The National tribune., 1885-08-06
COL. HATCH.
Tho Service He Rendered on the Grierscn Raid


To THE EDITOR: In The NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE of July 8, Carleton" in writing up Col.
Grierson's raid from La Grange, Tenn, to
Baton Rouge, La, with the 9th and 9th Ill. and
I'd Iowa Cav, in April, 1863, says: On the
fifth day COL Hatch, with the I'd Iowa and one
cannon, turns east, towards Columbus, to de-
stroy the railroad and to puzzle the Confeder-
ates. The movement will lead Gen. Johnston
to think that Grierson is intending to push east
into Alabama. Col. Hatch intends, after de-
s.roying the railroad, to sweep northeast and
then northwest, back to La Grange; but Con-
federate force is gathering to intercept him,
and he is obliged to turn south and rejoin Col.
GricrSon."
This last statement is not correct, and as the
part taken by Col. Hatch with his $50 men of
the I'd Iowa Cav. in that raid was one of the i'm
portant features connected Herewith, deem
it due the many readers of your most excellent
paper, and to Col. Ed Hatch, that it should be
correctly reported.
The brigade-6th and 7th III. and I'd Iowa
Cav. and part of Smiths battery, Co. K LIST iii.
moved from La Grange April II; camped 10
miles southeast of Houston, Miss, Oh the night
of the GOTH On the morning of the 21st the
column was to have moved before daylight,
but did not move till about o'clock, which
delay frustrated to a certain extent the plans
mapped out for Col. Hatch to pursue. We
moved in rear of Col. Grierson's column to the
junction of roads leading to Louisville, West
Point and Columbus, at which place Col. Hatch
turned east toward West Point, where he was
to destroy the railroad bridge, thence swing
rapidly south to Macon, destroying railroads
and Government stores, thence back to La
Grange by most practicable route. At the
point where Hatch turned east from the direc
ton travelled by Col. Grierson with the 9th
and 7th Ill.,, detachment of the I'd Iowa
moved with that column four miles, then
countermarched to same point to obliterate
Grierson's tracks and deceive the enemy as to
the direction of the main column, which ma
nuver succeeded admirably. Col. Hatch moved
eastward with the main portion of the regi
ment leaving Co. B (of which the writer was
a member) to await the return Of the detach-
ment under Capt. Schnitger sent with Grier-
son, and after they had fed to close up on the
column, which we did not do, for cause" The
Confcds had by this time mustered quite con-
siderable force,-Smith's partisan regiment,
Bartoe's regiment, and Inges battalion of cav
alry,-which attacked us just as Schnitgers
men were taking dinner. A messenger was
sent to Col Hatch, advising him of the situa-
ton, who in turn sent orders to mount up and
follow, as the enemy was probably only squad
of citizens, who could not do any particular
damage.
Just then Jim Kennedy, of Co. G, who had
been with detail on flank docking up some
good horses, came galloping into the road i'm
mediately in rear OF the enemy, and he, having
been prisoner at Macon, Ga, and elsewhere,
thought he had all the experience in that line
he wanted, and to run was out of his line. He
brandished his old hat in the air and ordered
the boys to rally on the side of the road, as the
woods was full of Yanks coming at a gallop
into their rear. Those fellows evidently had
not soldiered very long. They mistook him
for one of their officers and did not discover
their mistake till Jim, daredevil like" had
passed quite through their lines and was COM
:, Izxr q ;,,If y,s,r re
port convinced Col. Hatch that something was
up, and that officer then came to our relief on
short notice, diSmounted and concealed his men
behind rail and hedge fences and waited till
the enemy was quite close, then opened in
front with Colts revolving rifles and little
two-pound gun and on flank with carbines,
breaking their lines and pushing them back
three miles. Col. Hatch had learned that an
Alabama regiment was east of him awaiting
his approach on West Point, and deeming it
advisable to draw all the enemy's cavalry away
from Col. GriersOn, he moved slowly to the
north, crossing the Hooka River and drawing
the enemy Immediately in his rear.
On the 22d we attacked Oklahoma, driving
out somo cavalry and State troops quartered
there burning barracks and stores, and had
constant skirmishing till we reached Birming-
ham on the oath, where regular set-tO was
had. Our ammunition by this time was almost
gone Col. Hatch would conceal his men at
favorable points and wait till the enemy got
quite close, then open up on them, mount and
move On. This kind of fighting was kept up
till we reached Malino, from which place we
had an easy time till we reached La Grange on
the Goth.
1t will be seen that Col Hatch did not rejoin
Col. Grierson, but that in drawing the enemy's
cavalry away from Col. G.'s column gave him
at least 4S hours start of the very force that
had been got together to annihilate him, thus
making his trip comparatively easy. At least,
with all this mounted force harassing his rear
and TANKS, the undertaking would have been
much more hazardous and much less comfortable
for the boys.-JACK L. HERBERT, Capt, Co. B,
I'd Iowa Cav, LIE Grand, Iowa.