The Battle of Oakland
December 3, 1862
Cavalry clash on the Memphis-Grenada Railroad
The
skirmish at Oakland played a key role in the railroad campaign because it
prevented a Union flanking of Pemberton’s forces in their Retreat from Abbeville. While the Confederates were in Abbeville,
Grant began pressing south toward their position. He then ordered Federal troops under General C. C. Washburn and
General Alvin Hovey to cross the Mississippi River at Helena, Arkansas and move
in the direction of Grenada. They
crossed and moved to the Panola area, which is about 25 miles west of
Abbeville, and 40 miles south. They
planned to enter Oakland, which is 12-15 miles due west of Coffeeville and 10
miles north of Grenada. By moving from
Oakland to Coffeeville they could have effectively cut off the Confederate
Retreat From Abbeville – having a Union force under Washburn to the south and
Grant to the north, with the Confederates trapped in between. This
Union flanking was the reason the Confederates began their Retreat from
Abbeville – they could not defend themselves in the swamps around Abbeville, so
they rushed to reach the safety of Grenada and Pemberton on the bluffs of the
Yalobusha River.
With
Washburn and Hovey moving near Oakland, CSA Col. Griffith made a cavalry attack
to stop the Union flanking, and was successful. Washburn soon learned of the heavy Confederate build up in
Coffeeville and did not pursue this plan after the encounter with
Griffith. In fact, following the
cavalry skirmish, Washburn retired from the immediate area now fearing that his
troops would be flanked.
General
Washburn:
“Concluding
that they (Confederates in Abbeville) would all fall back on Coffeeville, and
being satisfied that more or less force from Price's army was at Coffeeville, I
deemed it highly imprudent to proceed farther, as my whole force of infantry
and cavalry did not exceed 2,500 men. I bivouacked for the night on the public
square at Oakland.”
Colonel
Dickey, Grant’s chief of cavalry, was aware that Washburn had plans to move
from Oakland to Coffeeville, but was not aware of the cavalry skirmish with
Griffith. Dickey had wanted to press
the Confederate rear guard one more day from Water Valley in order to
rendezvous with Washburn, thinking it would be a morale boost to his men. For some odd reason, none of the Federal
commanders seemed to comprehend or expect such a large Confederate force in
Coffeeville that was growing stronger by the hour as more and more units
funneled into town on the way to Grenada.
The
significance of the Oakland skirmish is that it effectively prevented further
Union movement south of the Confederate rear guard, and allowed Pemberton’s men
to re-enforce Grenada. There most
likely would have still been a Battle of Coffeeville, with Washburn and Hovey
to the west and Dickey to the north.
The battle would have been much larger and fought in a broader area. It would have been a sizeable engagement,
and not a surprise ambush that led to a battle, as it eventually did
happen. And with all of the available
CSA forces in the area the Federals would have met a more overwhelming force,
since most of the Rebel troops were held in reserve during the Coffeeville
fight. If attacked by Union forces on
two sides, several thousand more Confederates would have been brought into
play.
Interestingly,
Union General Alvin Hovey’s great grandson, Dave Hovey, lives in Coffeeville
today.
***
A Civil War Experience in Oakland
Oakland Citizen Describes the War
An article written by Miss Emma G. Moore,
Oakland, Miss., a descendant of one of the oldest and most prominent families
in this county, for the "Progressive Farmer Magazine" issue of
November, 1936:
"It was a
cool pleasant day in early December. To be exact, it was Thursday - the 3rd day
of the month, in 1862. News had been received that the Yankees were on their
way south from Memphis, making their way to Vicksburg via Grenada, Miss.
