The 1865 Skirmishes of the 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Calvary
This is a long post but has some fun information about the everyday military action that Moses Woodington and his brother, Jonathan, may have been involved in. They were in Company L of the 2nd Regiment of the Wisconsin Calvary, assigned to serve in the 3rd Brigade of the Calvary. These excerpts are from the Cornell University Library Making of America series, made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Several volumes of Civil War reports and correspondence has been published and has been scanned and uploaded here. This information is from Volume 49. Because of the OCR scanning process, some words did not convert accurately. I have corrected what I could do accurately; I left some misspellings where I did not know with certainty what the words should be.
MARCH 311, 1865.Expedition from Memphis, Tenn., into Northern Mississippi. REPORTS.
No. 1.Col. John P. C. Shanks, Seventh Indiana Cavalry, commanding expedition.
No. 2.Limit. Co]. Hugh Cameron, Second Arkansas Cavalry, commanding First Brigade.
No. 3.Lient. Col. Abel H. Seley, Fifth Illinois Cavalry.
No. 4.Col. Hasbrouck Davis, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade.
No. 5.Capt. Oliver Grosvenor, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry.
No. 6. Maj. Newton De Forest, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, commanding Third Brigade
Page 76
76 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA. No. 1.
Report of Col. John P. C. Shanks, Seventh Indiana Cavalry, commanding expedition. HDQS. CAVALRY DIVISION, DIST. of WEST TENNESSEE, Memphis, Tenn., March 22, 1865. Maj. W. II. MORGAN, Assistant Adjutant~ General: MAJOR: I have the honor to forward report of Col. J. P. C. Shanks, commanding detachment of division on a recent expedition into Northern Mississippi. Particular attention is called to the part of his report referring to the good conduct of the men of his command during the expedition. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, E. D. OSBAND, Col. Third U. S. Colored Cav., Comdg. Cav. Div., Dist. of West Tenn. IIDQRS. FIRST BRIG., CAV. DIV., DIST. OF WEST TENN., Camp Shanks, Memphis, Tenn., March 15, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report the following as my action while in command of the recent expedition into North Mississippi: In pursuance of orders from division headquarters I marched with the serviceable part of the First Brigade at 6 a. m. of the 3d instant, with two days rations in haversacks and 100 rounds carbine and twenty-five rounds pistol ammunition, and one mule and pannier for each twenty men to carry five days rations from point on railroad thereafter to be designated. At 9 a.m. I was ordered by Col. E. D. Osband, commanding division, to take command of detachments from First, Second and Third Brigades and move them to Germantown, with orders to leave 100 men from Second Wisconsin at Whites Station [NOTE: White’s Station was a railroad station just east of Memphis that was owned by the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, the first railroad to connect the east coast and the Mississippi River.], and during march to watch all movements in vicinity of Memphis and Charleston Railroad. These orders obeyed, I camped at Germantown at 3 p. m., First Brigade on south, Second Brigade on north, Third Brigade on west of ___ town~ posted 4 guards at all the houses inhabited. This and the two days previous it rained without ceasing. Distance marched, fifteen miles. At 4 p. m. Colonel Osband arrived on train with forage. March 4, called camp at 5 a.m.; remained in camp until 5 p.m., when train arrived with rations and additional forage. At 5 p.m. Lieutenant Colonel Funke, commanding Third Brigade, was ordered to return to Memphis with detachments Eleventh Illinois and Third U. S. Colored Cavalry. At 6 p.m., one days forage and ten days rations having been issued, five of which were in packs and five in haversacks, I marched from Germantown on the Collierville road in command of the expedition. My command consisted of the following detachments:
First Brigade, commanded by Lt. Col. Hugh Cameron,
Second Arkansas Cavalry Second Arkansas, Captain O’Brien commanding, 300 men; Fifth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Seley commanding, 348 men;
Seventh Indiana, Major Simonson commanding, 370 men. Total, 37 officers and 1,018 men.
Second Brigade, Col. II. Davis, Twelfth Illinois, commanding Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, 228 men; First Iowa Cavalry, Colonel Thompson commanding, 471 men; Eleventh New York Cavalry, 295 men. Total, 38 officers and 994 men.
