The National tribune., 1892-03-24

| but there was no cheering so 7 order -
| charge on the enemy, which was my pa OF
/ the arrangement: and just at that moment
I locomotive and two platform cars loaded
| with bales of hay for the horses Of
! my command, came down the track
| from the main army in the rear
/ right into Bonneville and lust be-
| hind the line OF battle As the troops knew
| I had sent back for refnforcemeutS to helpus
| / thought If the engineer were made to blow
| his whistle il would give them encourage
| ment. so I galloped 70 him and ordered it to
| be sounded loudly and continuously The
men heard 10 ana believed the achievements
! had arrived and I have reason TO suppose
| the enemy thought So too. I never heard
such wild cheering as occurred on our part.
The enemy broke and ran, not only On thu
roads, but all over the country. He was do
feated.
Now to go back to Major Alger He fol.
lowed the enemy with his command armed
only with sabres and Colts six shooting pis-
tolls. The enemy was principally on tho
Blackland road, and the first thing the major
struck was the rebel Headquarters. which
were temporarily captured and taken back
to white farmhouse In the rear by s<sall
escort under Lieutenant Schuyler of the
Second Michigan. The charge was continued
into the rear Of the enemy as far as Major
Alger could go. He was unable to come
through to me, as the enemy was too
strong. nor did he get near enough for me
10 near his cheering, but singular as Il may
seem, 1t was at the same time that I made
the charge in front, and probably was In
strumental in the defeat of the enemy by nv
small force. The enemy, as I heard after
ward by prisoners, thought he was charged
by large force in front and large force In
the rear. At all events he broke and ran
My whole force, as have said before was
eight hundred and twenty-seyen men, OF
which Major Ayers command numbered
about ninety. We followed up tho
enemy rapidly. Major Alger finding
he could not get through, turned
back the way he had gone, but only
about one half, or a little less than one half.
returned, and many of these brave fellows
came back on the horses OF their comrades,
riding double, many of them wounded.
remember very well that nearly all had lost
their hats. Major Alger did not come back
and for short time thought he had been
killed, and his command thought so too, but
while in pursuit of the enemy I had thu
pleasure and satisfaction of meeting him
He was dismOunted by the limbs of a tree
and run over by the enemy without being
noticed in their retreat from my charge In
front
The officers and men of my small command
were very demonstrative after the battle was
over in their consideration and politeness
to me-
Theencmy had not less than eightregiments;
had but two, numbering eight hundred and
twentySeven, all told.
The General commanding the Army of the
Mississippi saw tit TO issue the following COM
phmentary order:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI
July, 1862.
General Orders
The general commanding announces TO
this army that on the LIST instant Colonel p.
II. Sheridan, End Michigan Cavalry with
.1a Is
eleven companies of the End Iowa, was at
tackled near Bonneville by eight regiments Of
rebel cavalry under Chalmers, and after an
eight hours fight defeated and drove them
back leaving their dead and wounded on the
field.
The GOODNESS, determination and fearless
gallantry displayed by Colonel Sheridan and
the officers and men of his command, in this
action, deserve the thanks and admiration
of the Army.
BY order of General Rosecrans:
(Sigued) W. L. ELLIOTT.
Brig. Gen. and Chief of Staff"
HEADQUARTERS 2ND BRIGADE \
CAV DIVISION.
July End, 1862
General: The enemy have retreated, and
in all probability to Guntown and Saltillo.
There are none Of them to be found between
Bonneville and BlackIand.
I have two companies of infantry and a
battery of artillery for support. furnished by
General Asboth which is all that is necessary
at the present time.
We were attacked by General Chalmers
with the following regiments: Brewers, 200;
Says. 500; Adams, S74 Green's, 800; Ist
Alabama Battalion $50; Kentucky Battal-
ion. $50; Carson's, 500 Balsac's, 200, and
probably two others.
(Signed) p. II. SHERIDAN.
Colonel Comm anding.
Brigadier General W. L. Elliott,
Chief of Staff. Army of the Mississippi
President Lincoln thought 50 well of this
affair that he made me a Brigadier-GeneraI
of Volunteers. to date from the day of tha
battle, July LIST, 1862.
2. Fl. SHERIDAN.
Lieutenant General
CHICAGO, January 31st, 1888.