The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-26

lHc izlsS ana traded with the people
along the Coldwatcr and Tallahatchic
Rivers and always stopped at Point
Lehorc and Williams Landing, ny
Greenwood was then called.
Cntil the Mississippi Central Rail-
ROAD was built Greenwood was one of
the most important shipping points on
the river. Tho country in all dlrec-
tons was settled and cleared into a
splendid agricultural section, abound
Ing in those products called necessary
10 the maintenance OF It's people and
its armies.
Sherman Meets Defeat.
During tho winter Of 1862, after tho
iailure Of Generals Van Dorm and
Pricc TO drive General Grants army
out OF their works about Corinth, those
confederate officers retrcated along the
AiississipDi Central Railroad from Hol-
~ Springs, moving southwark. Grant
lclioWed with an army estimated at
$4,000 men. The Confederate force
was reported ut $4,000. vicksburg was
Grants objective point. General Shcr-
man was detached from the Federal
army and without weakening the
torce. moving south, was ordered from
Memphis b. the Mississippi River 10
Nicksburs. lie landed december -
ana In cndeavoring to get In rear OF
that city he fought the battle of
Chickasaw Bayou. General stephen H.
Lee WIN zboo Confedcratcs, gave him
very disastrous repulse.
division Of Shcrman's army under
Major-Gcneral McClornand. was or
oered to move through the YaZoo pas.
ana through Caldwater and Taliahat-
chic RiVefs into Yazoo. and thus take
Nicksburs from the rear. The Yagoo
Pass was formerly bayou that
brought the mississippi and Coldwater
rivers near together. y lcvce had been
.
the country against the annual rise in
the mississippi This was blown up
ana an immense volume of water pour
ihE through the pass added To the high
vac already in the Coldwatcr made am
overflow OF every stream, lake and
bayou In that portion Of the delta.
"A company Of Mississippi cavalry
estate troops), Known as Princes Com
panY. was the only organized body OF
soldiers to resist the movement OF this
meet of gunboats. mortar boats and
transports we'll equipped for such n
movement. Captain Princes company
made up OF Carroll and Sunfiower
county men. was watching throughout
This section. When the Federal ad-
Vances reached the plantation OF Cen
crai James l.. Acorn on the pass. this
company, thinking 1t a scouting party.
attacked the advance very vigorously
ana FOUND an organized army to fight
several or the company were wounded
ana few were captured who were
unhurt, The wounded were taken care
81 by General Aicorn. and as they re-
covered sufficiently TO travel were as
sistei 10 making their way TO their
homes.
OF those who were wounded and left
10 be nursed at the Alcorn Place / re-
call william Beatty, j. r. Sole. Charles
ohadwick, Kinds McCarroIl and Others
whom ! have forgotten. of those were
taken with the feet as prisoners when
- moved PACK into the Mississippi la
Ter WAS John e.. Reeve who had for
several years been oper; Ing a steam
boat on the Yazoo. On the VOYAGE to-
ward Memphis he undertook to es
cape one night b. plunging into tho
river. lie was never heard of, and it
was supposed that he WAS drowned.
McClernand's movement began about
February /. 1868. The pass and Cold
water had been blockadcd b. fellint,
large trees into their channels. and
The progress Of the fleet was very
slow Al every end of the river !;
new difficulty presented itself.
Stnr of the West ScuttIcd.
The reported number OF troops
aboard tho different vessels. was about
$4,000. The rivers were overaowinr
everywhere. and the troops were kent
on the boats. Whenever few brayed
Inc water over the country some squad
or Confederatcs. concealed In the cane
greeted them with CALLING fire The
usual destruction OF private propertv
and taking away of everything noy
able was practiccd by the Yankees
mere was sickness among their men.
ana many new-made graves were found
on high places along tho banks Dur
ing 1866 these graves wore opened and
the bodies removed to the cemetery at
Nicksburg.
WIN IL Was known that this effort
would be made General Loring, with
ms division and other troops was or
dcrcd 10 Greenwood that he might in
tercept the feet and prevent it from
possessing the YaZoo. Among other
precautions taken WAS the scuttlinG
and sinking OF the Star OF the West
in the channel OF the Tallahatchie R!v-
er. This history OF this large steamer
is familiar to all the older people and
has been published so often ana com
mcntcd upon that ii ought to be fan!i-
liar to even the school children Of
this day.
During the early days OF April the
feet was In sight of Fort Pemberton.
The surrounding country was so com
pleteiy inundated that General Me
Clernands Infantry could not land and
have dry land to move on. Tile lead
ing Eunboats Chillicothc and DE kalb
i'atiHs tHe squadron, opened hre upon
the fort. There was no preliminary
skirmishing by pickets. no feeling
their way by gunboats. The lombard
ment was begun and kept up Nigor-
ously and responded to as vigorously
by the heavy guns OF the fort. The
guns OF the fort were we'll aimed, and
the shot and shells Of tho cnemy's
guns sped high above and far beyond
tho fort. blowing up great holes in
the Scales place and other fields across
the iazoo from the fort.
y part of General Maury's division %
Confederates camped and fortified the
high points ut and near whore Fort
Ioring is now. an effort was made
ty brigade of Blue infantry to flank
Fort Pembcrton by landing below the
race track and cutting way through
the swamp in the rear OF the Cureton
place, now Fort Loring. They were very
soon plunged into deep water and had
TO return. The swamp was full of Con-
fcderatc scouts, in durouts ana small
exits and concealed in tho cane thick
cts they annoyed the squads and com
panies Of Yankees to such extent that
they always hurried back TO their
quarters on the boats in the river.
The commandment was continued
from day to day. the boats receiving
no aid whatever from tho infantry. The
Confederate infantry was also power
less 70 give assistance to the garri-