The National tribune., 1884-01-03
C0LLIERSVILLE.
A Veteran Who Vas There Tells the
St0ry Of Tie Fight.
IBy R. Y s1uss rs N. Car, Bate ersst, Meal


the eth Illinois eavaisy regiment freEa Port
Hudson va Ficks5ueg, on the river. 80 Mem
phis. Tenn, they were ordered 10 CsiIiersviila
to garrison the SAM & SMALL stallion on She
line of railroad between Memphis aad Cosinth.
1t was aboas the ist OF N0vsmber shortly after
my return from Libby prisoa) shat the rebel
General Chalmers advanced with consider
able force, menaeiug this line OF railroad. We
were less than COO elective men. Cur stock
ade was we'll fortified mounting two r.
Founders. We were prepared and determined
to offer strong resistance il attacked. The
evening Of the I'd a courier was dispatched TO
Memphis, notifying tire commander % The post,
General Veateh, Of the enemy close proximity.
The general at once ordered tour Old frienGsl
the I'd Iowa cavalry, Colonel Hatch command
ing. TO hasten TO our assistance.
They arrived about noon Of the 3D. Just in
the nick of time Our piekets had been driven
in, ald the enemy, between 40o0 and 5eeO
strong, We're forming their columns aboHt a
mile distant, on the east sud south side OF the
railroad and village. They eoasa be plainly
seen from orr bVeasswOFks The u Iowa,
coming in through the timber or the ne-th
side, was not discovered by She enemy, who
felt confident Of an easy victory and a rich
prize from the good supply Of array stores and
horses known. TO be in camp. The rebels were
formed to theAouth OF town,
BEYOND RIFLE RANGE,
while force was sent to make an attack on
our left, cast Of town, dismoanted and pro-
tectcd by timber.
The ID Iowa was disposed OF as folIows:
Eight rifle companies, under Lieutenant-Cel-
onel Hepburn, took shelter behind the railroad
embankments south Of st0ckade. while COM
panies f, K, u and L were sent 70 the left. A
part of the 9Th We're ordered With the latter,
while the remainder supported the ty0 pieces
Of artillery, which Colonel Hatch personally
took command Of and directed their-fre. The
writer was ordered to mount the breastworSs
and report the effect OF shot and she'll. TEs
gave me an opportunity ID see distinctly tao
movements of the enemy.
General Chalmers led their attack against
our left, while General George. Of the Missis-
sippi militia, led the attack on our right The
sight was very imposing, for their course was
across an open field. where their entire line
was visible. The 2d Iowa was armsd with re-
peating rifles. while the eth was not As the
rebels on our right came within range the
Iowa boys gave them a vOliey. after which
General George was heard to logdiy exeIaim:
Come on! C9sne on. They are ours before
/ they can reload p
| These words were not out Of his mouth ere
another volley was poured into them. His
/ lines waver, still they follow their dauntiess
/ chief; third yolley whistled past him with
murierous effect upon his followers, who break
| in confusion, two more volleys are tired at
/ them, and they leave The field. Gene "a George
! refuses 20 stop, bHt comes nladiy on, regardless
of the leaden hail around him. With four
/ brave followers he reaches our lines and leans
over the railroad, when his horse falls, pierced
/ by five balls.
/ Iowa,
SHE'D GEORGE BY THE COLLAR
and ordered him to Surrender. Hs refused,
saying that he would not surrender to a pri-
ST ted - =
Gould raised his ride. George very psudently
| handed over his arms. Three others. one IN
officer, were killed Just as they reached our
| lines. ard one other captured. General George
said they should not have attempted the as
I saElt had they known We had been Te-enforred.
simultaneously with the attack upon our
right the rebels made . furious assault on cur
left with greatly superior numbers and being
sheltered By the tInlber, ha4 a great advantage
The fighting here WAS bloody IL the extreme,
but cur little band Of Iowa sud Illinois boys
kept the eEeny IN check until endorsements
from the right arrived. when the enemy were
repulssd and their rout became complete. The
ID Iowa, and what effective men Of the 9Th
could be mounted. started IN bet pursuit The
chase was exciting. 1t was ten miles TO Cold
water, where the rebels, being REINFORCED.
made their first stand. This entire distance
was made by both parties on the gall0p.
Lieutenant Bandy. of the I'd Iowa, being ON
OSEEt}Jr~ Oh TIC enemy %
the edge of Coldwater Bottom, where they
attempted 10 make a stand. lie charged them
with so much dash that
THEY BROKE IN CONFUSION,
leaving their captain wounded and prisoner
Our boys charged after the retreating foe until
they came face to face with the main line Of
battle, which the enemy had by the aid Of re-
endorsements been able to form on the bank OF
Coldwater Creek. Their slzirnish-line was on
the north side, while their main line was on
the south side The creek being dillieulE TO
cross, gave the enemy great advantage
It was ROW after dark, and Bandy with bis
sixteen men, ran up 20 within twenty PAGES OF
the rebel lines before he discovered them No
sooner had he attained this distance than he
was received by a v0Iley from the entire Hne
of several thousands Fortunately, their aim
was too high, and no enc was hfrt, while the
Hight made by the flash OF the guns revealed
the situation and force of the enemy. Lieu
tenant Ban9y and his sixteen brave followers
did not fail back, but spEinging from their
horses took shelter behind trees and logs await
ing she FIRE Of the enemy's guns TO give them
/ light. They Eesd their carbines TO good pur-
pose while they received support. For an
hour the fighting was sharp each side firing 81
the blaze Of the others guns. Finding that
nothing could be gained By continuing tbs
contest Lieuteuant-ColOnel Hepburn ordered
the force to be Withdrawn. Captain c. G. Hor.
ton, OF the I'll Iowa, was wounded.
Our forces fell back 20 thefirst plantation and
eamped for The night. The next morning Col
Hatch came up with re-enforcements and
TIE PURSUIT WAS CONTINUED
until the enemy reached the south side Of thu
TaIlahatehIe River after which the brigade 70
turned BY way of la Grange.
Our loss this campaign was FIVE killed
twelve wounded and twenty missing. Tbs
enemy left fortv-one dead on the field, fifty
prisoners. and their wounded was not less than
two hundred. Among the prisoners were nine
commissioned officers, one q brigadier general.
would be doing an injustice were l to close
this narrative without making mention ef ona
individual, not q hero, but 3 heroiRe-3irs.
Mary Upton, who accompanied her husband,
belonging to the eth Illinois cavalry, for over
two years through all ITS marches by night aud
by day, sunshine and rain, heat and cold mud
and dust. During the severest Of the fight ~
Colliersville she took her position beside the
} ammunition boxes aud served the boys ear
tridges. When the MIME balls were coming
thick and fast in close proximity, unfinehingiy
she stood TO her post until the enemy ske-
daddled.
Had it not been for the timely arrival
of the 2d iowa cavalry, it is my opinion the
9Th Illinois would have Jared sIiIa-many Of
them on Confederate rations.
A Story About Her Papa.
L