Diary of Private W. J. Davidson, May 15, 1863

CAMP 15 MILES NORTH OF JACKSON, MISS.—Another month has passed away since my last writing—a month big with events in the history of the Forty-first Tennessee Regiment, and I regret exceedingly that I have not been able to record the incidents as they occurred, while they were fresh in my mind, and before succeeding eventse ffaced [sic] them from memory. As it is, the reports will be meagre more so than their importance deserves.

During the last week in April, I was in the country foraging (and to that trip I intended to devote at least a page), and, on returning to camp on the evening of the 1st of May, I found the Forty-first in fine spirits, caused by an order to cook up four days' rations and be ready to march by the morning of the 2nd of May. Those who have never been cooped up in a fortified camp for four months, out of the pale of civilization and out of reach of home and friends, living on half rations, with the prospect of having them reduced still lower by the cutting off of future supplies, and in such a climate in summer, can form but an imperfect idea of the joy with which we hailed the prospect of a change of scene. Our happiness was not of a kind to be confined to our bosoms, but found vent in long and oft-repeated cheers and other demonstrations of satisfaction, as we were making our preparations to leave.

It would be impossible now for me to write a correct history of the long and tiresome march from Port Hudson to Jackson, Miss. [Was a soldier ever happy longer than twenty-four hours at a time?] How many of us started with loads heavy enough to break down a mule; how Jack Smith went some distance before he found out he had left his cartridge box, and the laugh we had at his expense; how we trudged along through hot, dusty lanes, panting with heat and thirst, breaking down under the unaccustomed loads, our feet blistered and legs swollen; how on the first day we were refused water by a wealthy Louisiana woman, whose servants kindly offered to sell it to us at twenty-five cents a canteen full; how loth we were, at that time, to drink of the dirty pools by the way-side, but had to. These form some of the incidents of the first day's march of eleven miles. Each succeeding day we suffered an increase of these hardships; our feet became so sore that we could hardly put them to the ground, and many of us threw away our shoes and surplus clothing. We had to make longer marches; our rations gave out, and the heat and dust became almost insufferable; at the same time, we had to keep a sharp lookout for Yankee cavalry; and, to crown our misery, on reaching Osyka, seventy-five miles from Port Hudson, where we expected to take the cars, we found that the railroad had recently been destroyed by a raid under Grierson as far as Brookhaven, except about ten miles, and that we would get no more rations until we got to the latter place. Parched corn and peas, with a little rice, constituted our ration at Osyka; but the next night we succeeded in reaching Magnolia, where we took the cars and rode to Summit, a distance of ten miles. At Summit we were most kindly treated by the ladies, who vied with each other as to who could do the most for us. They fed at least half of the brigade.

We took it afoot to Brookhaven, a distance of twenty miles. Here we boarded the cars for Jackson, where we arrived on Saturday night, after being one week on the route. At Jackson we were allowed to rest all of Sunday, but at five o'clock Monday morning we were ordered under arms without a moment's preparation, and had to start without cooked rations. Many of us left our clothing, thinking that we were only going to move to a more suitable camping-ground, and were not a little surprised when, after marching through Jackson in column of platoons, we turned our faces westward, and it leaked out that we were going to attack the enemy.

