The National tribune., 1900-08-16
GOING AFTER CHALMERS.
paYis,s Mills and a Eald by Railway.

EDITOR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: I was
much interested reading Frank Bruner's s
article in your issue of Dec. % last and
the old familiar times and scenes at La
Grange. Grand Junction and Davis's
Mills came trooping back to memory.
A short time after Van Dorn's rcpulse
by the two companies Of the 2Jth Ind.
boys and the 9th Ohio Cav, the regiment
to which l belonged Che 10th I'D, and
4 section of artillery were ordered to Da-
viS's Mills as its garrison. These mills
were situated on the Mobile {; Ohio Rail-
road, about seven or eight miles from
Grand Junction and about the same from
La Grange.
Our camp was an open cleared creek
bottom of some three or more hundred
acres of land, surrounded like an island
by a creek infcr"trahle for brush and
logs, and across this iSlet at the head near
our camp WAS the high treStle of the
NJ. & o. l.. L.. while near it was n short
wagon bridge acraS$ Wolf Creek to the
outside country. 1t was at these cross
ings where the enemy were so gallantly
repUlSed
Bruner says that Davis. through some
diplomacy, was enabled to save his place
from the usual spoliation. Well, when
we were there there was not a cow, pig or
sheep to be seen, and even the yard fence
around his dwelling house was partly de-
lHOiiSUeu, anu mouse anu SLlOhe-nOlSe
were all that were in sight. The family
consisted of Davis himself, a sulky, mo-
rose man, his wife and four daughters,
and three or four of the wounded John
nieS.
One of the rebels l remember coming
over to our camp at times wearing coat
like JoSeph's of many colors, and yet there
was not blue coat in the whole com
mand that could outshine II in the eyes
Of those four rebels, who charged us with
libcrating their negroes, SO their soft
hands were compelled TO do the house
work.
An ovcrseer living near also had fam
lily of four daughters.
Part of our regiment had barracks,
mills, and the section of artillery was
mounted on the top of an old Indian
mound, some 20 or more feet high.
Our regiment drew its rations every 10
days from Grand Junction, and we had
an old fiat car with some kind of a
dummy engine on it, running some three
or four miles an hour, that we used for
the purpose of bringing them, as no
trains ran on that part of the road.
While on one of these details someone
fired at us as we passed along, but as
he did no damage we contcuted ourselves
with sending back a shot or two.
While camped at Dayis's Mills one day
we We're astonished to hear the rumble
and roar of approaching trains, and soon
five trains came steaming in, loaded with
the rest OF our brigade, and timbers on
fiat cars to repair bridges on this road.
With 20 days rations we got on one of
these trains and left the mills behind, re-
pairing these bridges until we had gone
about 20 miles.
When timbers gave out we started on a
raid through northern Mississippi to catch
Chalmers Wa haUa rir
100 miles before we turned back. The
way We scooped the nirgers, mules and
old fore and aft high-ended wagons was
a caution, while every house on and near
the line of march was baking Johnny
cakes for the soldiers, and still we did not
get half enough.
One day, as the tired, dusty column
dragged along from the south rebel Ser
geant and four men reported to us, think
ing we were their own men. OF course
we found them place in the moving col
umn.
On the last, or ninth day, when our col
uHln was nearing our lines on the Mem
phis & Charleston Railroad, the enemy
got pretty saucy, firing into our rear guard
and ianks, and we marched well closed
up, with fixed bayonets, and dropped a
regiment cut on the side of the road oc-
casionally, hoping they would get the rcb-
els into trouble, but the Johnnies always
held back until the regiment was in the
road, when they would fire into its rear
and flank.
Owing 10 the long train and hosts of
negroes the line was a long one for the
troops, and We marched rather fast, SO it
hustled some Of the poor darkies to keep
ahead Of the rear guard.
Toward evening, on approaching our
lines, the annoyance from the enemy end
ed and we camped near some flour mills
and learned the owner had some flour.
1t was not long before the boys were
swarming in after it, nearly starved for
bread.
We could not catch Chalmers. but our
raid was success if horses, mules, mig
gers" and wagons We're counted.-GEoRGE
NJ. PRIOR, Co. II, 10th H., Camas Valley,
Ore.