The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-30
THE COAORED TROOPS.
They Bravely Cbvesed the Retreat From
GuntOWA.

NuukOWos
Editor National Tribune: Capt. Ship
man, 18th U. s. c. T., requests an ac-
count of how the two coiored regiments
covered the retreat of Gen. Sturgis
from Guntown. :; Miss.. June, 1864. The
expedition started n, from La Grange.
Tenn. June 8. 1854, and consisted of a
division of cavalry commanded by Cen
B. F. Grierson. of Illinois. and division
of infantry under the command of Col
W. T. McMillep. OF the 95th Ohio. both
divisions being under the command OF
Gen. Sturgis. a. Regular Army officer.
The infantry division consisted Of three
brigades. The, first was made up OF
four regiments and two batteries of
light artillery. commanded by Col. Alex
ander Wilkin. of the 9th Mimi: the Sec
ond was similar to the first, and COM
manded by Col. George b. Hodge. OF
the 115th ILL.,. and the third was COM
posed of two regiments of colored
troops, with light artillery. also colored,
under the command of Mai E. NJ. Lowe,
of the seth U. S. C. 7. The two regi-
ments were the 55th u. S. c. r., COM
manded by Maj. Lowe, and the seth
U. S. c. T., commanded by Lieut.-Col.
Robert Cowden. The column reached
the vicinity of Guntown, Miss, on June
10, where Gen. Forrest made an attack
in force. capturing all the ammunition
wagons and by night causing n retreat,
which was practically complete rout.
of our entire force. When the attack
was made the colored brigade was at
the rear of the column acting as a train
guard. They were hurried to the front
as the other brigades were falling back,
and steadily bore their part until the
general retreat came at dark Most of
their cartridge boxes were now empty.
Lieut.-Col. Cowden was wounded in the
hip and Maj. Lowe in the arm, disabling
them from command of their regiments
Capt S. Il. Reeves assumed command
of the 55th and Capt. James C. Foster
the 59th. They massed their men in
close order, and protected the rear of
the column during the entire night
march. Many of the. white soldiers. to
hasten their flight, threw away their
guns and cartridge boxes. These the
colored boys appropriated, each one
providing himself with about rs rounds
each of cartridges, which was most for
tunate for them. Reaching Ripley in
the early morning, the First and Sec
ond Brigades were hastily reorganiZed
and ordered TO continue the retreat on
the Salem road. They had proceeded
but a short time when Forrest made a
determined attack upon the town, soon
obtaining possession of the Salem road
thereby cutting our column in two
leaving Col. Wilkin with his brigade and
the 59th U. S. c. T., and portion of
the 55th U. S. c. T., under command of
Capt. Foster, to retreat on the Salisbury
road Forrest pursued them until La
Grange was reached, and reinfOrcements
arrived from Memphis on the 18th.
During this entire distance the colored
boys formed the rear guard, and were
more or less constantly exchanging
shots with the enemy. having repulsed
one charge of Buford's Cavalry. Col
Wilkin in his report says: Our rear
was occasionally fired upon until long
after dark, but the imperturbable cool
ness and steadiness of the colored
troops under command of Capt. Foster
kept them in check and prevented con-
fusion" The command, as 1t disem-
barked from the cars at Memphis, was
in pitiable condition. Nearly all were
barefooted. some of their feet were bad
ly blistered and, swollen, most had eaten
nothing for three days, and all were
without hats or coats. There was one
glory. however. left to the returning
colored troops. Every man brought
back his gun. This is not the only time
l have seen the colored man meet the
most strenuous requirements of sol
der. The best of our colored regiments
were in every respect as reliable as any
in our grand old army. / am one Of
those who has learned to take pride in
colored soldiers when properly officer
eds. ]. Quinby, Surgeon, 61st Z. S.
& "ff'NftE