The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-01-15

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command Immediately in rear of the pc
sition where the first line OF battle wa
formed.
During the night I was ordered 3
mount Bells Brigade and station Il a
DIR. Calhoun's house, to be in readiness t
oppose the enemy if an advance wa
made towards Verona, and the Kentuck!
and DR.. Calhoun's house.
81 was further ordered to send :
mounted regiment from Mabry's Brigad'
through Harrisburg, to ascertain what tn
enemy was doing, while the remainde
of that brigade was left in its original pc
sitiOn. l made the dispositions required
by these orders, and the next mornin,
Friday, the 18th of july, l was ordered
to attack the enemy on his left flank Oh
the Verona road.
81 moved against him with Bells ana
Crossland's Brigades, and drove him bacl
about one mile to the cover of timber upoI
his main line. l then halted, threw out
line of skirmishers to hold the enemy II
check, and rested my division, who wer'
exhausted from hard fighting, the excess
i've heat and want of water. / had so mel
carried off the field that morning perfectly
exhausted, most of whom were insensible
About 2 D. m. I received orders to move
up, as the enemy were evidently retreatins
on the road to Ellistown, and to pursue
him vigorously. I marched on the Har
risburg and Ellistown road. Bells Brigade
in the advance, and commenced the pur
suit. Rice's battery was also ordered t.
report to me.
FIGHTING AT OLD TOWN CREEK.
81 overlook the enemy's rear at Ok
Town Greek, five miles from Tupelo.
ordered Rice's battery Immediately In po
sition on elevated ground, which com
manded the bottom and the crossing o.
the creek, and opened on the retiring en-
envy formed Bells and Crossland'i
Brigades on either side of the road ant
moved forward. From casualties of &C
ton. from exhaustion. and from broken
down horses, my division. now composed
of those two brigades Mabry's having
been sent on another road, was reduced
to less than LOCO. I drove the enemy.
rear before me to the creek bottom, will
considerable loss. Rice's battery did goot
execution. The enemy. finding himself
pushed in the rear, Immediately rein
forced his rear guard with two brigades o.
infantry, whom fought for 30 minutes
The support l was expected not arriving
and the force of the enemy being so mucl
superior to my own. l was forced to with
draw. Col McCuIloch came up soon af
terward with his brigade, engaged the en-
envy, and was driven back. The division
was then. by order, withdrawn from the
pursuit, and returned to camp near Har
risbnrg.
"Words are inadequate to express thu
daring action. the imperturbable bravery
the indomitable endurance exhibited by
both officers and men. The country ha:
rarely witnessed such boldness of execu
ton as was performed by the troops oil
the division. They attacked with precis
ion and earnestness, determined not tt
give up the struggle until the enemy wa,
driven from the field.
LOSS OF BUFoRD's DIVISION.
echo the history of their actions. To Col
Harrison, Lieut.-Cols. Gage and Nelson
and Maj. McCay, of Mabry's Brigade Of
Mississippians. who fell in the foremost
rank. every need of praise for bravery
GOODNESS, and gallant bearing on the
march, and especially In action, is due
They fill a soldiers grave, deeply lament
ed, bnt are monument of themselves. tbs
reflection Of whose lives will add to the
determination Of their surviving com
rades to fight on until the blessings Of
peace and independence crown our eff
forts.
tenant-Colonei. of the 7tb KY. deserves the
most commendable notice for his actions
4 modest, retiring officer, he was yet evel
found in the thickest of the fight cheering
forward his men until the missile of dealt
laid him low. -
1.-THE long list Of field and line officers
and men wounded shows the deadly ma
ture Of the conflict. and their daring and
devotion to duty.
''The loss sustained by my division. In
Guiding Mabry's Brigade. was: Officers
killed, %: wounded, 104; total. 1876 En-
listed men-killed. 131; wounded. 694: to
tai, S25. Grand total. 951. That sus
tanned by the enemy was much heavier
and does not fall short Of 1000. The miss
ing amount to 4S. including three officers.
GEN. A. J. SMITHS REPORT.
The plain. ungarnished story of thi.
campaign ms told by Gen. Smith gives
clear insight into his character as a mill
tnry man. He WAS unquestionably one o
the safest leaders. and one of the hardes
fighters in the Union army. Followin,
are quotations made from his report:
ION the morning of the 18th. movins
toward Pontotoc. we found McCulloch',
town, supported BY q brigade on the hill
Immediately south. Throwing forward .
brigade Of infantry as support for tn,
eth. we drove back their skirmish line
and Gen. Grferson. attacking at the sam,
time upon thrir right flank, drove then
through the town and from their position
on the hill, leaving their dead and wound
ed in onr hands.
ION the 18th the command remained
Mt Pontotoc. sending forward a reconnoit
ering party of one regiment Of cavalr,
1.-THE 9th ILL supported by the SD Ind.
on the Okolona road. The lines of tn,
driven IN on the main body. The enem,
were discovered to be in force about min,
miles from PontOtoc, on the Okolona road
ON the opposite side Of a low. swampy
bottom through which runs two creeks
This bottom was about mile and a hall
in width. densely timbered, and which tn,
enemy had rendered almost impossible b,
Telling trees across the road. As they hat
very strong position on the hill on tn,
other side Of the bottom. did not deem
Il prudent to attack the position from
the front II 1t could be fanked l. there
fore. caused demonstra tons to be made OF
the Okolona road during the day. and
held the skirmish line during the night.
On the morning Of the 18th I moved al
the cavalry except the 7th Kan. towart
Tupelo, making nearly q right angle al
Pontotoc, and followed the cavalry will
the infantry and train. leaving the Col
ored Brigade and the 9TH Kan. to brin,
up the rear. and disposing one brigade Of
the First Division. Sixteenth Corps, so a.
to cover the TANKS of che train Thes,
dispositions being made, withdrew my
skirmish line on the Okolona road ant
mi "a ~
distance of abont IS miles, Col. Winslow'.
Brigade of cavalry was In the advance al