The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-09-19
IUKA FIFTY YEARS AGO.

IUKA FIFTY YEARS AGO.
The Battle of Iuka, Miss, was fought
on Friday, September 1862 Fifty years
ago to-day. Major General Stirling Price
of Missouri commanded the Confederate
troops and Major Generals U. S. Grant
and William Stark Rosecrans were the
Federal commanders.
Gen. Price had been ordered to cross the
Tennessee River to reinforce Gen. Bragg
army in Middle Tennessee, and it was not
his intention to fight at 1uka. He began
his march from Guntown on Iuka on the
18th with his army. His cavalry, under
Brigadier General Frank C. Armstrong
promoted from colonel of the Third Lou
isiana Infantry arrived before the fortified
town early on Friday morning, the 18th.
when the Federal outpost on the Guntown
road were driven into their Entertainments
by detachment of the Bossier Cavalry
under command of Third Lieutenant A. M.
Afford, in which action the only casualty
was }. l.. Boone, Of Bellevue, killed. The
infantry and artillery arrived at shutdown
on the 18th. The Federals at that time only
about $500 strong, commanded by Col.
Robert G.. Murphey, had, however, evac-
uated the place during Friday night, aban-
doning very large amount of valuable
army stores, all of which fell into the hands
OF Armstrong; cavalry Saturday morning,
and were safely brought away by Prices
army when it left Iuka on the Goth.
The Confederates held Iuka undisturbed
until about 2 80 on the 10Th, and were on
the eve Of taking up their line of march to
unite with Major General Earl Van Dorn's
army then advancing on Corinth, when
they we're attacked by much larger force.
The battle was fought within mile of the
town on the San Jacinto road, Company F
shreveport Rangers) Captain William
Kinney commanding, firing the first gun.
The fight, says Generl Price in his official
report was waged with severity I have
never seen surpassed. The brunt Of
the battle fell upon Hebert's Brigade, and
nobly did it sustain it, and worthily of its
accomplished commander and the brigade
which numbers among its forces the ever
glorious Third Louisiana, the Third Texas
Dismounted Cavalry and Whitfield Texas
Legion. Brave men were never more
bravely commanded"
Hebert's and Martins brigades carried
on the unequal contest not only success
fully but gloriously until the darkness OF
night finally staid their triumphant prog
ress, when the division bivouacked upon
the field of battle. They drove the enemy
from every position distance of more than
800 yards, capturing nine pieces of artil-
lery and taking fifty prisoners. During
the battle Brigadier General Henry Little,
brave Marylander, commanding the First
Division, was instantly killed, and Colone
Mabry, commanding the Third Texas anc
Lieutenant Colonel Jerome B. Gilmore o.
Shreveport, commanding the Third Lou.
isiana, were severely wounded.
1t was Gen. Prices intention to renew
the battle the next morning and he hac
made his dispositions according, but hav
ing ascertained toward morning that tn.
enemy had by means of the two railroads
massed against him a greatly superior
force, and knowing that his position wa
such that battle would endanger tn,
safety of his trains, he determined to ad
here to his original purposes and to maxi
the movement upon which he had alread,
agreed with Gen. Van Dorn-to advance
on Corinth. The wagon trains having
been put in motion, the Confederates with
drew from the battlefield little befor
sunrise Saturday morning, the enem
manifesting no desire to renew the blood
conflict and firing only a few shots at tn
cavalry rear guard. About 2 p. M, Will
halted about eight miles from luke tn
pursuing enemy was drawn into an am
buscade, admirably planned and execute
by General Armstrong, Colonel Roger
and Captain Bledsoe. They received tn
fire Of the Second Texas Sharpshooters
of Bledsoe's Battery, with canister at shol
range; were charged by McCullock's Mis-
souri, Cavalry, and were utterly routed
During the remainder of the march t
Baldwin. on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
they ventured within range no more.