor. The rebs were now forming in a
field TO flank us on the left in front of our first
position. Relying on the timber in our rear
and our legs, we moved to our first post in their
front. All was now still as death. Presently
a reb approached at the north fence between
our two positions as piekets and, peering eau
tiously along the road, commenced throwing
the fence down. We sent ball among the
rails, and while he cut through the corn to re-
port to his command, we ran for ours and dear
life. In ten seconds we would have been cap
tured. The balls whiStled around us little
but no one was hurt, and we met the Forty
eighth regiment coming TO our rescue. / lost
the sword from my scabbard. The darkies out
ran me and reported me captured, and Colonel
Crandal reported me probably killed, but
thanks TO my legs, got there! The Johnnies
we had just left made long line of battle
but seeing our regiment they moved off, We
had come down from ViekSburg on boats, which
were left at Rodney without any defense from
a cavalry dash. 1t was now night and we re-
turned to our boats. At dusk the rebel cavalry
made charge on u.s. The Forty-eighth U. s. c.
t., commanded by Lieutenant Colonel NJ. II.
Crowell, assisted by Major B. f. Stevens, were
in line lying down in the vessels waiting for
them, and when they came near enough, gave
them volley that must have emptied many
saddles. We saw no more of them. We reached
our boats, think, about 10 o'clock, and laid
down To sleep, snpperless and feotsore.
This statement is incomplete. / write only
of what | saw. Would be glad to hear from
some one who can tell what each regiment did,
&c. We worSted the Johnnies badly, but we
should have brought some of them home with
us. We had no cavalry. The rebel force,
think, was the Ninth Mississippi, Colonel
Kinds commanding. T. c.
1st Lieut.. 18th u. s. G. II.
HOLLYWOOD, KAN.
Young and middle-aged men, suffering from