We had a hard march, and when the brigade filed into a field near Raymond to camp, the men were too tired to stand in line long enough to "right dress," and every one dropped to rest as soon as halted. I went out foraging here, and was so fortunate as to meet up with some kind ladies, who gave me something to eat and a magnificent bouquet of magnolias, and one also of onions, both of which were very acceptable. At an early hour the next day we were ordered under arms, and formed line of battle on the square at Raymond. About 9 o'clock our forces met the advance of the enemy, some two miles beyond, and the engagement began. At 12 o'clock the Forty-first, which had been held in reserve, was ordered to advance and support the left wing, which was said to be in danger of being flanked by the enemy. We advanced at a quick step, under a broiling sun, through a dusty lane, for nearly a mile, when a courier came up with orders for us to return to town and guard the ordnance. We had hardly reached our destination when a second order came to file off on a road leading to the center. After marching a mile in this direction, another order turned us back to town, which we had hardly reached before we were again ordered to return to the battle-field on the same road. On reaching this point we were formed in line in the center, and then obliqued across a field to the extreme left. Here we piled our knapsacks in a heap and double-quicked a mile and a half. Lieutenant-Colonel Tillman performed a splendid maneuvre under the fire of the enemy's artillery, forming line of battle on the tenth company with great precision of execution and without the least confusion. We then advanced under fire to our position across a field, and gained the edge of the woods in which the enemy was concealed. Captain Ab. Boone's company was thrown out as skirmishers, while we formed along the road in an excellent defensive position. While waiting here for the advance of the enemy, we learned that Captain Boone was killed while deploying his skirmishers. His death cast a momentary gloom over the regiment, but the circumstance was soon forgotten in the excitement of the hour. We remained in position something over an hour, waiting for the enemy's advance, when an order came for the Forty-first to bring up the rear and cover the retreat of the rest of the brigade. It was now ascertained that Gregg's Brigade had been engaged all day, with a force eight or ten times its superior in numbers, and had successfully held it in check until it had orders to quit the field. The task assigned the Forty-first was performed in perfect order, though a Federal battery, on observing the movement, had advanced to within five hundred yards and opened fire on it as it crossed an open field. We fell back to a point four miles from Raymond and eleven from Jackson, where we met General Walker's Georgia Brigade, which had come out to reinforce us. We bivouacked here until the next morning, and then marched and countermarched along the road, expecting the enemy to attack, until five o'clock P.M., when we learned that the Yankees were marching on Jackson in three columns, each of which greatly outnumbered our force. General Gregg now ordered us to make time to this place, or the enemy would beat us there, which we did in four hours, without making a single halt.

Our sufferings during this engagement were such as perhaps few soldiers have endured in this war. The day was unusually hot, and the roads so dusty that we couldn't see our file-leaders on the double-quick. And, to make our misery complete, we had no time to drink the cool water which the ladies of Raymond had brought to the doors and the side-walks, though we were parching with thirst. Our loss in killed and wounded was slight-not exceeding twenty-five-but was heavy for the time we were engaged. We lost them all, except Captain Boone, while crossing the open field in front of the enemy, and it is surprising we escaped so well from a point-blank fire in plain, open view. George Saunders and Billy Floyd were wounded at this point, also Captain John Fly, who was color-bearer. Taken altogether, the behavior of the Forty-first was all that could have been desired. The brunt of the battle was borne by the Third, Tenth, and Fiftieth Tennessee Regiments and the First Tennessee Battalion—all of which sustained a considerable loss. The loss in the whole brigade is estimated at five hundred.

The morning after our arrival at Jackson, rations were issued to us, but, before we had time to cook them, an order came to pack up cooking utensils and get ready to move. I had just gotten a fire started and one skillet of bread down, and I never did an act in my life which cost me a greater effort than it did to throw out that dough, not knowing when I would have a chance to cook again, as the enemy was in a mile and a half, and a bloody battle was expected that day. The rain was pouring down that morning in torrents, and the roads were ankle deep in sticky mud. Notwithstanding all this, we were soon under arms, and marched from the left to the center; then across fields, knee deep in mud, to the extreme right. We heard the artillery booming away on the left as we plodded across the fields, but saw no Yankees. About 12 o'clock we were ordered back to the city to guard the baggage train, but, before getting there, learned that the enemy had possession of the place, and that the army was then retreating. We then changed direction, and filed off on a road leading north, and halted on top of a hill for the rest of the brigade to get before us. On looking back, we saw a column of black smoke rising over the city, caused by the burning of the ordnance stores. I couldn't help a feeling of pity for the helpless women and children, though the citizens had shown us very little sympathy on a previous visit.

