Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-17

From time to time small bodies of Confed-
crates were met and routed. Tie night OF
April - Grierson and his men encamped at
Pontotoc destroying 400 bushels of salt
which the Confederates had abandoned.
April 20, early in the morning, Grierson
started his prisoners, his least effective men
and one piece of artillery northward, on the
way back to Lagrange. They were incum-
brances. The raid was now going to begin
in earnest. The mon that had been sent
northwGrd misled the Conlederates into be-
lievng chat the whole expedition was return
Ing to Lagrange.
As before the main expedition fastened
southwark Where it was to come out no
man knew, least Of all, the panic stricken
people through whose country it passed Ike
a tornado Like tornado, too, it was in its
work of destruction GrieIson laid waste
property and carried away food, horses and
men. Near Dismal Swamp one OF the larrrest
tanneries in Mississippi was destroyed. Now
the command united, now again se-,ar ted
detachments flying this way and that, and
whisking hither and thither, Ike the evolu
tons of flocks of great birds in ,lidair. At
Newton two trains of cars, with Confederate
army supplies, were destroyed, and near tn,
same town four bridges were torn up At
Raleigh the command halted. and Grierson
sent ont a scout to cut the telegraph wire
which ut 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 i'll deceiving the Confederates rs to
his commanders whereabouts, Ben Grier-
/. 1. I 1
Hearing the scouts report, he quickly crossed
Leaf river and burned its bridges behind
him, cutting OFF pursuit in the rear.
A singular adventure bofel 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 n 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 Confclerates were con-
sidering, he and his company put spurs to
their horses and galloped westward toward
Grerson, blessing their lucky stars for their
escape.
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 ard 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 ., 1863. a great
body Of wild looking men rode into Baton
Rouge. La. 1t was as if they had sprung
from the ground. They were dusty and bag
gard, and some of them were asleep, sitting
bolt upright upon their horses
No wonder. In sixteen days they had rid
den 500 miles, from north to south, through
Mississippi They had destroyed over s., Co.,
GOO worth of property, cut two important
railroad Communications md captured over
1000 prisoner '..d 1860 hr.' g.
tn v were tlerson and l., men.
18th htIHa.' Il of tLC sGlth is ovcrcs.i-
mated. 81 Il nlierson aiterward "The Cou
federacy Is u Mere SHE'LL