Oakland was a small town eighty miles south of Memphis, and twenty miles north
of Grenada, with the Miss. and Tenn. railroad, now the L. C. railroad, running
north and south through the center of the town. That morning my father had
hurried to his plantation, two miles south of town, and with his manager
(overseer he was then called) and a few trusted Negroes, was rapidly rolling
cotton bales from the gin, and hiding them in ravines and gullies, covering
them with leaves and brush, and making preparation for the passing of the
Yankees, for their route would be right through his plantation. Our house was
about one half mile east of the railroad, a large one-story house with rooms 18
x 18 and 20 x 20 and halls correspondingly long and wide, with a long gallery
in front extending the front of the house, with spacious grounds in back and
front. The house was in the center of a long lawn, each end of which was
planted in flowers, shrubs and ornamental trees.
Such a
beautiful front yard, the pride of my father's heart - also of Jimmie Garvin's,
the Scotch gardener; and you never saw Jimmie without his wheelbarrow and
spade, for he kept this yard in excellent condition. In front of the house grew
eight large silver poplar trees, giving such beautiful shade, and also a name
to the home, for it was called "The Poplars". Back of the house was a
large smokehouse built of logs; also the kitchen was a large log room, with
immense brick hearth and fireplace, in which hung a crane with numerous and
different sized pots. A brick walk led from the dining room to this kitchen,
over which Chaney, the fat cook, had for many years reigned supreme. It was
nearly noon, and my mother had given orders to Chaney to have the noon meal
ready and waiting for the three older school children, and their Connecticut
School teacher, on their arrival from school. So Chaney had called Sally Ann,
whose duty it was to transport the meals from the kitchen to the dining room
(when she wasn't attending the baby). At the door of the dining room, Maria
Thomas, dining room maid, would receive the dishes and place them in proper
order on the table. She would then take her place, standing back of my mother's
chair. In the summer she usually wielded a long brush made from a peafowl's
tail, to scare away any misguided fly that might have found his way into the
dining room. These peafowl brushes were really beautiful, with their lovely
chameleon change of bright color, and long handles finished in white or colored
kid, matching the feathers. They were made in New York or some northern city,
but nearly every southern family used them.
After attending to this midday duty, Sally
Ann wended her way back beside the crib, and found the baby had not yet
awakened from her morning nap. My mother, seated in her rocker by the fire, was
putting the finishing touches to a little flannel for the baby, when without
any warning, the quiet noonday stillness was broken with rapid gun firing, a
silence, then more firing; and then the heavy boom of artillery. Pandemonium
seemed to reign outside the home; and within, things began to stir. The baby
awoke crying, the school teacher, the children, and neighbors with their
children, rushed in. And then a town officer came, ordering all inmates of this
part of town to seek refuge in an old gin house situated under the brow of a
hill. It was regarded as a safer place for the women and children, for a fight
was beginning to take place on the western edge of the town, and bullets were
flying in every direction. The battle of Oakland had commenced. Gen. Washburn
had left Helena, Ark., and a section of the Confederate army, under the command
of Gen. Sterling Price, had been sent forward to intercept the Federals here at
Oakland. These Confederate troops had thrown up temporary breastworks just
northwest of the town. The Confederates were driven from behind these works,
and for a short time there was brisk fighting, with the Federals eventually
driving the Confederates from the field of conflict.
A number of horses were killed, and some
prisoners were taken, and men wounded, but if any were killed it was not
reported. My mother hastily gathered together her children, some Negroes, and
different articles of value that could be carried, (the dinner was forgotten)
and all hurried to the old ginhouse, under the brow of the hill; and there they
remained for nearly two hours.
