Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-11-14
AROUND THE
CAMPO S. N
80
BRAVERY SHOWN AT TUPEL0
Ordered to Make Observations
of Movements of Enemy.

After the GuntoWn affair and 4. J
Smiths Red River expedition the
army was consolidated and sent again
into Mississippi, where we found For
rest at POltoJoc. After q short Skin
mish we drove him out, and camped
for two nights and one day on the
OkOIona road. We started before day
light on the second day for Tupelo,
Miss. The First brigade (MclIilIen's)
in advance, with the Seventy-second
Ohio ii the lead. We soon heard fir
ing in the rear, as Forrest saw we
were stealing a march on him and
had engaged our rear guard.
We marched fast until 200 p. M,
when we were ordered to halt We
pulled out to one side of the road,
stacked arms and let the army pass.
We fell in at the rear to relieve the
troops that had been fighting nearly
all day. In less than fifteen minutes
they attacked US on the flank, wound
ing one Of our men and killing one OF
the battery horses. We charged them
with the bayonet, and they let US
alone for the balance of the day.
About ten O'Clock that night we ar
rived on the field, and the boys had
thrown up breastwcrks We of the
First brigade marched in the center
as supports. Next morning about
three o'clock the ball was opened.
They threw shells among US, and one
Of the shells exploded about ten feet
from our left and near the right of
the One Hundred and Fourteenth Hi
nois, killing three men Of the One
Hundred and Fourteenth. II gave me
a good scare, as l was only a few feet
from the One Hundred and Four
teenth. The Sixth Indiana battery
opened up, and soon put the rebel
guns out of commission. The rebels
made a charge and were repulsed with
heavy loss. About 200 D. m they
made another charge, and were also
repulsed with like results. During the
night they made q third attack on our
left, and we're Tepulsed for the third
time. On the morning Of the second
day they tried it again, but could
make no imnC2ssiOn On our line, and
were again driven back About eleven
o'clock the First brigade was ordered
to the front to relieve some of the
troops on the left front, expecting
they would make another charge. but
they failed to come.
About one o'clock the general or
dered our colonel to send a few men
to a cotton gin that stood midway be-
IL
rebels were doing. I and a boy of
our company, named Fred Visher, IN
deTtoOk the job, writes Michael Beck
ley Of Tifhn, Ohio, in the National
Tribune. They opened on US two boys
with their artillery, when they saw US
coming, but we got to the gin all right,
and took shelter behind the large
beam that every cotton gin has, and
from there could see the whole rebel
army formed in line, expecting that
our army would make a charge. They
trained their artillery on the gin, ard
knocked roof and rafters down upon
us, but luckily the upright post stood,
and it afforded US protection
After the smoke had cleared away
We pG6pGu out anu saw the ISD0tSy
with two officers riding up and down
their lines, excitedly giving orders.
They would stop occasionally and take
their field glasses and look us over as
if we were a whole army. I told my
partner that the man on the white
horse was Forrest, and that when
they made the charge I would attend
to him. He was to take the officer on
the black horse. We were waiting
and watching for them to come, and
II they had I don't believe that Forrest
would have lived to bother anyone
after that. We were in that gin about
two and half hours before We could
venture out We were reprimanded
for not reporting sooner, but it simply
meant death to try to get back to
our lines before.
The next day our army fell back,
and the Seventy second Ohio brought
up the rear. The march was a pretty
hot one for US, but we took care OF
Forrest all right after that.