MOSCOW, July 14,
1862.
General HALLECK:
Yesterday one of our forage trains, guarded by fifty
cavalry, was fired on by a party that immediately fled, having killed 1 man and
wounded 3 of ours. The attacking party was composed of horsemen, but their
dress was not clearly seen in the ambush. I believe they were citizens hastily
called together to fire on the train as it was returning loaded, and have sent
a strong party to bring in twenty-five of the most prominent of the vicinity,
each with a horse, saddle and bridle, whom I wish to send to La Grange and
thence under guard to Columbus by to-morrow's train. I am satisfied we have no
other remedy for this ambush firing than to hold the neighborhood fully
responsible, though the punishment may fall on the wrong parties. The scene of
the occurrence was seven miles out, south of Wolf River, and two miles and a
half from where I have a regiment on picket.
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major-General.
SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of
the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series II, Volume
4 (Serial No. 117), p. 211
