Today in History:

57 Series I Volume XVII-I Serial 24 - Corinth Part I

Page 57 Chapter XXIX. EXPEDITION TO COLDWATER, ETC.

Inclosed I hand you a list of killed, wounded, and missing.*

Hoping what I have done may meet your approbation, I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

B. H. GRIERSON,

Colonel, Commanding Sixth Illinois Cavalry.

Major General WILLIAM T. SHERMAN,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Memphis.

[Inclosure.]

Major Stacy has handed me the following list of those who came particularly under his notice as acting bravely and coolly:

Captain Davis, Company F; Lieutenant C. Baker, Company K; Lieutenant Ball, Company E; Jeff. Spray, first sergeant; John H. Casson, third sergeant; John D. Kelly, corporal Company K; A. Daily, Company K.

SEPTEMBER 8-13, 1862.-Expedition to the Coldwater and Hernando, Miss., and skirmish (9th) at Cockrum's Cross-Roads and (12th) at Coldwater Railroad Bridge.

REPORTS.


Numbers 1.-Brigadier General Morgan L. Smith, U. S. Army, commanding expedition.


Numbers 2.-Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson, Sixth Illinois Cavalry.


Numbers 1.

Report of Brigadier General Morgan L. Smith, U. S. Army, commanding expedition.


HEADQUARTERS FIRST BRIGADE, FIFTH DIVISION,
Memphis, Tenn., September --, 1862.

SIR: In pursuance to the orders of the major-general commanding I left Memphis at 3 o;clock p. m. on the 7th instant, with detachments from all the regiments of the First Brigade, for the rendezvous of the cavalry and artillery beyond Nonconah Creek, on the Pigeon Roost, or Holly Springs, road. I proceeded in the morning with the whole force toward Holly Springs, Sixth Illinois Cavalry leading, with order entirely discretionary, except to communicate with me at Hernando and advise me of anything important that might come under his observation. As the expedition advanced it became evident that the partisan ranger "trade" had received a new impetus from late news received, and was very brisk. Fences recently let down and the evidence of horsemen just having passed through met the eye in every direction.

Colonel Grierson, commanding cavalry, hearing of a cavalry force of the enemy on Coldwater, about 18 miles east of Hernando, pushed on in that direction. He encountered them in superior force to his own, and completely routed them, with considerable loss.

I now swung around to the west to accomplish the principal object of the expedition, the destruction of the railroad bridge across Coldwater, between Hernando and Senatobia, which was done effectively. It had evidently ben guarded by a considerable force but their defense was

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*Nominal list shows 1 officer killed, 18 men wounded, and 2 men missing.

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Page 57 Chapter XXIX. EXPEDITION TO COLDWATER, ETC.