The National tribune., 1889-11-28

in the rear. At night Steele and the First Di.
vision encamped OH the Picket plantation, and
remained there the next day, while the first
blockade, few miles ahead, was being cut
through. 1t was at this blockade that one band
Of rebels, about 400 in number, had their camp.
DIR. Picket, the owner Of the place, was rebel
| Lieutenant, aud he fed at our approach, taking
| along with him all the young negroes he could
mount on mules or horses. Our cavalry gave
chase and brought back the negroes, but Picket
escaped. There are over so negroes Oh the
place, and their dwellings make quite little
village The young black folks seem amused
and unconcerned the aged patriarchs look
grave, as if greatly puzzled. Mrs. Picket evil
dently feels badly at the look of desolation
about her home. Gen. Steele has his tent pitch
cd in the front yard, and it is amusing to see
the negroes continue to exercise the freedom of
the place, unmindful of guards or countorsgns.
While here We had little exhibition of human
nature in its ebony style.
A YOUNG BLACK GIRL
was seen standing a little way off, with an un-
easy look, rs If anxious To make dive some
where. She came toward Gen. Steele, but, over
come by her feelings, she burst out boo hoo ing,
and il was some time before she got sufficiently
calmed down to state her case. She heard
they's gwine" to take her husband. "Who
is going TO take your husband 2" asked the
General. why, you folks. Tho boys say
theys got to go-boo- hoo.oo On being as
sured to the contrary tho blooming wife dried
| up. and left with "a buoyant step.
A rebel picket was brought in to-day. who
was found apparently unarmed, but his gun
lay in the brush. He is a type of the poor
trash nerved up to fight for the slave-owners.
July 2.-This morning Col Chas. Il. Hovey,
of the 33d Ill., was directed TO proceed with a
working party aud cut road through the
! blockade. The trees had been felled in wind
rows for half mile in width and for 200 yards
| loIn ha IL,
was necessary 10 open road Meanwhile a
/ skirmsh-party was sent ahead to feel for
the enemy. AT Gritlith's place the road forks,
one branch leading to Augusta and tire other
eastwardly to Cache River The negroes, from
whom alone we get information, reported q
rebel force on the Augusta road near
CUPALo CHURCH,
| and Hovey requested lient--Col. Wood Of the
| LIST Ind. Cav, 10 look after them. For this
| service WAS detailed one company each Of the
! Sth Ind. and 9th ILL., Cav. and two companies
each of the 1lth Wis and 9Th Ill. Cav. and two
! howitZers in charge OF Lieut.. William Baker, of
! the lst Ind Cav: in all about 300 men and two
small cannon. Wood started out on the Cache
| River road, and, after going four miles, turned
down crossrosd TO the right, and was brought
to halt by blockade of fallen trees How to
get by it was the question. His negro guide
said there was blind path along the edge of
the swamp. but the cannon eonld not be- got
through it, and he himself was afraid to lead
the way. Rs the rebel gentry" would shoot
him If they {" seed " him. But Wood thought
differently. aud put both guide and guns
through tho blind path in safety. Coming
into the main road on the other side and near
ing Cupalo Church, our men saw in the dis.
tance body of mounted rebels aud body Of
infantry. Iient. Baker at once opened FIRE on
them. Ii was here that he made his famous
cotton-gin shot. large cotton-gin building
cfn alas Ts,f "a
rection Of Cupalo Church, and was supposed to
shelter in or behind IL q company of the enc
my So Baker turned one Of his guns that way
and threw shell nj IT, which passed through
the roof, striking ridge Of ground n quarter
OF mile beyond. then ricochettinE or bound-
ing along. il again few into che Rir, and
against house, tearing through the coruice or
caves, and glancing of landed in the road di-
rectly Ia front of the Cupalo Church. For some
unexplained reason the she'll failed 20 burst,
bat ats zgzag course seemed to impress un-
faYorably the gentlemen-i -in- arms at Cupalo
Church, and they left In apparent disgust. Our
cavalry followed, and lively skirmish was
kept up for several miles. Later in the day
HoYey came up, having opened road through
two blockades He took command aud pro-
ceedcd along the Augusta road until he met
the returning cavalry. On the whole this may
he regarded a successful days skirmish for
our side. We succeeded in retiring" the OPP
posing forces either below Augusta or across
White River with loss on their part Of half
dozen killed and proporiiona,e number
wounded. Our side escaped without serious
casualty, thanks TO Licnt. Bakers cotton gin
shot aud the stampede IL caused.
on TO AUGUSTA
July 3.-Steeie's Division started at daylight
this morning for Augusta, ID miles south We
soon passed the frat blockade, which bad
cost the labor of 400 negroes fonr or Eve daga
] n Eli ss,1 IL
Pioneers bad opened a way. This was not a
hard sob, because the place was not welI sdapt-
cd for obstructive purposes. After passing
sFitiitbs plantation the road runs along on
the top Of huge leyee. builtio keep ont river
overfiows Dn both sides Of this stupendous
enbankment are large ponds Of black. slimy
water. the sight Of which is enough 90 give one
the agse. This lcvee Ii two miles long. aud the
wonder is why the rebels did not cut it in one
or moro places IN n means Of iHterrGpting our
march.
At Capt. shnttcworth's place the negroes
appeared 20 be having holiday. They dis-
played their ivory As IL something good had
happened. Some OF them proposed 10 20 along
with US. One StHl wart fellow inauired of me.
ANY chance TO get trunk ON dem wagonsY"
"Why2" asked.
Because Use gwine with the company"
All these negroes worked on the boekades.
They say that after the shooting OF the big guns
1 hI Auphie Ihnfeh the 5ecesh hurried over the
! river at IIateh's Ferry 400 of them, aud the
rest fell back below Augusta with Col. Matlock.
| IL was Two miles more from Shutlleworth's
! place 10 Augusta, where VIC went into camp
The next morning. july 4. Col. Conrad Baker,
I OF the 1st Ind. Cav, with one battalion Of his
regiment, half Il regiment of Infantry under
Maj. Thomas j. Brady. and four small cannon, or
/ bowiizers pushed on after Col. Matlock in the
direction OF Peach Orchard Bluff. About mile
out from Augusta he came upon an unfinished
blockade, aud about seven miles out he found
the camping ground OF MaLlocks men the night
| before. Here the trail turned westward toward
! White River. and Baker. leaving the infantry
behind, marched rapidly along tho trail with
! his cavalry and Cannon and came out on the
river bank nearly opposite the mouth Of Little
| Red River, which flows into White River from
| tie west Here Matlock's men had been cross
! ing over all the morning, and boatl0ad OF them
was about landing on tho other side when the
| head Of Bakers column reached the river One
! Of the hOwtzers happened TO be the head
Of the column and was hnrriedly got in posi-
ton, aud q shell from il was thrown ut the
boat; but IL flew too high, passing over the
boat and exploding beyond. However, it
blew the whole party off the boat; or. at any
rate, they unlOaded themselves with un-
common celerity. The other guns now came
up, aud with them the opposite shore was thor
| Oughly shelled. While this was in progress IL
| skif was discovered a short distance up the
mouth Of Little Red, tied 10 the bank, and three
men of Co d. LIST Ind. Cav, volunteered to
| RWIsg kCpoga