Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Friday, May 23, 1862

Captain McKnight, I, and ten others, went out to Burnsville on a scout. We met, about two and a half miles from Burnsville, two of Beauregard's scouts. They told Captain McKnight that they had seen, early that morning, about five hundred Federal cavalry eight miles beyond Burnsville. After starting a dispatch back to Colonel McNairy, we went on to Burnsville. We had been there only a short time when the enemy came in sight. Their advance guard, about fifty, made a dash at us as though they were bent on our capture. They followed us about two and a half miles almost at full speed. As we were well mounted we all made our escape. They fired a few shots at us, but we escaped without injury. I do not now remember of being in another such race during the war. About two miles further we found our battalion in ambush. In a short time McCulloch's Battalion, with one six-pounder, came up. Expecting the Federals were advancing, and finding a favorable position within about three miles of Burnsville, McCulloch's Battalion and a part of ours were deployed in battle line, while the other portion of our battalion (with McKnight's Company in front) moved on to meet the enemy. Going about one mile further, we halted and formed in ambush, while a small squad went on in search of the enemy. Going on to Burnsville, and finding the enemy had fallen back, we all returned to Jacinto a little before dark.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 170-1

Diary of 2nd Sergeant Richard R. Hancock: Thursday, May 29, 1862

After returning to Jacinto and cooking three days' rations, our battalion moved down to within one mile of Booneville, where our wagons had been stationed since we took quarters in the vacant houses of Jacinto, May 5th. We heard that the Federals were marching down east of Jacinto, in the direction of Booneville, but we thought that that must be a false report. Corinth was evacuated that night.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 172

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Sunday, May 4, 1862

The battalion went back to the railroad, and after learning that the Federals had gone back and were encamped about six miles north of the railroad, we turned south, going through Jacinto, the county seat of Tishamingo, and went into camps two miles from town, in an old sage field. Jacinto is nine miles from Burnsville.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 167

Diary of Private Richard R. Hancock: Monday, May 5, 1862

After cooking three days' rations, we struck tents and loaded our wagons. The wagons were sent to Booneville, twelve miles from Jacinto, on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. McNairy moved his men back to Jacinto, and quartered them in the various unoccupied houses. Allison's Company had splendid quarters in the court-house. Two scouts were sent out, one to Burnsville, the other to Glendale, six miles west of the former place, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Found no Federals. We remained at Jacinto for some days, scouting and picketing.

SOURCE: Richard R. Hancock, Hancock's Diary: Or, A History of the Second Tennessee Confederate Cavalry, p. 167

Diary of Private Daniel L. Ambrose: Sunday, October 25, 1863*

Gen. Sherman's command for the last week has been thronging Corinth, and moving on towards Iuka. Marching orders is now the cry in camp. Four o'clock P. M. we are in the saddle with three days' rations. General Dodge's entire command is now in motion. Our regiment moves on the road leading through Jacinto, Mississippi, to Iuka. Nine o'clock in the evening we go into camp at Jacinto.

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* Possibly Sunday, October 25th. This is an undated paragraph at the beginning of a new chapter, previous to this was the entry for Saturday, October 24th, and the next entry is for Monday, October 26th. So this is either a continuation of the entry for the 24th, a new entry for the 26th, or a remembrance placed at the head of the chapter to keep the reader up to day of the movements of the 7th Illinois Infantry. — Your Blog Editor

SOURCE: Daniel Leib Ambrose, History of the Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry, p. 200