The National tribune., 1903-06-11

NG TO TaKE MY CARRIAGE HoRsEs?"
crossed the river, landing at Chickasaw,
Miss.
March 14-At 8 o'clock a. m. the COM
mand resumed its march, the scouts in
advance. We proceeded down the river
about 25 miles to deserted village
one store and two houses.
| March 15-Inactive.
March 1G-The scouts started early this
morning in southeast direction. Having
marched about 30 miles, they charged a
band of bushwhackers, capturing six of
them and - horses. Returning toward
their base, they had gone about four miles
when they came in contact with about 500
of Forests men. The odds being too
/ Forests warriors, and continued their
march toward the encampment. Meeting
some Union cavalry they went into camp
with them for the night.
NIP AND TUCK.
March ia detachment numbering
$50, the scouts and others, starting early,
made a rapid march and struck brigade
of rebel cavalry SIX miles below Decatur.
on the Tennessee River. The rebels were
Forthcoming the river at Benton Ford, in
| tending to cross to the north side. We
charged them put them to flight, ard cut
the rope they had stretched loss the
river. Just as we had released five pom
toons, that went floating down the river,
800 or 600 of Forests cavalry dashed up,
and we hurriedly evacuated our position.
Forests lively fellows chased us about
five miles. Turning to check them, we
| fought them about 10 minutes. Three of
our horses were wounded, and scout of
Co. II, 123d ILL.,, Brannin, / think, was
shot in the hand. Forests men were not
ably good fighters, and we soon realized
=
make stand against 500 or 600 of their
kind. When they threw n few shells at
US we hastily abandoned the field, seeking
refuge with Gen. Minty's cavalry, where
we arrived about midnight, tired and hun
CRY.
STIRRING UP TIE REBELS.
March 1S-Having marched to Chick
asaw Station, on the Memphis & Chatta-
nooga Railroad, we moved again this
morning, starting an hour or two after
midnight. Having marched rapidly the
commanded to halt. Lieut.. Whitmore or
dered US to deploy as quietly as possible
to the right and left of the road. We were
informed that Gen. Minty's scouts were
expected to approach by another road,
on the other side of the bridge. The stu
alton was this: A small rebel force, hav-
ing in charge a number OF escaped pris-
camped in n hollow beyond the bridge, our
object being to surprise them. We wait
ed about 20 minutes, when Minty's scouts
sent up a skyrocket, the signal that they
were in position on the other side. We
instantly charged across the bridge and
up the ravine. With the exception of the
picket and the guards with the prisoners,
the rebels were asleep, unconscious of i'm
pending danger The surprise was COM
plete the astonished rebels not firing n
gun. We captured 81 rebels, 41 horses
and released "a prisoners, who We're, in
deed, in a deplorable condition, hungry and
almost naked. They. were SO overjoyed
that they wanted to- hug and kiss their
deliverers. They had lived three days on
parched corn. The rebels would take their
meals at the houses, and then provide the
prisoners with skillet and some corn to
parch. saying: THAT is good enough for
you Yankee thieves"
A REVERSAL OF TREATMENT.
work both ways, we made the rebels walk
while their former prisoners rode the
horses. The rebels were disarmed and
their equipments given to their former de-
fenseless captives. We planned to permit
the latter to eat at the houses and feed
the rebels on parched corn. The rebels
were guarded by their former captives, who
they had received.
In the first house We visited we found
an old Union man and his wife, who re-
ceived us jOyfully. They had two sons in
the. Union army, serving in n Tennessee
regiment, belonging to Col. Frank VOL
ford's Brigade of Cavairy-kentuckan
and Tennesseans. When we bade those
good people goodby the old man continued
to wave the Union flag, and told us TO
stop at the first big white house on the
left side of the road; that it belonged to
a rich rebel Colonel. We failed to find
the Colonel or any Of his family, but in
the deserted mansion and appurtenances
we found an abundance of flour, meat,
poultry, butter, eggs, corn and oats, and
hidden in a canebrake we discovered and
appropriated eight fine horses. 1t is un-
necessary to say that we feasted royalty
on that Confederate Colonels premises.
We marched % miles to Frankfort, where
Wa had haan Ia,,a