The fight, I learn, was a very poor affair after all, as some of our troops broke and ran at the first charge of the enemy, giving them possession of the city almost without a struggle. It would have been folly to have attempted a defense against such superior numbers. We retreated slowly and in good order to a camping-ground seven miles north, where we rested and cooked rations—both of which were sadly needed.

I never saw so many broken-down men as on that evening. The mud and our wet clothing and blankets, together with a day's fasting and a very hard march on the previous night, were too much for us. I had to eat raw, fat bacon, without bread, on that day for the first time in my life.

The next day we made an easy march of eleven miles to a depot ten miles south of Canton; rested here a day, and then took the road again in a south-westerly course for two days, when our progress was checked in that direction by a heavy force of the enemy; were drawn up in line of battle once, but no engagement ensued. We then changed direction, going north one day, then due east to within ten miles of Canton, where we are remaining at present, being allowed a day to rest and clean up.

General J. E. Johnston assumed command of the forces on last Sunday morning, and I think it is his intention to collect an army here from Tennessee and the interior, and fall upon the rear of the enemy engaged in the siege of Vicksburg. The forces are coming in at the rate of three brigades to-day, the 21st.

While marching and counter-marching here in sixty miles of Vicksburg, it is said that our forces have been badly whipped near that place, but this wants confirmation.

SOURCE: Edwin L. Drake, Editor, The Annals of the Army of Tennessee and Early Western History, Vol. 1, p. 166-70

Captain Charles Wright Wills: May 13, 1863

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Lagrange, Tenn.,

May 13, 1863.

I have been on a General Court Martial for the last ten days, and we will not, in all probability, adjourn for some weeks yet. We tried Governor Yates' brother. He is Adjutant of the 6th Illinois Cavalry. Another little reverse on the Rappahannock. All right! My faith is still large — in the army, but the commanders and citizens can be improved. We think that Grant is going to beat them all yet. But his army is more responsible for his good fortune than himself. Do you notice that one of our “raids” missed fire? Straight into Georgia, I mean. Grierson's and Stoneman's make up for all the rest though. We are constantly active here, in fact our troops move so much that I am unable to keep the run of even our brigade.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 175

Captain Charles Wright Wills: May 7, 1863

Camp 103d Illinois Infantry, Lagrange, Tenn.,

May 7, 1863.

Isn't the Grierson "raid" glorious? Two other expeditions started from this point and were gone respectively five and ten days each. Although they made good long marches and took about 40 prisoners and 500 animals, still we forget them in looking after Grierson. We have the Rebels well scared in this country. Five thousand men could sweep everything north of Jackson, if they could only hold it. Papers to-day give us the news on the Rappahannock up to the 4th of May, which includes the route of Siegel's Dutchmen and leaves Hooker in what seems to me a close place. Well, he can at worst but fail. What a consolation. General Oglesby wrote to Hurlbut to detail me on his staff General Hurlbut referred the letter through division and brigade headquarters for the letter of my company and on its return to Hurlbut, General Smith objected to my being detailed out of his command. He thought Oglesby might find his staff in his own command. All right! I would like to have been with Old Dick though. I'm on a General Court Martial now. Confound the Court Martials.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 174-5

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: April 28, 1863

The enemy's raid in Mississippi seems to have terminated at Enterprise, where we collected a force and offered battle, but the invaders retreated. It is said they had 1600 cavalry and 5 guns, and the impression prevails that but few of them will ever return. It is said they sent back a detachment of 200 men some days ago with their booty, watches, spoons, jewelry, etc. rifled from the habitations of the non-combating people.

I saw Brig.-Gen. Chilton to day, Chief of Gen. Lee's Staff. He says, when the time comes, Gen. Lee will do us all justice. I asked him if Richmond were safe, and he responded in the affirmative.

