Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-05-02

rotary. Or. T. l. Riley. IL Is 40 inter
ssting story. told By survivor OF "a.
famous column Of cavalry that rod.
into Holly Springs before daybreak or
a cold December morning nearly forty
years ago
The narrative opens By describing the
military situation as i was about the
middle OF December. fs63-Grant with
his main body a. oxford and his out.
posts ~ Cofeeville. Pembertou sou,h
Of the Yalobrsha. with front and TANKS
covered By Van Dorn's cavzlry. uun.
seriuz about $500 troopers The s.orv
tells how Van Dorm moved east from,
T Grenada on the night OF Dec IL. os.ers-
IDLY 20 capture or destroy Cot Dickens
1000 raiders operating on IN. Mobile &
Ohio railroad above and below Tupeio:
how Van Dorm, when about 70 en-
counter Die<ey, 30 Unanswered As
20 pass through Po1sosoc in the
direction Of New Albany. aud allsu
Dfc<ey 20 follow him IL he chose. or IL
be preferred. after noting the direction
Of Van Doru's march. to 20 aud report
70 Gran. al Oxford that he had seen
Van Dora a. the head Of his cavalry
moving north. apparently bent on going
into Tennessee 20 Join Forrest at -Boli-
va or Jackson As the story goes.
D key chose the latter alternative
The narrative shows the tactics o: Van
Dorm in keeping the enemy always be-
hind him. never giving him an oppor-
sunity 20 get ahead scd interfere with
the advance or give warning OK his ap-
rroach- Il also reveals hogv well Van
Dorm concealed from the enemy his
objective point as long As possible. and
then moved 50 rapidly that hostile
scouts or videttes could not report his
coming long enough in advance TO be
Of any service 70 Col Murphy. IN com
nand a. Holly Springs
After telling many amusing and in
struetive incidents Of the march and
how Van Dorn's troopers halted about
10 o'clOex on the night OF Dec ~ within
Eve miles Of town. dismount-,i IN grim
silence, and without sres stood ready
a. any moment TO remou1t. the story
continues thus.
Before daylight. an order was quiet
" passed along 20 mount aud form
fourS. IL CHANGED to be the day for the
First Mississippi Cavalry TO be the ad-
vance Of Mccullough brigade. Lieut.
:. T. DaF. o. Company q. Nnxubee
Cavalry was in command Of the ad-
vance guard. and the froGt four were
Bob White. Groves Dzn,zier. W. u.
Deupree aud J. q. Deupree- The order
was ~ once given - move forward on
two roads n a xallop. 20 capture the
picx-ts or pursue them 50 closely that
ne alarm could prec=de Us. The wis
dom Of the order was appreciated By
all. and IL was obeyed with alacFity.
The First Mississippi were 70 enter
town from the northeast. charge
through infantry without hating 10
fight or receive surrrnders. but AZ once
IN attack the cavalry when discovered
The Second Missouri were to dismognt
At the edge OF town. charge on foot
and capture or dispense any infantry
encountered The Texas brigade were
70 approach from the east. coming in
by the railroad depot. and thus pre-
-eat any reintoreements from sarpris-
ing ~ in that direction Adetachment
Of Texans also were 70 90 south and
watch the Abbeville road jackson ;
brigade were to approach from the
north. preventing possible reinforce
ments from Bolivar. a. well a. watch
/ ing the road coming from Memphis on
on the west
A. we neared the town we increased
/ our speed Prisons First Mississippi
role through in a sweeping gallop,
ignoring the infantry. many Of whom.
awakened and startled By the charge.
ran out Of their tents in night attire
and fired into our column, wounding
nearly every horse in the advance
guard and several of the men As we
approached the fair grounds the Second
Illinois Cavalry, under Col NELL and
Maj. Mudd. were in line. answering
roll call. preparing 10 90 out and look
for Van Dorm. a. they had heard he was
coming. Brave and courageous. under
gallant officers. they boldly charged
upon Us with drawn sabres. cannot
undertake to recount all that occurred
in the melee. but mention only some
/ incidents that came under my own oh
servation- Little Jere Beasley. a Lad
of fifteen summers. was about to be cut
down by n stalwart Federal. when
Lieut. Day shot the daring rider with
an arm uplifted ready to strike the
deadly blow. Our Mai Wheeler had
his thumb cut of in a sabre duel with
Federal officer. Adjutant Lawrence
Yates was struck in the forehead, the
blood gushing from the long. deep
wound and flooding his face and neck.
Ny own horse had been shot twice a
we came through the infantry. and
now received the third and fatal bullet
right between the eyes. and fell lifeless
TO the ground / simply made breast
works of the dead animal until could
catch the horse of the Federal with
whom | had been engaged, and who
had been shot by me or some other
Confederate Mounting the Fedora
charger. ! was soon with my regiment
chasing the routed enemy. Pistols in
the hands of Mississippians had proved
superior to sabres welded By the hardy
sons of Illinois. Many thrilling deed,
done by Federals and Confederate.
must remain forever unknown. But il
may De said that the First Mississippi
met in the Second Illinois foemen wor
thy of the steel. for nerve was required
10 make as well As to receive that i'm
petuous charge Though few of our
men were killed. yet many were
wounded. most of them but slightly.
As victors we arranged to have the
wounded cared for and TO send our dis
abled south By way of the east
Here this valuable paper gives many
interesting details Of the entry of the
other Confederate commands. of the
surrender of the Federal infantry. Of
n. 81