St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-23

| From time to time small bodies of Confed-
crates were met and routed. The night of
| April 10 Grierson aud his men encamped at
Pontotoc, destroying 400 bushels of salt
which the Confederates had abandoned
April 20, early i'll the morning, Grierson
started his prisoners, his least effective men
and one piece OF artillery northward, ON the
way back to Lagrange. They were incurl-
brances. The raid was now going to begin
in earnest. The men that had been sent
northward misled the Confederates into be-
lieving that the whole expedition was return
ing to Lagrange
AS before, tho main expedition fastened
southwark Where it was to come out no
man knew, least of all, tho panic stricken
people through whose country it passed like
a tornado. Like tornado, too, it was in it's
work of destruction. Grierson laid waste
property and carried away food, horses and
men. Near Dismal Swamp one of tho largest
tanneries i'll Mississippi was destroyed. Now
the command united, now again separated,
attachments flying this way and that, and
whisking hither and thither, like the evolu,
lions of tlocks of great birds in midair. At
Newton two trains of cars, with Confederate
army supplies, were destroyed, and near the
ID. "a 3
Raleigh the command halted. and Grierson
sent out scout to cut the telegraph wire,
which at Lake Station would give the alarm
of his whereabouts to Jackson and other
points The scout ran into a regiment of
Confederate cavalry that had been sent to
find Grierson. Strangely enough, the scout
not only escaped capture himself, but also
succeeded in deceiving the Confederates as to
his commanders whereabouts ben Grier-
sons luck" seems never to have deserted him.
Hearing the scouts report, he quickly crossed
Leaf river and burned its bridges behind
him, cutting off pursuit in the rear.
A singular adventure befell Capt Forbes,
with one company of the Seventh Illinois.
He was more than days march east of the
main body, when he suddenly came upon a
large force of the Confederates at Enterprise.
Miss, ten or twenty times as large as
his own. He put bold face upon the mat
ter, and riding to the town under flag of
truce demanded its surrender Col. Good
win, the Confederate commander, asked an
hour to consider. Forbes granted it only too
gladly, and, while the Confederates were con-
sidering, he and his company put spurs to
their horses and galloped westward toward
GrieIson, blessing their lucky stars for their
escape.
From Montrose Grierson turned slightly
westward 1t became evident now to the
Confederates that he did not mean to return
to Lagrange Preparations we're made to head
him off and capture him. At Pearl river
southern pickets were tearing up the bridge
when Grierson reached it. He dashed into
them and dispersed them, and crossed in
safety Ten minutes more and he would
have been too late.
On the afternoon of May Q, 1863, a great
body of wild looking men rode into Baton
Rouge, Ia 1t was as if they had sprung
from the ground They were dusty and bag.
gard, and some Of them then. were as!eep, sitting
bolt upright upon their horses.
Nc wonder. In sixteen days they had rid
den 800 miles, from north to south, through
Mississippi They had destroyed over $4,000
600 worth CT property, cut two important
railroad communication; and captured over
600 prisoners and ! ,pOG horses. s''S 81 '''
They Wei, Hfielsdn and his men,
"The strength of the south is overesti-
mated, said Grierson afterward. sgThe Con.
fedegacy is mere SHELF