I am glad the Secretary of War has stopped the blockade-running operations of Gen. Winder and Judge Campbell, Assistant Secretary of War. Until to-day, Gen. W. issued many passports which were invariably approved by Judge Campbell, but for some cause, and Heaven knows there is cause enough, Mr. Secretary has ordered that no more passports be granted Marylanders or foreigners to depart from the Confederacy. I hope Mr. S. will not “back down” from this position.

To-day I returned to the department from the Bureau of Conscription, being required at my old post by Mr. Kean, Chief of the Bureau of War, my friend, Jacques, being out of town with a strangury. Thus it is; when Congress meets I am detailed on service out of the department, and when Congress adjourns they send for me back again. Do they object to my acquaintance with the members?

A few weeks ago I addressed the President a letter suggesting that an alphabetical analysis be made of letter and indorsement books, embracing principles of decisions, and not names. This I did for the Bureau of Conscription, which was found very useful. Precedents could thus be readily referred to when, as was often the case, the names of parties could not be recollected. It happened, singularly enough, that this paper came into my hands with forty-nine others to-day, at the department, where I shall wholly remain hereafter. The President seemed struck with the idea, and indorsed a reference on it to the “State, Treasury, War, and Navy Departments,” and also to the Attorney-General. I shall be curious to know what the Secretary thinks of this plan. No matter what the Secretary of War thinks of it; he declined my plan of deriving supplies directly from the people, and then adopted it.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 300-1

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: April 27, 1863

A dispatch from Montgomery, Ala., states that the enemy have penetrated as far as Enterprise, Miss., where we had a small body of troops, conscripts. If this be merely a raid, it is an extraordinary one, and I feel some anxiety to learn the conclusion of it. It is hard to suppose a small force of the enemy would evince such temerity. But if it be supported by an army, and the position maintained, Vicksburg is doomed. We shall get no more sugar from Louisiana.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 300

Diary of John Beauchamp Jones: April 25, 1863

We have bad news from the West. The enemy (cavalry, I suppose) have penetrated Mississippi some 200 miles, down to the railroad between Vicksburg and Meridian. This if in the rear and east of Vicksburg, and intercepts supplies They destroyed two trains. This dispatch was sent to the Secretary of War by the President without remark. The Enquirer this morning contained a paragraph stating that Gen. Pemberton was exchanging civilities with Gen. Sherman, and had sent him a beautiful bouquet! Did he have any conception of the surprise the enemy was executing at the moment? Well, Mississippi is the President's State, and if he is satisfied with Northern generals to defend it, he is as likely to be benefited as any one else.

Gen. Beauregard is urging the government to send more heavy guns to Savannah.

I saw an officer to-day just from Charleston. He says none of the enemy's vessels came nearer than 900 yards of our batteries, and that the Northern statements about the monitors becoming entangled with obstructions are utterly false, for there were no obstructions in the water to impede them. But he says one of the monitors was directly over a torpedo, containing 4000 pounds of powder, which we essayed in vain to ignite.

SOURCE: John Beauchamp Jones, A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital, Volume 1, p. 298-9

Diary of Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle: Saturday, May 16, 1863

We started a little before daylight, our team looking so very mean that we expressed doubts as to their lasting — to Mr Nelson's great indignation.

We breakfasted at another little farmhouse on some unusually tough bacon, and coffee made of sweet potatoes. The natives, under all their misery, were red-hot in favour of fighting for independence to the last, and I constantly hear the words, “This is the most unjust war ever waged upon a people by mortal man.”

At 11 A.M. we met a great crowd of negroes, who had been run into the swamps to be out of the way of the Yankees, and they were now returning to Louisiana.

At 2 P.M. a wounded soldier gave us the deplorable information that the enemy really was on the railroad between Jackson and Brookhaven, and that Jackson itself was in his hands. This news staggered us all, and Nelson became alarmed for the safety of his wretched animals; but we all determined to go on at all hazards and see what turned up.

