The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-24
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns.
A CAVALRY SKETCH.
The 9Th Illinois Cavalry st the Battle Of Moscow,
Tenn.

we went into camp, pitched cur tents and per-
formed the duty of scouting, foraging, etc.
The Confederate forces had been foiied twice IN
their attempts TO gain a footing on the Mem
phis & Charleston Railroad, and they had now
decided on a more vigorous and, as il proved,
more successful attempt For this purpose they
lnassed large force Of veteran troops at Ok
ford, Miss, under the command of Brighten.
s. d. Lee, whose reputation in the South was
that cf q gallant and skiliful cavalry officer.
In the meantime Col. Hatch, with the Cd Iowa
Cav, 9th and 9th Ill. Cav, and eight pieces of
light artillery, started out 10 find and pay his
compliments TO Gen. Lee. They took north
east course which led them into the rich,
fertile fields of west Tennessee, where they
Jared sumptuonsy for a few days and replen-
isbed their stock with some fine horses.
portion Of the command was eanpe1 on the
plantation Of one Moseby, who had just COM
pleted the butchery of "a fine, fat hogs.
Moseby, with a desire TO save his prop
erty, invited TO his house the officers
IN command, and entertained them after
the most approved pattern Of Southern
chiyalrv, with champagne, oysters, etc, and
after dinner asked his guests 10 lock at has fine
supply Of pork, with view TO obtaining
guard for the same. Imagine his surprise upon
reaching the smoke-bouse to find that he had
not meal enough left for breakfast The boys
had taken every pound OF pork to camp, and
were busy cooking the best on fires made from
from his fence-rsiis They supposed they
were feasting of the supplies of " MOseby,"
the notorious Potomac guerilla chief, or they
would, perhaps, have been little easier with
him.
Lee was now moving in force towards the
railroad, intending to strike Salisbury or
Pocahontas, some 20 miles west Of Corinth.
Hatch made rapid movement and intercepted
him near salisbury, where Lee showed
strong line Of battle. some two miles in length,
along the edge OF a large open field.
HOT FIGHT.
Hatch's force did not number more than
oDe-f0urth as many men as Lee showed, but
the former attacked his TANKS AID forced him
back, while he engaged his center with artil-
lery. Thus arranged. Hatch waited the ar
rival OF Gen. Tuttle, who was coming up with
infantry support and for two hours the two
lines thus confronted each other, with a wide
open field between. Just before Tuttle arrived
Lee ordered retreat. Hatch gave pursuit,
aud the chase was kept Up all night, the two
lines often coming within speaking dis
tance OF each other. Lee now moved
South and west, while Hatch moved down
the railroad TO Is Grange. On the
9Th Lee made a feiuf upon La Grange,
while with the principal column, 5000 strong,
he moved by a rapid march upon Moscow,
which place was garriscned by one regiment
Of coiOred tTo0ps-Uhe ID West Tenn, Col.
Frank Eendriek formerly 8 Major in the
I'd Iowa Gav.l commanding. Hatch was not
70 be fooled by snch feints. and, rightly diyin-
ing The real point OF attack. he rushed his bri-
Fade, aDE what available force the 9TH III.
could spare, down the railroad TO Moscow. The
9th III. Cav. were some distance IL the advance,
and rs they rushed across the bridge over Wolf
River, they were amb1shed by superior force,
and sustained some considerable loss in horses
and men. The enemy followed mp the advantage
thus gained, and made desperate attempt TO
gain possession OF the bridge. But Hatch ar
rived al this critical inomeHt with his I,200
veterans and about 500 col0red troops from the
fort Throwing this force into action, he sue
ceede6 IN driving the enemy back. The fight
ing was desperate. and the roar Of the SMALL
arms and cannon oeatenipg. The enemy
made repeated charges 10 capture the bridge,
but each slIne were handsomely rePulsed, after
which TIE steady firing OF sInal-arrns lasted
for about an hour. a better opportunity.
must say, Tor deliberate practice of sharp
shooting ] never witnessed than there across
the swift, tnrbio stream Of Wolf River. ] have
often expressed wish that / could visit the
spot where l lay SO vel concealed behind the
butt Of large fallen tree, and fired 81 rounds
O. bali cartridge.
COL HATcH's EERorsll.
il Che midst Of this struggle Col. Hatch was
Ehot through the right lung-a very dangerous
wound-but SO engr0ssed in the battle was he
that be refused 10 give mp the command or
leave the field, though the ball had passed
entirely through his body. Ordering an am
bulance to the spot, he was placed therein aud
driven from point 20 point on the field while be
directed the movements Of the men Ia this
way he won the battle. driving Lee from the
field Cur loss was II killed, 80 wounded and
90 missing. Lee left 80 dead OF the field. and
every house for 80 miles Oh his retreat was full
Of his wounded. The brigade returned TO
their ruarters-La Grange, Germantown and
Coiilnsyiiie, after being gone 10 days and tray
cling IS9 miles
During the Ekira1 shing ut Eaulsbary be-
tween Hatch and Lee. Gen. Forrest succeeded
~ crossing the railroad with 3.09o tro0ps, and
moved north into Middle Tennessee, where his
agents had succeeded IN collecting large force
Of rOnsessits intending to return with them
ano O Barge supply Ct comaoissaTy stores TO
Lees bez1g quarters II Oxford.
To cheOkmzte this move al the available
cavalry force stationed GA the line Of the rail-
road between Memphis and Iorinth were or
oered OF or the I'D Of December with 10
days Iations, as also z considerable force u
infantry and artillery. The Cavalry Division
was commanded by Gen Grierson and the
whole force. under command Of Gea. Tuttle
numbering not less than Is o01 effective troops
Forrest 5 sorce amounted t. coo regulars with
Gboct Otsy conscrlpts, and $500 OF the latter
were armed. The balance were under guard
Turtles force numbered three 10 one OF For
rests leiectigc, and, strange 10 say, this force
"A
ments-uTder the guns Of the fort a, Grand
Junction. While Forrest was allowed 10 pro-
coed ieisurely and cross the railroad at Lafay-
cite, empowering picket-post and ESCAPING
with al inc piuncer. The cply opposition
Forrest encountered before reaching the rail
road waa near Bolivar. The 7th III Cav had
been ordered out from their camp at La Grange
the morning Of the 25d your humble servant
accompany ugl. taking the direct road for
Bolivar aid arriving there st 2. In.--distanee
about - nslles-and canpcd for the night
The nczt morning t2stb we left caTap a. IA:
took the AhitcViiie r0ad; Travelled some ~
miles; Tetfaced portion Of the road, and
changed OF onto tie direct road for Esp0noli1
We mel tie eneny's ad*ance between White
vile and the former place, and had q lively
Gkirmish; drove the eacmy back sorne FIVE
miles Our loss was seven wounded two killed.
We retTaced our steps some four miles and fed
after which We started for Samrcrville-I5
miles dis,ant-aFriT5ag there AZ q. 70. next
morning. the 18th; remained all day and sent
wounded TO camp at La Grange. We found
some very clever folks Sc Sammefgille, whose
Names have forgotten. Our Christmas was q
very tame oae5 bus what we needed the most
was rest and horse and rider made the most 0.
X thsi caT, some sleeping and dreaming Of the
loved cnna ~ home.
HAED FIGHT WIZ FORREST.
December g We left camp al 6am: FRO.
ceeded on the Bolivar road. and four miles
cd -