The
gun-firing having ceased, they anxiously returned home, when within sight of
the house they were dismayed to find the road, yards and house filled with
soldiers in blue coats, but they pushed their way through. And on entering her
room, my mother found a badly wounded Confederate prisoner on her bed. A doctor
and guard were with him, and my mother, aunt and the Connecticut school teacher
quickly got busy tearing old sheets, and rolling bandages, helping to make the
prisoner more comfortable; but in a very short time the soldiers hurriedly
left. News had come of the rapid approach of more Confederate troops, and the
Yankees quickly retreated to Helena, Ark. They carried with them several
prisoners, but left with us the wounded Confederate Captain, and it was not
until the following April that he was well enough to leave for his home in
Texas. My father came home about the middle of the afternoon. He had not lost a
bale of cotton, but they found and appropriated several horses, and a few of
the Negroes followed the Yankee army. After my father came, he and my mother
went over the house and yards to see what damage had been done. They found
every crumb of the dinner had been eaten, dishes broken, and the table and floor
stuck up with peach, quince, and plum preserves; for the soldiers had invaded
the pantry and helped themselves to every jar of preserves. They had broken
into the smokehouse but found nothing of value, for Brister and John, two
faithful servants, had on the previous night transferred the bacon, the
shoulders and hams to the dark loft above the back gallery. They had placed
back the transom, covering edges with the wall paper, thereby leaving no trace
of their entrance to a loft. The soldiers had gone to every room searching the
beds and closets for the Confederate Captain's pistols, but they did not look
in a clothes basket on the back gallery, where they had been placed by the
Connecticut school teacher, who was loyal to this southern household, in which
he had made his home for several years. When the Captain left for his Texas
home, he carried his pistols with him. The yards did not escape so lightly, and
Jimmie the gardener was completely overcome, for the fences were broken down
and his lovely flower beds had been trampled. The scrubs and trees had been
bitten off by the soldiers horses, but in this raid we escaped lightly, for
with a few weeks work, the yard was restored to its former beauty. And even now
several of the rose bushes and trees are living; among them a beautiful pink
crape myrtle.
About two weeks after this, the family had
assembled for the noon meal, when a soldier in the uniform of a Confederate
major rode up the gate and asked if he could get dinner. He was courteously
invited into the room, and ate most heartily. After eating, he thanked my
mother "for the best dinner I have eaten in weeks" and hurriedly
left. My mother at once said that, notwithstanding the Confederate uniform, she
felt sure he was a Yankee - for she had detected the accent. And then too, he
did not touch a dish of lovely sweet potatoes. Her suspicions proved correct,
for a mile or two further he stopped at a blacksmith shop. The blacksmith also
suspected him, and with the aid of a Confederate soldier who just happened in,
arrested him and took away his arms; but he escaped, riding off in a shower of
bullets. In a subsequent raid, they visited the plantation and carried off ten
or more mules, and more Negroes followed them. But a majority of the Negroes
came back home, and lived here until they died of old age."
Confederate
Report:
Report of
Lieutenant Colonel John S. Griffith, Sixth Texas Cavalry, commanding Cavalry
Brigade, of skirmish at Oakland, Miss., December 3.
Texas Lt. Col.
John S. Griffith
Griffith
stopped the Union flank in Oakland and also presented Pemberton with the idea
of raiding Holly Springs, which Van Dorn later did successfully. From that point, Confederate cavalry was
employed more and more to make quick strikes against Federal installations.
HEADQUARTERS FIRST TEXAS CAVALRY BRIGADE, Yalabusha
County, Miss., December 5, 1862.
GENERAL: In obedience to your order I left
Tobytubbyville on the 29th ultimo with the First Texas Legion, numbering 458
men, under command of Lieutenant
Colonel [E. R.] Hawkins; the
Third Texas Regiment (437 men),
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel [J. S.] Boggess; the Sixth Texas Regiment
(369 men), commanded by Captain Jack
Wharton, and Captain Francis McNally's
battery of four guns, under command of Lieutenant David W. Hudgens.
On the 30th I arrived, after a forced march, at
Oakland, and hearing that a body of 2,000 of the enemy's cavalry had crossed
the Memphis and Grenada Railroad 5 or 6 miles south of this point en route for
Coffeeville, and to destroy the Central Railroad between this place and
Grenada, I gave pursuit. The enemy hearing of my approach fled back to
Charleston and Mitchell's Cross-Roads, near to Bird's Ferry, on the
Yocknapatalfa.