We halted for dinner at a farmhouse in which were seven virgins seated all of a row. They were all good-looking, but shy and bashful to a degree I never before witnessed. All the young women in this country seem to be either uncommonly free-spoken, or else extremely shy.

The further we went the more certain became the news of the fall of Jackson.

We passed the night in the verandah of an old farmer. He told us that Grierson's Yankee raid had captured him about three weeks ago. He thought the Yankees were about 1500 strong; they took all good horses, leaving their worn-out ones behind. They destroyed railroad, Government property, and arms, and paroled all men, both old and young, but they committed no barbarities. In this manner they traversed all the State of Mississippi without meeting any resistance. They were fine looking men from the Northwestern States.

SOURCE: Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, Three Months in the Southern States: April-June, 1863, p. 100-2

Diary of Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle: Friday, May 15, 1863

I nearly slept round the clock after yesterday's exertions. Mr Douglas and I crossed the father of rivers and landed on the Mississippi bank at 9 A.M.

Natchez is a pretty little town, and ought to contain about 6000 inhabitants. It is built on the top of a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi river, which is about three quarters of a mile broad at this point.

When I reached Natchez I hired a carriage, and, with a letter of introduction which I had brought from San Antonio, I drove to the house of Mr Haller Nutt, distant from the town about two miles.

The scenery about Natchez is extremely pretty, and the ground is hilly, with plenty of fine trees. Mr Nutt's place reminded me very much of an English gentleman's country seat, except that the house itself is rather like a pagoda, but it is beautifully furnished.

Mr Nutt was extremely civil, and was most anxious that I should remain at Natchez for a few days; but now that I was thoroughly wound up for travelling, I determined to push on to Vicksburg, as all the late news seemed to show that some great operations must take place there before long.

I had fondly imagined that after reaching Natchez my difficulties would have been over; but I very soon discovered that this was a delusive hope. I found that Natchez was full of the most gloomy rumours. Another Yankee raid seemed to have been made into the interior of Mississippi, more railroad is reported to be destroyed, and great doubts were expressed whether I should be able to get into Vicksburg at all.

However, as I found some other people as determined to proceed as myself, we hired a carriage for $100 to drive to Brookhaven, which is the nearest point on the railroad, and is distant from Natchez 66 miles.

My companions were a fat Government contractor from Texas, the wounded Missourian Mr Douglas, and an ugly woman, wife to a soldier in Vicksburg.

We left Natchez at 12 noon, and were driven by a negro named Nelson; the carriage and the three horses belong to him, and he drives it for his own profit; but he is, nevertheless, a slave, and pays his owner $4| a-week to be allowed to work on his own account. He was quite as vain as and even more amusing than Tucker. He said he “didn't want to see no Yanks, nor to be no freer than he is;” and he thought the war had already lasted four or five years.

Every traveller we met on the road was eagerly asked the questions, “Are the Yanks in Brookhaven? Is the railroad open?” At first we received satisfactory replies; but at 6 P.M. we met an officer driving towards Natchez at a great pace ; he gave us the alarming intelligence that Jackson was going to be evacuated. Now, as Jackson is the capital city of this state, a great railroad junction, and on the highroad to every civilised place from this, our feelings may be imagined, but we did not believe it possible. On the other hand we were told that General Joseph Johnston had arrived and assumed the command in Mississippi. He appears to be an officer in whom every one places unbounded confidence.

We slept at a farmhouse. All the males were absent at the war, and it is impossible to exaggerate the unfortunate condition of the women left behind in these farmhouses; they have scarcely any clothes, and nothing but the coarsest bacon to eat, and are in miserable uncertainty as to the fate of their relations, whom they can hardly ever communicate with. Their slaves, however, generally remain true to them.

Our hostess, though she was reduced to the greatest distress, was well-mannered, and exceedingly well educated; very far superior to a woman of her station in England.