Third Brigade, Maj. Newton De Forest, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, commanding Second Wisconsin Cavalry, Maj. M. W. Wood commanding, 393 men; Fourth Illinois Cavalry, Capt. A. T. Search commanding, 267 men. Total, 660 men
Page 77 EXPEDITION INTO NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI.
My command consisted of officers and 2,672 men armed and equipped. I camped one mile southeast of Collierville at 9 p.m. on the Widow Browns farm. Distance traveled, nine miles. Second Brigade in advance this day. March 5, called camp at 5 a.m.; marched at 7, Third Brigade in advance, Second Wisconsin in advance of brigade. Advance and provost guards from this regiment. Fine country, but no farming being done. Detached squads on roads right and left. Forage scarce, but secured enough. Heard of the enemy in our advance giving notice of our approach. At Mount Pleasant their number increased to ten. Soon after passing this place the advance drove this squad hurriedly across Coldwater, swimming their horses after them. Major De Forest led this movement and relieved the command of these advertisers. Camped one mile southeast Lamar Station, on Mississippi Central Railroad, at 6 p.m., on farm of A. C. Treadwell. Distance marched, twenty-four miles. March 6, called camp at 4 a.m. and marched at 6. Order of march: First Brigade, Second Brigade, Third Brigade, Second Arkansas being in advance, and the advance and provost guard furnished by this regiment. This day bridges gone. Roads continue rough, much washed, and streams and low ground muddy. Reached Salem at 10 a.m. No information of our approach. I here learned that Colonel Crossland, in command of troops from Kentucky on their way to West Point to join Forrest, had reached Ripley two days previous, and with a possibility that they had not moved on, as they were looking for re-enforcements. This command was variously estimated at from 500 to 2,000. I moved promptly to intercept him, and was entering the town of Ripley with my column before noticed by the few soldiers found there. The advance, thrown forward [into] the town, led by Captain Moore, acting aide, caught most of the soldiers there, who were only a conscripting band. Colonel Crossland had marched southward thirty-six hours before my arrival, his command consisting of 300 cavalry. The latter portion of this day’s march was through a pine country. Forage very scarce. I camped the First and Second Brigades in an excellent position on southwest side of town, the Third Brigade on northwest, controlling roads on which troops would enter from Kentucky or Tennessee. Command got forage except a portion of the Third Brigade. I distributed the country for scouting and foraging among the several brigades. To the Third Brigade I assigned Salem, Sanisbury, Nubbin Ridge, or Pocahontas, and Ruckersville roads, with territory included; to the First Brigade (reduced by sending Fifth Illinois to railroad) the Booneville, Guntown, and Baldwyn roads; to the Second Brigade the Cotton Gin (or Kelleys), New Albany, Oxford, and lower Salem roads. I sent scouts on all the roads above mentioned from fifteen to twenty- five miles. On the Oxford road to Holly Springs Crossing, fourteen miles. On Albany road to New Albanya portion of this scout swam the Tallahatchie at New Albany in pursuit of a sqnad of rebels. On Cotton Gin road to Kelleys Mills and across and right and left along the banks twelve miles. On Guntown road to junction of Baldwyn road, eighteen miles. On road north of town from eight to ten miles. I had a guard placed at every house in the town. Marched by twos. Traveled forty miles. March 7, at 5 a.m. I sent Lieutenant-Colonel Seley with his command, and fifty men under Captain Wardlaw, Fourth Illinois, on road leading east to Booneville, on Mobile and Ohio Road, with orders to destroy that road from Booneville to Baldwyn as effectually as possible, and reach camp at Ripley on the 9th at noon; with further instruction (Page 78) that if he found to his satisfaction that that portion of the road included within his former instructions was being run under a truce between Major-General Thomas and General Forrest conditioned, as I had learned it was, that the road should not be used for military purposes then he should not destroy it. He found it under this regulation, and returned to camp the evening of the 8th at 5 p. m. A copy of his report* I herewith inclose [sic]and make part of this report. There were a number of cars loaded with corn for citizens carried under this arrangement. Colonel Seley deserves credit for the promptness with which he moved under these orders through the worst of roads with a scarcity of forage, the distance and return being near eighty miles. March 8, I sent Major Simonson with 200 men on Guntown road to junction with Baldwyn road to support Lieutenant-Colonel Seley, and on Colonel Seley’s return I ordered Major Simonson to return, He reached