Today in History:

505 Series I Volume XXIV-II Serial 37 - Vicksburg Part II

Page 505 Chapter XXXVI. OPERATIONS IN NORTHWESTERN Mississippi.

could and keeping between the enemy and Grenada if he should advance in that direction. We reached the neighborhood of the bridge about 4 o'clock that evening, and learned that the enemy had already been three, destroyed a portion of it, and returned to Panola. The men had been up two nights in succession, and the horses had been saddled nearly at the time for two nights and three days, and both were completely, and it was necessary to rest and feed while the enemy should further develop his intentions. The next morning scouts under Major [R. A.]McCulloch were sent to Panola to ascertain more accurately the movements of the enemy, and soon afterward Colonel McGuirk was ordered to advance With his regiment in the direction of Panola, and, if the enemy were returning, to follow and annoying him. Colonel McCulloch commands and Blythe's regiment were to near remain near the bridge for further developments. In a short time in appeared to be probable that the enemy would not advance, and McCulloch and Blythe followed and overtook McGuirk some 8 miles north of Yockeney where he had stopped to feed. Before this it had been ascertained that the enemy had recrossed the Tallahatchee, and McGuirk was ordered to push forward and annoy and harass the enemy as much as possible. This order he has executed in the most He swam that evening the Tallahatchee at Belmont, came near the enemy at Tyro, and pursued him to Hudsonville, where, on Sunday evening, he overtook and chastised him handsomely, killing and wounding several, and capturing 27 prisoners With about the same number of horses and equipments. This is an extraordinary achievement when it is considered that is command were in the saddle nearly all day Wednesday; all of Wednesday night till 2 o'clock, was in line of battle again by daybreak on Thursday morning, and remained in a state of watchfulness and preparation for battle all day Thursday; were in the saddle nearly all Thursday night in Friday, resting Friday night on the ground, without tents and With insufficient food, and that the distance from Yockeney, where he commenced the pursuit of Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, to Hudsonville, where he fought the enemy on Sunday evening, is near 80 miles. Blythe's regiment was With McGuirk's being very much exhausted, were allowed to bivouac south of the river and Saturday night, especially as the ferry-boats were understood to be destroyed and no ford was known. Early next morning, however, that regiment crossed north of the Tallahatchee River, taking the road to Senatobia, With the intention of engaging or annoying the enemy if any of them should be in that direction, accompanied this regiment, and when we arrived near Senatobia we learned that a [party of the enemy were 2 to 3 miles to our left. We immediately turned in that direction is search of the enemy, but soon ascertained that our information was incorrect. Hearing of no enemy in our reach, be bivouacked at the nearest place at which ration a forage could be procured. The next morning I moved near Coldwater Ferry With a view of crossing the river and cutting of a party of the enemy which I learned were in the habit of coming from Memphis to the neighborhood of Hernando. Learning, however, that none such had been in that section since General Chalmers' engagement With the enemy near Dr. Atkins' on the 19th instant, moved Blythe's regiments yesterday to this place, and have ordered McGuirk's to encamp near this place. He will arrive to-morrow. We retreated from Panola upon the information that the enemy, 2,200


Page 505 Chapter XXXVI. OPERATIONS IN NORTHWESTERN Mississippi.