Today in History:

758 Series I Volume XLI-I Serial 83 - Price's Missouri Expedition Part I

Page 758 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS- MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.

River Island, as he suggested in his telegram, he appears to have gone up West Pearl River and landed his force on the main or the west side. No wonder that he was unsuccessful, if the enemy was, as he stated, on Pearl River Island. It is not easy to see how a small body of jayhawkers would have remained on Pearl River Island on seeing our steamer moving about all day on the Lower West Pearl River. Of the management of the expedition, as I understand it, I disapprove.

T. W. SHERMAN,

Brigadier- General, Commanding.

[Second indorsement.]


HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, September 16, 1864.

Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant- General of the Army, through headquarters Military Division of the West Mississippi, for information.

N. P. BANKS,

Major- General, Commanding.

[Inclosure.]

FORT PIKE, September 10, 1864.

F. SPEED,

Assistant Adjutant- General:

SIR: Fifteen miles from here, at Pearl River Island, are 125 jayhawkers. They killed 1 citizen, a union man, outright. They can be gotten at in two ways- one by steamer through East Pearl River, another by Bayou Macomb.

Respectfully,

ALFRED G. HALL,

Lieutenant- Colonel, Commanding.

SEPTEMBER 9- 12, 1864.- Scout from Lewisburg to Norristown and Russellville, Ark., with skirmishes.

Report of Colonel Abraham H. Ryan, Third Arkansas Cavalry (Union).


HEADQUARTERS THIRD ARKANSAS CAVALRY,
September 12, 1864.

Captain Clear, Company D, Third Arkansas Cavalry, returned this p. m. He left Lewisburg on the morning oft 9th instant; he went to Norristown and Russellville, charging into both places, killing 2 rebels near Russellville; he reports Price's force to be at least 15,000 men and 18 pieces of artillery, all the men mounted, with the exception of 200, who act as train guards. Price left Dover Saturday a. m. going toward Burrowsville for the avowed purpose of going to Missouri. Captain Clear started on scout with thirty- eight men, returning with fifteen. The remainder are in the brush and will remain till relieved. The horses gave out before reaching the Cadron. Hiding their horse equipments,the party came through on foot, swimming the Cadron eight miles above the ferry- crossing. Captain Clear and five of his men came down on the Chippewa from the Palarm, the other ten


Page 758 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS- MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LIII.