On the 1st instant I went down on the west side of the
Central Railroad to Grenada, restored confidence there, causing several trains
to be sent up to the army then retreating. Called on General Winter, who was
then in command at this point, and by whom I was informed that the enemy were
in Preston in strong force. I determined to go to Preston at once, attack and
harass them, and, if possible, keep them off our train then coming down the
Central road to Grenada, knowing that if they proved too heavy for me I could
show them that Texans could retreat when necessary as well as fight. The rain
pouring down in torrents making the roads heavy, I left my battery with a small
detachment of men whose horses had already given out by the continued forced
marches I had made from pillar to post in order to both find the enemy and create
an impression upon them that there was a large force in this section.
On the 2nd instant I dashed into Preston and found the
enemy had fallen back to Mitchell's Cross-Roads for re-enforcements upon
hearing I had arrived at Grenada.
On the morning of the 3rd I moved up toward Oakland.
Arriving there I learned that a body of the enemy under General [C. C.]
Washburn, of 7,000 or 8,000 strong, consisting of infantry, artillery, and
cavalry, were moving upon Oakland from Mitchell's Cross Roads. I determined to
fight him at the junction of the road upon which he was traveling with the
Charleston road and half a mile beyond Oakland. I ordered Colonel Boggess to
make a demonstration on the enemy's left flank and rear, Captain Wharton on the
left on the Charleston road, and Colonel Hawkins and Major [John H.] Broocks, who was in command of the
advance guard, composed of three companies, to the center. Major Broocks, being
in advance, engaged the enemy. Colonel Hawkins, dismounting his Legion under
cover of a small hill, moved up to his assistance. General Washburn moved up
through a long lane, and when he arrived within 200 yards of us opened his
batteries upon us, pouring in grape and canister at a fearful rate and with a
rapidity that excelled anything I ever saw before. I ordered the charge, and
with a wild, defiant shout the two commands double-quicked it, took the
battery, drove back its support, and still pressed on. While this battery was
being taken the enemy planted another on their right and commenced cross-firing
upon me. I immediately ordered Captain Wharton to dismount his regiment and
take that battery. He dismounted his men with the usual eagerness he evinces to
discharge his duties in times of danger. At this particular juncture I was
informed that the enemy was flanking me on my left. Having fought them a
spirited battle of some fifty minutes, I ordered my command "To
horse." The safety of the command demanded an immediate withdrawal, which
was done in good order to Oakland, where I again formed.
My loss was only 8 wounded (all brought off the field),
2 of whom (severely) were taken to a private house and left in charge of one of
my surgeons and a nurse. The enemy lost several killed and, I have learned
since, 18 wounded. Some of the horses belonging to the battery having been
killed, I could bring away but one of the pieces of artillery and 4 prisoners.
Six-shooters, coats, blankets, hats, &c., dropped in such rich profusion by
General Washburn's body guard, were picked up and borne away in triumph by my
boys.
I remained at this place some half an hour. Finding the
enemy had concentrated his strength I fell back 2 miles and selected a place to
give him battle. He however showed no disposition to follow me, and toward
night I fell back 8 miles to a place of safety that my men might rest, as they
had had but little sleep or rest for five days and nights in succession.
On the following morning I moved up to fight him again
and found he had gone back to the cross-roads. I occupied the place until night
and fell back 4 miles and went into camp.
To Colonel Boggess and Captain Wharton I am obliged for
the promptness with which they obeyed my orders during the engagement of the
3d. It was their misfortune and not their fault that they were not under fire.
To Colonel Hawkins, for his skill as well as gallantry,
and to Major Broocks, who displayed in an eminent degree those two traits of
character so absolutely necessary in a military commander-prudence combined
with desperate courage-I am especially indebted for the success attending my
efforts.
I would not forget my other officers and men, but to
mention the names of some where all did so well would be an injustice, when
each, in the face of terrible volleys of musketry, canister, and grape-shot from
the artillery, charged to the cannon's mouth and sent back in dismay the
invaders of our soil, beaten and fleeing as chaff before the wind; nor would I
forget Providence, to whom all the praise is due.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
JOHN S. GRIFFITH,
Lieutenant
Colonel [Sixth Texas Cav.],
Commanding First Texas Cav. Brigadier ,
Maury's Division, Army of West Tennessee.
