The National tribune., 1892-03-24
SHERIDAN ON BONNEVILLE.
The Account of That hattie which He
Read In Chicago.


On the 2Sth day of June 1852 while in
command OF the I'd Michigan and ID Iowa
regiments of Cavalry. by direction of General
w. S. Rosecrans, commanding the army of
the Mississippi, took up position at the
little village of Bonneville, in the state of
Mississippi on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad
The army of the Mississippi lay about twenty
miles in my rear and that of the enemy in
and about Tupelo and Guntown, some fifteen
miles in my front.
It IS not necessary in this description to
tell the object or purpose for which 1 was
stationed there.
Immediately on taking this position did
what 1 never failed to do during the whole
course of the war make a map or rather
an information map of the surrounding
country My mind ran to the accumulation
of knowledge of this kind. A great many
country roads interseCted or rather con-
verged at Bonneville, and to wach these
roads and give timely information of the adj
vance of the enemy, was, suppose, the object
of my being there. 1 had myself a little
broader view of the situation The distance
between the two hostile armies was thirty or
forty miles. If / could hold this space, or
front could keep the enemy inside of his
infantry picket line; if he could drive me out
he could hold our people inside of our fnfan-
try line, and the battle of Bonneville was
fought to see who was going to have this ad-
vantage.
On July 1st, the regiment before named,
which I commanded, had an effective
morning of that day July 1st, the
enemy advanced against me, the main col
umn of their forces being in what WAS known
as the Blackland Road. My strong picket
force was under command of Lieutenant
Scranton of the End Michigan Cavalry, who
aft ardl ,aca "a He
word that the enemy had attacked his post at
the place where it was stationed, about three
and one-half miles out of Bonneville. / i'm
mediate1y sent him orders to fall back slowly
If too hardly pressed, and that would rein
force The reinforcements were sent
but Lieutenant Scranton was driven
back, making a strong resistance, nearly to
Bonneville; in fact almost to the edge of the
little town. Meantime had sent TO the main
army in my rear information of my situation
and asked for assistance by rail. as there was
a railroad, the Mobile s. Ohio, directly back
to where the army of the Mississippi lay, and
1t was well known to my command that had
done so. did not know whether reinforce
ments would be sent not, SO 1 thought
would do the best could with what had in
hand. was heavily pressed by the enemy,
and did not know his strength, but made up
my mind to rely on myself; and as I had
an accurate knowledge of the country,
selected two companies, one company of the
2nd Michigan and one company of the End
Iowa to perform the duty of forlorn hope.
and put Major Russell A. Alger, of the End.
Michigan in command, with instructions to
take a wood road around the left of the
enemys advancing forces that would lead
him around to point on the BlaCkland Road,
on which the enemy was principally advanc-
ing and at point in his rear distant from
Bonneville about three and three-and- one |
half miles. told Major A1ger that when he
reached the Blackland Road he should turn |
up it, in rear of the enemy, and not deploy |
his cavalry, but charge right |
through whatever he met on the |
road, and report to me at Bonneville. This |
would bring him through the line of battle |
of the enemy. If he could not charge |
through he should go as far as he could and |
then retreat by the same route he went out |
on I gave him to conduct him on this mis- /
sion my guide and scout-a thin man with |
light complexion, long light hair, and |
native of the neighborhOod of Bonneville.
His name was lost by the burning of my
records in the Chicago fire. 1t was from
this man l got the principal knowledge |
of my Information map that marked this
trail or wood road, on which this forlorn
hope was to be sent / then told Major Alger
would take the balance of my command
and join those now fighting the enemy in
front and then when struck the rebel
line of battle. in the rear. to have his men
cheer as loudly as they could; that probably
would hear the cheering and would charge at
the same time from the front; that / would
give him one hour to go around and come
through the enemys line and reach me at
Bonneville and if I did not hear the
cheering of his men. L would charge
he enemy at the end of an hour
rom the time he started. He went off
md / moved from where 1 was near my
tent Il had not discouraged
he men by taking down my headquarters)
,ut on the line of battle just west of the
abroad track in the village of Bonneville.
rhe fighting was sharp along the line, and
he firing of the enemy seemed to show so
much numerical strength, 1 had the greatest
tnxiety to hear from Major Alger. The
lour, the time set to hear from him. was up,