SOURCE: Sir Arthur James Lyon Fremantle, Three Months in the Southern States: April-June, 1863, p. 98-100

Captain Warren Beckwith

Captain Warren Beckwith, Mt. Pleasant. Enl. Sep. 21, 1861; prom. Adjt. 1st Batt. Dec. 25, 1861; ceased to act (apparently not mustered out) on discontinuance of battalion organization in Sep., 1862; served as "Acting Adjt." of the regt. July to Oct., 1862, and as "Acting Qrmr." from Oct. 1862, to March, 1863. Com. Capt. of C to date Jan. 1, 1863, and mustered in as Capt. May 20, 1863. Remained with the Co. upon Vet. reenlistment, and served in the field to the end of the war. Mustered out with the Co. Wounded in action Nov. 8, 1862, Marianna, Ark. Aide-de-camp on staff of Gen. William Vandever, commanding brigade, July and Aug., 1862. In command of the cavalry of the Provost-Guard at Memphis, Tenn., from Aug. 1 to Dec. 20, 1864; of an expedition to Bankston, Miss., in Grierson's raid from Memphis to Vicksburg, Dec. 1864; and of the 4th Iowa Cav. detachment on expedition to Lake St. Francis, Ark., from Memphis, Tenn., early in Dec., 1864. Sometimes in command of 2d Batt.

Source: William Forse Scott, Roster of the Fourth Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers, 1861-1865, p. 60

Brigadier-General Edward Hatch

SECOND COLONEL, SECOND CAVALRY.

The gallant young Edward Hatch is one of the very best of the Iowa general officers. He was born in Maine, in the year 1832. The town of his nativity, the character of his education, and the date of his removal to Iowa, I have failed to learn. He was a resident of Muscatine, Iowa, as early as 1858, and engaged in the lumber business with a Mr. Fullerton of that city. I regret that I can not give more of his history. In August, 1861, Mr. Hatch was made Major of the 2d Iowa Cavalry. A few weeks later, he was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel of his regiment, and, on the promotion of Colonel Elliott to brigadier-general, in June 1862, he was made colonel. For gallant and meritorious services he was, in the spring of 1864, appointed and confirmed a brigadier-general. He richly earned his promotion; for, from the first, he has been a working, fighting officer.

General Elliott left the 2d Iowa Cavalry soon after the fall of Corinth; and from that date I resume the history of the regiment, first premising that it was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hatch from the time of its arrival before Corinth, Colonel Elliott being in command of the brigade to which it was attached.

Since May, 1862, the regiment's field of service has been principally in Tennessee and in Northern Alabama and Mississippi. A full history of its operations can not be given in the limited space to which I am confined, and I shall therefore allude to only the most important items of its service.

During the summer and fall of 1862, the regiment was attached to the cavalry brigade of the gallant Philip H. Sheridan, and made its head-quarters, a chief portion of the time, near Rienzi, Mississippi. After General Grant's unsuccessful march through Central Mississippi, in November, 1862, the 2d Iowa changed its head-quarters to La Grange, Tennessee. It was from that point the regiment moved out to co-operate with Colonel Grierson, at the time that officer started on his wonderful raid through Mississippi. Much interest attaches to this movement, and I therefore give briefly its antecedents and its results.

"In accordance with previous instructions, [I quote from General Grant's official report] Major-General S. A. Hurlbut started Colonel B. H. Grierson with a cavalry force from La Grange, Tennessee, to make a raid through the central portion of the State of Mississippi, to destroy railroad and other public property, for the purpose of creating a diversion in favor of the army moving to the attack of Vicksburg. On the 17th of April, this expedition started, and arrived at Baton Rouge on the 2d of May, having successfully traversed the whole State of Mississippi. The expedition was skillfully conducted, and reflects great credit on Colonel Grierson and all of his command. The notice given this raid by the Southern press confirms our estimate of its importance."

