The National tribune., 1910-04-28

motive in our front The train was
headed off and captured, the coaches
set on fire and destroyed.
We were then within few miles of
Grenada. and a final disposition made
to capture the town. The rebels dis
puted the passage of the river, and a
short artillery duel was kept up. Final
IL the 9Th III. Cav. and Sd Mich. Cav.
crossed and went into the town from
tke west. capturing some 60 prisoners,
among them Maj. Chalmers. After cap
turing the town (after sundOWn) the
9Th Cav. hitched their horses in the
public square, and we began to forage
for something TO eat, leaving guard
to watch our horses.
The rebels found that they could not
hold the town, so they set fire to the
railroad bridge and left. Our forces
being thus unable to move the rolling
stock, set fire to it, and burned some
50 locomotives and about zoo cars.
while We were hunting something to
eat a rebel from the hospital united a
= Co. G horse and tried to escape. but our
Quartermaster-Serge captured the
lad, whose name was =. II. Corgan. He
had lived in southern Illinois, but had
gone South before the war, became
oyerseer of a large plantation, and had
Joined a Mississippi regiment.
We recrossed the river by the light of
the burning cars. and went into camp
on the north side of the river, where
we remained during the next day. We
got from our prisoner the number Of
soldiers in and around Grenada and the
names of the different officers and regi-
ments.
Foraging for Horses and Mules.
morning or two after we had start
ed on our return an order came to our
regiment for detail Of men to forage
for horses and mules l went with this
detail which consisted Of Is men in
charge Of Lieut.. L. L. Shattuck. We
met with good success. and finally re-
turned TO the main road, and found in
passing thru Seuatobia that we were
about four hours behind our forces and
with about 800 rebel cavalry between
us and them.
We went about a mile beyond the
town. then struck OF thru the woods,
where in about two miles We found a
road parallel with the one we were on
and came TO the Coldwater.
On the opposite side were several
paroled rebel soldiers. one Of whom. a
Captain, gave directions where to cross
10 avoid the floating logs. ] plunged
unto the river with my horse. followed
by one Of the boys. and got across safe
j.. The others did not venture. Lieut..
Shattuck ordered my comrade (Charley
Keitch) and myself to strip and swim
&c horses across, while he and the re
inainder would cross on the driftwood
a little distance above.
We had all the horses over but one
The boys we're coming along the river
bank. having safely crossed. l was
bringing over the last horse, and when
j was about halfway across he turned
about and swan back with me. The
Lieutenant shouted TO me to strip off
the bride and let him go. When had
reached about the middle Of the river
] heard the rebel yell on the side had
just left Jackson's cavalry had come
and dividing in two lines, one line GO
ing up and the other down the river
bank. firing and yelling like so many
devils
The boys on the bank fell back be-
hind trees and beyond range. Our
horses being in plain sight were nearly
all killed by the first firing of the reb,
els. / swan for dear life, and had
nearly reached shore before they seem
ed TO observe me. l succeeded in reach
ing the shore, but in the excitement had
hoated below the ford and the bank
was quite steep and slippery. I tried
to ascend, but kept slipping back
The river was about 100 feet wide
and the rebels, about $50 of them, had
nothing left to shoot at but me- Nv
scrambling seemed to draw their fire
and the bullets struck the mud all
firing and order me to surrender, but
they seemed TO be after my life
! finally reached the top of the bank
without a scratch. I saw one of our
rifles which one of our boys had left
and found 1t was loaded with five
rounds, being a Colts revolving rife.