The National tribune., 1884-04-10
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
Cen. Grants Trip Through Mississippi in '6a.

Gen. EsaEf's Trip Through Mississippi in '62.
To The Editor NATIONAL TRIBUNE:
in reading over your :. Fighting Them Over"
column | fail 10 see ans ihsag from The con-
tributors about len. Grants trip down from
Columbus, Trenton, Humboldt. Jackson, and
afterwards - November % IS62-his move
ment on Holly Springs and 50 on down to-
wards Yicksburg.
While the battles fought By that army in
going down through tie enemy's country and
coming back TO attend TO Van Dorm and For
rest did nos compare ia magnitude with Gettys-
burg and Others, yet the battles, skirsnlshes,
raids and surprises brought CIT az ability and
courage that VIII compare favorably with the
1eats of older troops that have been written up
in this column, while the former have escaped
the notice Of contributors.
Rather than that they shall be neglected /
will give q few incidents that occurred from the
18th 10 the 3Ist OF December. 1852. winding up
the year with the battle OF Parker Cross roads.
The attack of Van Dorm on Holly Springs
was disgraoefui affair SO far as our forces were
concerned, aud without one redeeming feature
except for the bravery Of about 500 OF the ID
Illinois cavalry who finding themselves COM
pleteiy surrounded by at least 5000 of the
enemy, refused TO surrender, and bravely cut
3 road through the enemy's lines and escaped,
leaving the commander of the post TO settle
with Van Dorm on the best terms he could.
Van Dorm now had al. day TO spend in Destroy
ing the Government stores without moiestsition,
and be indusfrioasly employed the time, de-
stToying about SS010000 ia stores. besides a
large smonnt OF private property. Leaving
Holly Springs about I'VE O'Clock p m, we find
him the aext morning al Davis Mills, where
he invited a garrison OF six companies of the
18th Indiana infantry and two companies of
Ohio cavalry II think the 5Ihl TO surrender !;
but his invitation was not accepted and holly
contested fight ensaed. which resulted in the
enemy being compelled to retire, ieaving the
dead and wounded and some prisoners to the
tender nercles OF the littie garrison.
About TINS tine Forrest was making all
possible haste TO atfagk jackson, Tenn. where
ne arrived on the 18TH AID was treated TO an
ambuscs3e surprise by the 43d Illinois Col.
lngleInSns. wbb So efiectually checked him that
he tell back and marched Cor Humboldt,
twenty miles north. paryislly destroying the
railroad bridge across Eorked Deer River and
other small bridges on his route.
On The 20th Forrest arrived aI Humboldt
with his command, surrounded the place on
three secs with his afznv. and depen3ed upon
the muddy. heavy IimbeTed bottom 70 90 duty
on the other side Having rested the head of
his coiamn On the railroad. about 800 yards
ab0Ec the headquarters If the garrison. just
where sae only wagon ro4d crosses tie railrssd
leading 70 bridge aeross the river. he sent
1ae OF trace 20 tbs command, asking them 10
surrender. The whole force consisted Ct Cap
tain Silence a.a thirty-Two men OF the 57h
Ohio cavalry. CAPTAIN Silence at once agreed
upon the surrender, mounted his men, with
himself and his buglcr at their head rode up TO
the head Of the rebel column where the wagon
road crossed The railroad. when. BY some mis-
management Or accident. the 5ugler instead of
sounding halt and front 10 surrender, acct
denlaliy sounded Forward by Gle left, git -
This last ORDER was executed as quickly as horse
1esh touched Cd by spaFs could DO IT. and the
little band dashed Tor the bridge 600 yards
away, through the heavy timber. aud crossed,
when ihe last man halted and dropped four
planks from the dooT OF the bridge into the
river. making i impossible foT the enemy 10
follow Until too late Captain Silence. with has
runaway squad and awkward bGgier, very soon
reported 10 benerssi Sullivan AZ Jackson. About
TWO O'Clock p IA. the same day, Col Beardsiey,
with six companies of the I26th Illinois insan-
Try, was ordered TO proceed 10 Humboldt and
retake and occupy the place. The men were
put into Ciscn platform cars and started mail
and Passenger train following behind.
On arriving az FOFkpd Deer River bridge we
found the enemy basr burning the bridge and
destroying the railroad track. They were soon
driven away bat we were Suddenly attacked
by TIE enemy the right of the railroad In
the bottom and by battery from the blufis
About ten rounds FROM the 12cth standing on
the open cars caused The enemy To climb the
blul aDC retire About eight o'clock that night
We marched into HaEilsoidi just in time to give
the flying re2r-guard a salute kiiliag one and
woundIng three Before ten o'clock the rail-
road track had been repaired and Inc two trains
were brought into camp.
L. IL. BEARDsLEY,
OTTAWA, KAN. l2Gth III Inf