Colonel Hatch and the 2d Iowa did not accompany Colonel Grierson on this raid, but operated in other quarters, and in conjunction with him, so as to draw the attention of the enemy from the real movement, and thus secure the expedition a sure and unmolested start. For a full account of the part taken by the 2d Iowa in this movement, I can not do better than to give in full the official report of Colonel Hatch:


"Head-Quarters 2d Iowa Cavalry,
La Grange, Tennessee, April 27th, 1863."

“CAPTAIN :

"I have the honor to report: Complying with orders from Colonel Grierson, commanding 1st Cavalry Brigade, left camp with my regiment at La Grange, Tennessee, April 17tb, and marched with the brigade to the neighborhood of Ripley, Mississippi, and camped.

"On the morning of the 18th of April, by order of Colonel Grierson, marched my regiment east of Ripley three miles, thence south-east through Molino, and camped five miles south of that place, skirmishing during the day with Smith's regiment of Partisan Rangers, organized near there at a place known as Chesterville. On the 19th, marched south-west, forming a junction with Colonel Grierson, five miles south of Pontotoc, Mississippi. There Major Love, of my regiment, was detached with a portion of the regiment to return to La Grange, reducing me to about five hundred men.

"On the morning of the 20th, marched with Colonel Grierson thirteen mile south-east of Houston, and camped. On the morning of the 21st of April, complying with Colonel Grierson's order, I moved in rear of his column. At 3 o'clock A. M., left Colonel Grierson at the junction of the roads leading to Louisville, West Point and Columbus, thence to proceed to the railroad at West Point, destroying the railroad-bridge over the Okatibbayhah River, thence to move rapidly southward to Macon, destroying the railroad and government stores, and thence to find my way back north to La Grange, by the most practicable route. For some reason unknown to me, the column did not move till 7 o'clock A. M. This delay, as the following report will show, was fatal to carrying out Colonel Grierson's order.

"At the point Colonel Grierson turned south from the direction I was to travel, a detachment of my regiment moved with him four miles, then marched back to that point to obliterate the tracks of Colonel Grierson going south with the 6th and 7th Illinois Cavalry, which had been concentrating for some days in anticipation of a movement on Columbus. About 12 o'clock, on reaching the town of Palo Alto, I was attacked in rear and on each flank by a force under General Dolsen, consisting of Smith's Partisan Regiment, Bartoe's Regiment and Inge's Battalion. In my front, between me and West Point, was an Alabama Regiment, recently from Pensacola, with artillery — my front being well protected by the Hooka River. In the attack made by the enemy, a company in the rear was cut off and nearly all taken. The enemy then closed in on my flank, and advanced in two lines upon my rear, with two flags of truce flying, enabling him to approach very close, my command being at that time in a lane, with high fences and hedges upon either side, my men dismounted and well covered. Changing my front to the rear, I waited until the enemy were close upon me, and opened with my rifles and one two-pounder from the front, and with carbines on the flanks, breaking his lines, driving him back, pushing him about three miles, capturing arms and horses, and re-taking the company that was lost in the first attack. From that time until it was dark, it was a constant skirmish, the enemy having taken mine for the main column. Believing it was important to divert the enemy's cavalry from Colonel Grierson, I moved slowly northward, fighting by the rear, crossing the Hooka River, and drawing their force immediately in my rear.

"On the 22d, marched north near the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, the enemy continuing to follow, their forces augmented by all the citizens in the country, armed with shotguns and hunting-rifles, firing constantly on our flank. At 4 o'clock, P. M., attacked Okalona, driving out the enemy's cavalry and State forces, burning the barracks for five thousand men, and destroying stores and ammunition. I then marched north-west five miles, and camped.