camp at 10 p. m. this day. I kept all approaches thoroughly scouted, turning the scouting party into a return forage detail when- ever no enemy had been discovered within the limits of their instructions. In this way I got forage and kept my camp strong at the same time. No enemy was found in force. March 9, finding no enemy north of the Tallahatchie, and the tenor of my orders, amount of my rations, condition of streams, bridges, and roads, with the great scarcity of forage in my rear and, in fact, north of that river, and the arrangement of neutrality upon the Mobile and Ohio Railroad rendering it unsafe to destroy it, thus at once depriving me of the power to materially injure the enemy, I judged it proper to return my command in as good condition as possible. Called camp at 5 a. m. and marched at 7 a. m. on Saulsbury road. Road narrow, washed in places, and streams and low ground very muddy. Order of march: Second Brigade, Third Brigade, First Brigade, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry in front and forming advance guard and provost guard. Weather bad. Captured Captain and Lieutenant Hammond, adjutant Fourteenth Tennessee. Camped on Grays farm, two miles southwest of Saulsbury. Distance marched, twenty-nine miles. Found forage sufficient for command by scouring the country from noon. March 10, called camp at 4 a.m.; marched at 6 a.m. Roads muddy; bridges gone. Compelled to march by twos. Order of march: Third Brigade, First Brigade, Second Brigade, Second Wisconsin Cavalry in advance. Advance and provost guards from this regiment. Reached Grand Junction at 9 a.m.; La Grange at 10 a.m. Captured three men at this place. Crossed Wolf River; crossing bad, bottom overflowed, and very miry. Marched to Sohos farm. Distance marched, twenty-four miles. March 11, called camp at 4.30 a.m.; marched at 7. Order of march: First Brigade, Second Brigade, Third Brigade, Second Arkansas Cavalry in advance. Advance and provost guards from this regiment. Issued stringent orders that no foraging be permitted. Having opened my left flank to the only possible forces which could be between the Coldwater and Wolf Rivers, I guarded that flank carefully, and learned from a citizen that Bill and Jesse Forrest were preparing to ambush me at some point near Collierville with a force stated at 800 men. I ordered Colonel Davis, with the effective force of his Second Brigade, over on the Holly Springs road, keeping his pack train and unserviceable [animals] with me. I hoped by this means to hold any force the enemy had between the Coldwater and Wolf, but found no enemy. My command reached Memphis at 9, and were in their respective camps at 11 p.m.
*See p. 81 Page 79 EXPEDITION INTO NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI. When within one mile of the pickets the front of my command was fired on by guerrillas, two of whom we captured and sent with charges to Irving Block Prison. Five escaped on horseback. I used every endeavor to protect private property, and for this purpose issued stringent orders against stealing. I directed each regimental commander to appoint a rear guard, with strict instructions to permit no enlisted man to pass or re-pass unless under detail with a commissioned officer. This, with the provost guard placed at every house and with the general diligence of officers, reduced straggling to small numbers; but permit me to say that a most stringent rule must be adopted to enforce compliance therewith, both with officers and men, before the command will be thoroughly efficient. Every straggler destroys his horse and otherwise wastes the public property intrusted [sic] to him. I found the citizens generally depressed. The poor simply asked for peace, and seemed to comprehend that it was their more wealthy neighbors who caused the war. The wealthy are as usual stealthy and corrupt, but their only question was, What is the best the Government will do? There is an evident feeling of doubt amongst them. The best information I could get was that Forrest was himself at West Point. His forces were variously stated at from 10,000 to 30,000. Jackson was said to be at Verona with from 1,000 to 5,000 said to be mounted, to be dismounted, and to be partially mounted, the last of which is probably true. His orders were to move south to join Forrest. The waters were very high; almost all bridges washed away. Roads muddy and much washed. The brigade and regimental commanders and Captains Reed and Moore and Lieutenant Koffman, of my staff, deserve mention for their promptness in the performance of their various duties. List of losses in men and material in the several regiments, as reported by their brigade commanders preparatory to this report, showing losses in respective regiments, except in Third Brigade. Losses and gains of stock are not designated:
[NOTE: here he reported particular losses of each brigade, but the table of numbers did not scan accurately onto the website.]
