The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-01-11
GUARDING A WAGON TRAIN.
n Cavairyman's "Reminiscences Of the
Work Of Opening the Mississippi.

A Cavalryman's "Reminiscences of the
Work of Opening the SIississippi.
Editor National Tribune: / see in a
recent issue of The National Tribune
that Comrade d. Deeds, Co. G, 1SSth
Ohio, does not "claim to be the young
est soldier, but claims to have the
smallest check-20 cents" can
beat that. l hold check for "13
cents" for increase of pensions /
have not presented it yet for payment.
Thought would be best to have the
banks make special preparation, or it
might strain the resources somewhat.
thought / might keep it as a souve-
mir.
l don't see how any old veteran can
afford to do without The National Trib-
une. 1t surely is the old soldiers
friend. By it I can keep posted as to
all legislation friendly or otherwise to
the veterans of '61-'65. l was much
interested in the long series of articles
on 'Redeeming Missouri" / was born
and raised, and was living across the
river, in Illinois, from st. Louis, and
was personally known to the struggle
there in the early days of the war 1t
was we'll portrayed.
Equally as much interested am / in
The Opening of the Mississippi" for
I had helping hand in many of the
campaigns gone over SO far and l must
say they are very true. Our company
was detached from the regiment at
Holly Springs and ordered to report
to the commander of the post at OK
ford. We started on the morning of
Dec. 19, 80, the day before Van Dorm
made his descent on that place. So
we missed that reception by "a hours
We returned with the retreating army
on the 18th of December I must say
Holly Springs had a very sorry appear
ance; was not very bright for Christ
mas. About 10 a. m, the 26th, our
company was detailed to guard the
train of empty wagons (about 300) to
Memphis, or rather to Davis Mills, and
report to Brighten. Quinby COM
manding the Seventh Division, Seven
teenth Corps, who was ordered to pro
coed to Memphis with his division and
guard the train for provisions. and re-
turn along NJ. & CT r. r. until a train
was met. There were 1000 or 1900 pa
rolled prisoners that We're to accompany
said train. The train and prisoners
had started out at 4 a. m.-six hours
before we had our orders to accom-
pany the trains. 1t was after IL before
we got started. We went out on the
road to Davis Mills, and after we were
out one or two miles the Captain
me his orders. After
reading them q had not seen the or
ders previously, / said to him: 1--WE
are ordered to guard that wagon train,
and the train has not gone this way
(for 1t was raining and muddy and no
sign of any wagons travelling on that
road), and IL you go down to Davis
Mills (seven miles) and report without
the train the General will blow YOU
up. sure. We better hunt that train,
for there are not any armed men with
II, and If the bushwhackers capture and
destroy the train Gen. Grant will have
20 say about it,
We found crossroad and turned
north until we came to the main road
from Holly Springs to Memphis. There
was the evidence of the train having
gone that way. We followed on. but did
not come up with it that night. We rest
e for a time, and were out early and
came up with the train while in camp,
safe. Sure enough. there was no arm
ed force along. The Captain thought
best to proceed on the way and try
and get communication with Gen
Quinby by courier. / was ordered to
take 10 men and take the advance;
a like number in the rear. The re-
mainder of the company scattered
along the roadside as guards. About
4 p. m. the two roads came together,
and we got in communication with
Gen. Quinby and his division camped
IN rear of the train that night. The Cen
eral used expressions not found in any
Of the text books of the English Ian
guage. However. after explanations
were made he did not arrest the whole
outfit Incidentally we proceeded to
Memphis and started on the return the
near the NJ. & c. r. r. About n. m
Jan. / we met the crew repairing
track and by the next morning the en-
tire train was unloaded and put in cars
and sped away to feed the hungry sol
diers. Our company remained at Di-
vision HEADQUARTERS and acted as es-
cert, scout and picket. ETC., until the
ED of May. While on a scout we met
part Of the I'd Ill. Cav. under Lieut.
Col. Bush, who ordered our company
to fall in with his cOmmand-which he
had no right to do. but the company
obeyed without having any orders from
Gen. Quinby, Gen. Mcpherson, Gen
Grant or any other person who should
have given such orders; but nothing
ever came of it,
The company was with the Seventh
Division in all the marches, including
the famous Yazoo Pass expedition:
march across from Milliken's Bend.
across the river. The company was in
the advance as advance guard and fired
the first shots in the skirmish that re-
suited In the battle of Raymond. At
forwards ordered with some Of the Sig
nal Corps men to a hill off on the left,
where we saw the whole of the battle
FOIlOWed on TO jackson on morning OF
10th. with other cavalry (about 250);
went TO the plantation of jeff Davis;
captured a few prisoners on the way;
returned to the road about IL a. m.
Gen. Hovey. being holly engaged, saw
Gen. Logan's Division make the adj
vance across the field and his subse-
quent withdrawal. wondered then
why that was done for he evidently
was going right in rear of the enemy
and I did not know until / read the
Memoirs OF Gen. Grant. where he gives
the reason for withdrawal. When the
enemy retreated / rode over on the
battlefield in front of the division of
Gen. Hovey. While there Gems. Grant
and Hovey met not 80 feet from where
/ was standing (that was the first
meeting that day.. Gen. Hovey sa-
luted and said to Gen. Grant: az have
had a hard fight. have lost 1000
men to-day" Gen. Grant said, after
some remark: you will remain here
and rest your men and bury the dead.
Gen. Osterhaus will take the advance
tomorrow, and Vicksburg is ours"
Then they separately. l.. Moore,
Second Lieutenant, Co. E. I'd I'll. Cav,
Roseburg. Ore.