"On the 23d, marched north, and hearing that Chalmer's forces intended cutting me off, I destroyed the bridge over the Chivoppa Creek, to check the forces following me in the rear. Camped that night near Tupelo. On the 24th, marched north through Birmingham, where I was attacked in the rear by what I believe to be Chalmer's forces. At 10 o'clock, A. M., my ammunition giving out, I retreated slowly towards Molino, stopping occasionally to repel their charges, concealing my men at all favorable points with the two-pounder, which did excellent service. I waited till the enemy were nearly on me, when I opened a fire at short range, the enemy suffering terribly, with small loss to me. In this way the attack was kept up for six miles, when the enemy was evidently tired, and with the exception of annoyance from guerrilla parties, we were not troubled by the enemy from that point to La Grange, where I arrived on the 26th.

"We captured about three hundred shot-guns and rifles, mostly Enfield, which for want of transportation were destroyed, and had but ten men killed, wounded and missing. I left camp with seventy rounds of ammunition, and had two on reaching it. I had decided, on reaching Okalona, to go south, but, upon examining my ammunition, I had but twenty-one rounds left, which did not warrant the movement. The fight at Palo Alto gave the enemy time to guard the railroad at West Point, and to prepare for an attack on Columbus, with some two thousand State troops, under General Ruggles.

"I left camp with two hundred and fifty horses: worn out for want of proper and sufficient forage, they broke down at the end of the second day, and I mounted my men upon the mules from my train and borrowed mules. I have nearly mounted my regiment, returned the mules borrowed, and filled up my train, captured fifty prisoners and killed and wounded not less than one hundred of the enemy.

“The fight at Palo Alto, diverting the enemy from Colonel Grierson, has, undoubtedly, given him thirty-six hours' start."


The raid of Colonel Grierson, to which the operations above detailed were collateral, ranks among the first of the war, for daring and success; but the "Patriotism of Illinois" is not impartial in declaring that the entire credit of the affair belongs to Illinois officers. Had not Colonel Hatch, by his maneuvering and hard fighting, diverted the attention of the enemy's cavalry, the result would doubtless have been different. But it is true that the movement filled the enemy with consternation. At the time this handful of Federal troops was sweeping down through Mississippi, Porter was running the Vicksburg Batteries, and McClernand was gathering his corps on the west bank of the river below the city. The combination of movements filled the enemy with amazement, and for several days it was said they stood and looked on with wonder, not knowing what points were most threatened, and most in need of defense. Those who joined Grant's forces on the final Vicksburg Campaign, and who were afforded the opportunity of reading the rebel papers picked up at Raymond, Clinton, and at other points along the route, will remember how great the alarm had been: they will also remember how poor Pemberton was belabored for having allowed "this handful of thieving Yanks to pass unmolested under his very nose."

The 2d Iowa's next move of importance was that made to Jackson, in pursuit of Forest, about the middle of July, 1863. It was on this march, and while charging through the city of Jackson, that Lieutenant John Humphreys was severely wounded. This, considering the numbers engaged, was a gallant affair. One incident of the fight is thus given by Major, afterward Colonel Coon : " In one place, the contest was so close between Company M and a superior force of Forest's men, that one man, named H. H. Bromer, had a hand-to-hand fight, after exhausting all the weapons in his hands.

The 2d Iowa Cavalry re-enlisted as a veteran regiment in the winter of 1863-4, and came North. Afterward, it returned to Memphis, from which point it marched on the expeditions of Sturgis and Smith against Forest; but an account of these operations will be found elsewhere.

Much of the time since promoted to a general officer, General Hatch has commanded a cavalry division. He distinguished himself in resisting Hood's advance into Tennessee, and, especially, in the part he took in routing the rebel forces at Nashville.

The general has a handsome person and an agreeable address. He is about five feet eleven inches in hight, has dark hair and eyes, and, if I am rightly informed, possesses great energy and determination. He is dignified if the occasion requires it, and yet, he can crack a joke and tip a beer-mug with the best of them.

SOURCE: Addison A. Stuart, Iowa Colonels and Regiments, p.571-6