Page 80
80 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.
Counting on deduction of four men lost, and twenty-eight men must have been dismounted, taking the reports as previously shown. This, however, is not true. In my opinion not one man walked into Memphis, unless to rest his horse. I am impressed with the belief that company officers cover deficiencies in horses by overestimates of losses on return from long scouts. This subject needs examination, and I have commenced it in my command. This report has been delayed on account of it, and is defective yet. Sixteen prisoners were delivered to provost-marshal. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN P. C. SHANKS, Colonel, Commanding First Brigade, Cavalry Division, District of West Tennessee, and Comdg. late Expedition.
Capt. E. J. MEYERS, Acting Assistant Adjutant- General, Cavalry Division.
No. 2. Report of Lieut. Col. Hugh Cameron, & comm Arkansas Cavalry, commanding First Brigade. HEADQUARTERS SECOND ARKANSAS CAVALRY, Memphis, Tenn., March 13, 1865. SIR:I have the honor to report that on the 3d instant, with 300 men of the Second Arkansas Cavalry, at about 6 a. in., I reported to the officer commanding Cavalry Division, my command resting on Main street near the park, and was ordered by said officer to move out on Jefferson street half a mile, halt, and wait for further orders. At 8 a. m. I was placed in command of the First Brigade, 1,018 enlisted men, properly officered Seventh Indiana, 370, commanded by Major Simon- son, Seventh Indiana Cavalry; Fifth Illinois, 348, commanded by Lieu- tenant-Colonel Seley, Fifth Illinois Cavalry; Second Arkansas, 300, commanded by Captain O’Brien, Second Arkansas Cavalry and marched, with said brigade in advance, to Germantown, where I encamped. Distance, fifteen miles. March 4, 1865, subsistence and forage were drawn and the march continued twelve miles, via Collierville. March 5, 1865, march continued twenty-five miles, via Mount Pleasant and Lamar. March 6, 1865, the brigade in advance, marched to Ripley, via Salem, distance, thirty-eight miles. At this point (Ripley) my advance encountered and dispersed a party of rebels, capturing several stand of arms, some animals, and three prisoners. On the 7th instant a detachment from the brigade, comprising the Fifth Illinois Cavalry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Seley, was ordered out to destroy the Mobile and Ohio Railroad from Booneville to Baldwyn. For particulars of the scout see report of Lieutenant-Colonel Seley accompanying, marked B.* On the 8th instant a detachment from the brigade, comprising 100 enlisted men of the Seventh Indiana Cavalry and 100 of the Second Arkansas Cavalry, properly officered, commanded by Major Simonson, Seventh Indiana Cavalry, was ordered out on the Guntown road. For particulars of this scout see report of Major Simonson accompanying, marked A.t On the 9th the brigade marched to Sanlsbury, thirty-five miles; on the 10th to [Sohos] farm, via Grand Junction and La Grange, crossing Wolf River at the latter (See p. 81) place, twenty-five miles, and on the 11th, the brigade in advance, marched to Memphis, via Collierville and Germantown, capturing two bushwhackers, who fired upon the advance just outside of the pickets. Animals captured and abandoned by brigade. C I have the honor to be, & c., HUGH CAMERON, Lieut. Col. Second Arkansas Cavalry, Comdg. First Brigade. Col. J. P. C. SHANKS, Commanding Cavalry Division, in the Field.
No. 3. Report of Lieut. Col. Abel H. Seley, Fourth Illinois Cavalry. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, Memphis, Tenn., March 12, 1865.
