The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1912-06-20
War Recollections
The Battle OF Days Gap
By A. T, Scrugss

iHS JuSl etllCl SuuilSC, Oul ltSl-
nent being in front to the best of
my recollection, we saw the smoke
ascen ling In our front from be-
hind a grove of trees. Satisfied
that the Yankees had halted and
that this smoke was from their
camp fires, our command was
stopped and two pieces of twelve
poun artillery was rushed for
ward and opened up on the enc
my. They fired two or three
.rolnds ofshell amongst them when
the negroes who the Yankees had
picked up on the route, began
rushing out and came screaming
and stampedimg by us to place of
safety in the rear. Many of them
Were women and children. Some
OF mammys" had their heads
wrapped up in colored cloth and
with babies in their arms rushed
by frightenen nearly to death.
Meantime our company was dis
mounted and thrown out as skir-
mishers ON the left. We moved
UP 0ver the motla,ain for half a.
fin. f,i..: III more ard then marched
back to our horses. We mounted
our horses and forwarded. The
Yankees had left the place where
they were eating their breakfast
and had gone on the road further
up the mountain. They had left
the ground covered with provls-
r,,,,e. their cooking utensils on the
fire showing a hurried flight.
Two wagons. right in the center
of the road, were blazing. We
Followed ON at galiep after the
enemy. We went about kaat .
mile at this pace when we MeFe
halted and thrown into line. Here
the artillery passed by to our left
and took position about 100 yards
a little left OF our front. The guns
opened up on the unseen enemy
and almost Immediately our COM
inand was ordered forward,
mounted. We had not gone over
200 yards until we came in sight of
the Yankee skirmish line, on foot,
who opened fire on us at once, to
which we replied advancing.
Strange to say this skirmishs. line
of the enemy was in rear of their
main line, which was lying in am
bush, completely concealed by the
huckleberry bushes. Our atten-
ton being concentrated on the
skirmishers, great was our sur
prise when the main line imme-
diate1y in our front not over so
yards distant, rose to their knees
and delivered crushing and muir
derous fire in our very faces. Our
men were thrown into some dis
order by the unexpected volley
and sustained heavy loss, being
forced to fall back. ] remember
the following persons who fell on
that occrsion; killed, James De
Woody, Napoleon Dunlap, wound
ed, John Miller, John Laird, RobtS
Rapper, (called Johnny,) William
Mackey, Martin Hall. We fell
back about 800 yards and dis
mounted. As we fell back Gen
Forrest was sitting on his horse
by the artillery, accompanied by
Gen Roddy and few of his staff.
Forrest was very much excited,
using a good many cuss words in
attempting to rally the men to
support the artillery and keep the
Yankees from capturing the can
non, but in this he failed as the
retreating soldiers were not stop
ped until they had gone back 50
far that the Yankees rushed for
ward and captured both guns.
After dismounting we were form
ed in line any started forward re-
tracing our steps over the ground
Meantime the Yankees had fallen
back and retired from the field
so we failed to find any Yankees,
after marching a half mile or more.
Finding the enemy had gone we
were ordered back to our horses.
We marched to a little hollow and
fed our horses the first feed they
had had in "a hours. 1t was now
nearly night and we marched to
near a little town called Danville
and canped for the night. A de-
tail was sent back to bury the
~ W .