The National tribune., 1899-12-14

ID, and We're soon made up and had tn
| 1St battalion complete
My first raid was the Tuscumbia. w
started from Camp Glendale on Feb. Ii
1863, accompanied by the 10th Mo. Cav.
and, l believe, a part of the 18th Ill. Cav
When L first saw our little battalion on tn,
march, well-armed and equipped. though
| the JOhnnies had better lay down theil
arms, for l believed then that We coulC
whip the whole Confederacy. l learned
by experience the next few days that there
| were Johnnies enough in the Tuscumbia
Valley to entertain us quite nicely. We
jumped the picket at Sinking Bear Creek
three miles south of Tuscumbia, and
guerrlllaS out of 1T and across the Tennes-
see River at Cambridge, and returned to
our camp after IA days hard marching
through mud and rain.
1t seemed as if it was not intended for
the 1st Ala. Cav. to stay idle long. for shortly
after our return from the Tuscumbia Val
ley our battalion was ordered out again
down in Mississippi south of Camp Glen
dale. We started from camp about dark.
and Travelled all night in order to take the
guerrillaS and rebel citizens by surprise.
We had two men in advance disguised.
just as the cock was blowing his horn
for day they came TO some of Van Dorm s
pickets in the road in front of a house
Our boys passed themselves off for Gen.
RoddyS men, and engaged the picketS in
conversation until the column came up.
We captured them, and surrounded the
house, and took seven more prisoners-nine
all told. We learned from them that we
were within one mile of Gen. Van Dorm s
camp; Van Dorm was then on his march 10
Springfield, Tenn, where he was killed
by DIR. Peters. We beat a hasty retreat
with our nine Texas Rangers that we had
captured. Some Of Van Dorn's forces pur-
sued uS about four miles without success,
"a nd va th.a 1hlCl nd tod
their march, and we returned to our camp.
About the middle of April the Johnnies
paid lis visit at Camp Glendale. and
drove in our pickets just at guard-mount.
The guards for the day had just reported
at head quarters 10 be assigned TO their
respective posts. They Were all ordered
to dash out where the firing was. At
the same moment they were saluted with
two well-directed shots from 12-pounder
Boots and saddles" was blown by the
regimental bugler. Col. Morrill,, the com
mander Of the post telegraphed to Gen.
Dodge: "The place attacked, and strength
Of enemy unknown"
Our regiment at this time had been re.
cruited to eight companies, or two bat
talions. We charged out on them, found
only small squad, and drove them back
to huntsville, Miss, on their main force.
We formed our last line for the day on
hill about mile west of the village. From
our position we could see the rebels in town,
and they were too numerous for us to attack
While we were watching them Col. Cor
nyne arrived from Corinth, with the 10th
Mo. Cav, 18th ILL.,, Sth Mich. Cav, and a
battery of four 12-pounder mountain how
itZers, and ordered us to go back to our
camp a distance Of eight miles, for rations
and ammunition, and report to him at
night.
We had not gone above two miles when
we met the 9th ILL., M'td Inf. There was
Of Son
They asked of us how far it was out to
where the rebels lay. We told them they
would find them at Burnsville. Faith,
and they'll have TO get farther now. Here
comes the Bloody Ninth" some of them
said. We also met the 9TH Ill. MID Inf,
TO the enemy. When told the rebels we're
Jnst ahead in considerable force they replied
'Benbers, We will roll them from The bush
now. Here comes the Bloody Sivinth"
Two nobler regiments never shouldered
Inuskets IN defense of their country han
the 9Th and 9th Ill. M't'd Inf.
CHEROKEE STATION.
During the day several regiments of
infantry marched out from Corinth 10
Burnsville. We returned TO our camp, |
supplied ourselves with grub and ammuni- |
ton and reported TO Col Cornyne, at Burns |
vile, April Ii, 1863, where he was encamped |
with his cavalry, accompanied by a good |
portion of the Sixteenth Corps. AS for the |
reason why the Sixteenth was put in motion |
at that time | always entertained two ideas |
1t was rumored that Bragg had sent a di- |
VISION OF infantry down TO Tuscumbia, and |
Roddy attacked us in order to decoy the |
cavalry of the Sixteenth into snare; and
Col. Streight was at that time on his way
up the Tennessee River on his famous raid |
into Georgia, and the demonstration prob
ably was made TO conceal his movements.
On the morning of April Is the 1st Ala.
Cav. was placed in front and we took up our
passed through Iuka, and