COLONEL:
I have the honor herewith to report the part taken by this command during the late expedition into the State of Mississippi: After arriving at Ripley, on the 6th of March, instant, I was ordered to proceed with my regiment and fifty men of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry (leaving packs and disabled horses) and march to Booneville on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, destroy the same from that point south to Baldwyn, and then return on the Baldwyn road so as to arrive at Ripley by 12 in. of the third day. I moved from camp at 6 a.m. on the 7th and arrived at Booneville, a distance of thirty-five miles, at 4.30 p. m. of the same day. I found the road very bad, and at the crossing of the East Talatchie nearly impassable, a recent heavy rain having flooded the swampy bottom, and washed the road entirely away. On arriving at Booneville I learned that the railroad track had washed away at points both above and below, and that it would require some time to repair it. I was also fully convinced that the railroad was operated under a flag of truce, and only for the purpose of carrying supplies to needy citizens living north of Booneville, and that no Confederate supplies nor Confederate troops were permitted to be carried over the road. This arrangement was in consequence of an agreement entered into between General Thomas, commanding Union forces, and General Forrest commanding rebel forces. Under these circumstances I did not feel justified in destroying the road, and, as I was informed that the Baldwyn road was impassable, I returned by the same road that I moved out on, camped two miles from Booneville, started on the morning of the 8th at 5:30, arriving at Ripley at 5 p.m. same day. During the day gave chase to three mounted rebels, capturing two of them. I could hear of no force of rebels nearer than Tupelo, where Forrest was said to be.
Page 82 82 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.
During the entire expedition my command has captured 8 mules and 6 horses, which have been turned over to the quartermaster, and has lost 20 horses, which we were compelled to abandon. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A. II. SELEY, Lieutenant- Colonel, Commanding Regiment. Colonel CAMERON, Comdg. First Brig, Car. Div., Dept. of the Mississippi.
No. 4. Report of Col. Hasbrouck Davis, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade. IHDQRs. SECOND BRIG., Cavalry Div., DIST. OF WEST TENN., Memphis, Tenn., March 13, 1865.
COLONEL:
I have the honor to report that the Second Brigade, forming part of your forces on the recent expedition, moved out on March 3 with the following effective strength,. . .
We marched to Ripley, Miss., without any occurrence worthy of mention, except the loss of two men between Germantown and Collierville on March 4. These men belonged to Company C, Twelfth Illinois Cavalry, and, with another man from the same company, were, in violation of orders, foraging for corn in a barn, where they were captured by a few rebels. One of them escaped and reached Memphis in disguise, reporting that he saw the other two murdered. At Ripley Lieutenant-Colonel McQueen, with 100 men from the First Iowa Cavalry, was sent to the Tallahatchie, on the Cotton Plant road, where he remained till the division moved on the 9th instant. On the 8th a party of the Twelfth Illinois, under Lieutenant Pratt, swam the Tallahatchie and drove a party of twenty-five or thirty rebels out of New Albany without loss. The brigade marched with the division on the 9th, was detached on the 11th by the Marshall Institute road, and reached Memphis without accident on the evening of the same dpy at 11 p. m~ The losses of the brigade are as follows,
No. 6. Report of Maj. Newton Dc Forest, Second Wisconsin Calvary, commanding Third Brigade. HDQRS. SECOND WISCONSIN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, Memphis, Tenn., March 13, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by a detachment of the Third Brigade, Cavalry Division, in the recent expedition to Ripley, Miss.: On the 4th of March, 1865, at Germantown, Tenn., by direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Funke, commanding the Third Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Mississippi, I assumed command of a detachment of that brigade, consisting of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, numbering 393 men, Maj. M. W. Wood commanding, and the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, numbering 267, Capt. A. T. Search commanding. The movements of this command being directed with the main column and under the supervision of the colonel commanding, require no particular mention in this report. The losses in the command were trifling, and are as follows: Five horses and 3 mules were abandoned. One man of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry was taken prisoner, but succeeded in making his escape, and returned to the column with the loss of horse and equipments, carbine (Spencer), saber, and accouterments. One male of this regiment died of disease at Ripley. The gain during the expedition was 6 horses and 3 mules, captured in the country. The march for a long distance over hard roads, and through a country poorly supplied with forage, was yet accomplished with little or no detriment to the condition or discipline of my command, and while there was no particular enterprise that deserves special notice, it is but simple justice to mention the creditable and uniform good conduct of the officers and men of my whole command. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, N.DE FOREST, Maj., 2d Wis. Vol. Cav., Comdg. detachment 3d Brig., Cav. Div. (On late Expedition).
