The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1884-02-14
MsiseeIIameons.
CD
LETTER FROM GRENADA.

The following old letter has been
handed for publication. 1t will bt
Of interest, as it recites events ot
the past which are always Of inte-
rest. This was about the first move
made by Gen. Grant down the Mis-
sissippi River.
Grenada, Miss. Dec. l 1863.
EDITOR MIssIssIrPIAN.-ln your
issue Of yesterday l notice an edi.
.torial touching the late approach OF
the enemy toward Grenada. AS a
participant of the scenes incident
thereto, / beg place in your inter
esting columns for the insertion
of the facts in the case, in order
that justice may be done both to
the town Of GRENADA and the mill,
tary authorities stationed here.
A member of Col. Starke's Cav
airy arrived here On Saturday last
reporting that Gov. Hooey, at the
head Of 10000 infantry and 5000
calvalry, had landed at Delta, in
Coahoma County Oh the Mississip,
pi, on the preceding Thursday, that
he, the said caralryman had been
captured by these forces, but escap-
ing the next day had made his way
to Grenada to report the facts, that
the enemy were supposed to be adj
vancing on this town with a view
to its occupation if not destruction.
This statement being deemed reli-
able was Immediately telegraphed
to Maj. Gen. Van Dorm by Capt. j.
S. Reid, the efficient commandant
of the post, who at the same time,
asked for instructions touching the
dispositions Of the stores, &c; at
this place. This was answered by
a telegram promising reinforce
ments, but they never came. At
nine o'clock Saturday night, tele-
grams were received from head
quarters at Abbeville with instruc-
tions not to remove the government
stores, and to have the railroad
bridges near our city picketted by
the State troops under command Of
Gen. George.
This assurance of confidence in
our ability to repel the invader
rendered things in Grenada asquiet
as the circumstances would permit,
and our citizens slept we'll oh that
night. The next morning our break
fast at the Collin House was sea-
soned with various rumors about
the Yanks, and men in blue buck
ram were reported as having been
seen any were within a few miles
Of Grenada.
The arrival of Brig. Gen. Winters
Calvary scouts with the information
that they had been fred or by the
advance guard from Hovey's CON-
mand the previous night, who ac-
cording to their accounts were with
in nine miles Of town, dissipated
all doubts. Now here let me re-
mark, that your informant, however
intelligent, does unintentional in
jury to the fair fame Of Grenada,
by speaking Of anything like a
Panic, in connection with the Gren-
ada affair. A Nashville miniature
panic" could not have been photo
graphed by the most accomplished
sensation artist at any time during
the excitement. very natural to the
unexpected invasion Of q quiet, un-
fortified town.
Your correspondent wishes only
to do justice to al concerned, and
he most cheerfully bears testimony
to the energy, zeal and untiring in
dustry, during the entire dcy and
night of Sunday,ofth Commandant
Of the post, the Quartermaster and
Commissioner and their assistants,
in putting the. town in a proper
state of defense. and securing the
the valuable stores deposited at this
place. And so successful were
they, that even if the enemy had
come in Sunday night, he would
not only not have found any gov.
ernment stores here worthy Of the
name, but from the canebaakes on
and around Grenada, he would have
received a welcome as bloody as
his prototype the Persian barbarian
received from the gallant Greeks at
Marathon.
The citizens, that is the few that
remain unconnected with the army
were organized into an inlpromptu
organization under Capt. Stanfred,
of Stanfred's battery, here on fur
Tough. and cheerfully did picket
duty Sunday night. The State
forces under Gems. Winter and
George, were we'll disposed on the
principal approaches to town, and
being well armed and led on by
such gallant spirits, would have
done true yeoman duty on the van
dals. But the enemy did not come
A cavalry force of about one hun
dred, approached within eight o.
nine miles from town, committing
outrages whenever they remained
They burued the railroad bridge
near Hardy station, On the Missis
sippi and Tennessee railroad, en-
tered private residences, stealing
whatever valuables they could pu
their hands upon, wantonly sho
down stock, and left the usual 1an
kee trail of depreciation and infam.
along their path. May they be &C
cursed, is the fervent ejaculation
| Of every lin. Should they com