After another assignment, Major De Forest, who would have been Moses’ commanding officer, sent this report:
Official Reports from Major Newton De Forest, commander of the 2nd Regiment, Wisconsin Calvary and Lt. Col. Abel H. Seley of the 5th Illinois Calvary who went on the same expedition into Mississippi:
No. 6. Report of Maj. Newton De Forest, Second Wisconsin Calvary, commanding Third Brigade. HDQRS. SECOND WISCONSIN VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, Memphis, Tenn.,
March 13, 1865.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by a detachment of the Third Brigade, Cavalry Division, in the recent expedition to Ripley, Miss.:
On the 4th of March, 1865, at Germantown, Tenn., by direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Funke, commanding the Third Brigade, Cavalry Division, Department of the Mississippi, I assumed command of a detachment of that brigade, consisting of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry, numbering 393 men, Maj. M. W. Wood commanding, and the Fourth Illinois Cavalry, numbering 267, Capt. A. T. Search commanding. The movements of this command being directed with the main column and under the supervision of the colonel commanding, require no particular mention in this report. The losses in the command were trifling, and are as follows: Five horses and 3 mules were abandoned. One man of the Second Wisconsin Cavalry was taken prisoner, but succeeded in making his escape, and returned to the column with the loss of horse and equipments, carbine (Spencer), saber, and accouterments. One male of this regiment died of disease at Ripley. The gain during the expedition was 6 horses and 3 mules, captured in the country. The march for a long distance over hard roads, and through a country poorly supplied with forage, was yet accomplished with little or no detriment to the condition or discipline of my command, and while there was no particular enterprise that deserves special notice, it is but simple justice to mention the creditable and uniform good conduct of the officers and men of my whole command. I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant, N.DE FOREST, Maj., 2d Wis. Vol. Cav., Comdg. detachment 3d Brig., Cav. Div. (On late Expedition).
Here is the Report sent by Lt. Col. Abel H. Seley for the same expedition into the state of Mississippi:
No. 3. Report of Lient. Col. Abel H. Seley, Fourth Illinois Cavalry. HEADQUARTERS FIFTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, Memphis, Tenn.,
March 12, 1865.
COLONEL:
I have the honor herewith to report the part taken by this command during the late expedition into the State of Mississippi: After arriving at Ripley, on the 6th of March, instant, I was ordered to proceed with my regiment and fifty men of the Fourth Illinois Cavalry (leaving packs and disabled horses) and march to Booneville on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, destroy the same from that point south to Baldwyn, and then return on the Baldwyn road so as to arrive at Ripley by 12 in. of the third day. I moved from camp at 6 a.m. on the 7th and arrived at Booneville, a distance of thirty-five miles, at 4.30 p. m. of the same day. I found the road very bad, and at the crossing of the East Talatchie nearly impassable, a recent heavy rain having flooded the swampy bottom, and washed the road entirely away. On arriving at Booneville I learned that the railroad track had washed away at points both above and below, and that it would require some time to repair it. I was also fully convinced that the railroad was operated under a flag of truce, and only for the purpose of carrying supplies to needy citizens living north of Booneville, and that no Confederate supplies nor Confederate troops were permitted to be carried over the road. This arrangement was in consequence of an agreement entered into between General Thomas, commanding Union forces, and General Forrest commanding rebel forces. Under these circumstances I did not feel justified in destroying the road, and, as I was informed that the Baldwyn road was impassable, I returned by the same road that I moved out on, camped two miles from Booneville, started on the morning of the 8th at 5:30, arriving at Ripley at 5 p.m. same day. During the day gave chase to three mounted rebels, capturing two of them. I could hear of no force of rebels nearer than Tupelo, where Forrest was said to be.
Page 82 KY., S. W. VA., TENN., N. & C. GA., MISS., ALA., & W. FLA.
During the entire expedition my command has captured 8 mules and 6 horses, which have been turned over to the quartermaster, and has lost 20 horses, which we were compelled to abandon. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, A.H. SELEY, Lieutenant- Colonel, Commanding Regiment. Colonel CAMERON, Comdg. First Brig, Car. Div., Dept. of the Mississippi.
Whence We Come 