Major
General EARL VAN DORN.
P. S.-General Van Dorn will
pardon me for sending a report with so many interlineation, &c. It is all
the paper I have, and cannot therefore copy it.
Union Report:
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General Washburn & Staff
Washburn was also a US
congressman and later the Republican governor of Wisconsin from 1872-74.
He also formed Washburn,
Crosby, & Company. Today it is
known as General Mills.
HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY DIVISION, Mouth of Coldwater
River, Miss., December 4, 1862.
CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report in regard to the
operations of the forces placed under my command in connection with the
expedition into Mississippi that the force was embarked and sailed from Helena
at about 2 p. m. on Thursday, November 27. The embarkation was delayed several
hours in consequence of insufficient transportation and negligence on the part
of the quartermaster in not having the boats, which had been long in port,
properly called and in readiness. In consequence I was not able to make my
landing at Delta and disembark the cavalry forces which composed my command
until after dark. The force I had with me was 1,925 strong and consisted of
detachments from the following regiments, viz: First Indiana Cavalry, 300,
commanded by Captain Walker; Ninth Illinois Cavalry, 150, commanded by Major
Burgh; Third Iowa Cavalry, 188, commanded by Major Scott; Fourth Iowa Cavalry,
200, commanded by Captain Perkins; Fifth Illinois Cavalry, 212, commanded by
Major Seley. Total, 1,050.
The above I formed into one brigade under the command
of Colonel Hall Wilson, of the Fifth
Illinois Cavalry.
Sixth Missouri Cavalry, 150, commanded by Major
Hawkins; Fifth Kansas Cavalry, 208, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Jenkins;
Tenth Illinois Cavalry, 92, commanded by Captain Anderson; Third Illinois
Cavalry, 200, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Ruggles; Second Wisconsin Cavalry,
225, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sterling. Total, 875.
The last named were placed under command of
Colonel Thomas Stephens, Second
Wisconsin Cavalry.
As soon as possible after landing I took up my line of
march for the interior and bivouacked for the night about 8 miles from the
Mississippi River. I took no tents or baggage of any kind, and about three
days' rations. I broke camp at daylight on Friday and marched 35 miles on that
day to the west bank of Tallahatchie River, just below its junction with the
Coldwater.
During this day's march we captured several pickets and
conriers. We found that reports of our landing had preceded us, and the
impression prevailed that we were approaching in great force. From negroes that
we met we learned that there was a force of rebel cavalry encamped at the mouth
of Coldwater, and that a large party of negroes had been collected near there
to blockade the road and throw up fortifications. Wishing to surprise them, if
possible, I delayed the column slightly, so as not to arrive at the river until
after night-fall. As we approached the ferry where they were supposed to be
encamped I ordered Captain Walker, who commanded the detachment of First
Indiana Cavalry, to dismount a party of his men and throw them forward as
quietly as possible to the bank of the river, and at the same time to detach
his horses from his small guns and have his men run them quietly forward by
hand. He soon came in sight of their camp fires on the east bank of the river,
and could distinctly see large numbers of soldiers moving around them. They
were laughing, talking, singing, and enjoying themselves quiet merrily. Captain
Walker immediately brought his guns to bear at a distance of about 300 yards
and opened out with all four at once, while the dismounted men poured a volley
into them from the river bank. The enemy fled with the utmost precipitation,
leaving many horses and arms upon the ground. The next day 5 of them, very
severely wounded, were found in houses by the road-side, and the negroes
reported that they had 3 killed in the engagement.
I encamped for the night on the banks of the
Tallahatchie River. The river at this point is deep and sluggish, and is about
120 yards across. We here found a ferry with one ferry-boat, 40 or 50 feet in
length. It was my intention to bridge the river during the night, and for that
purpose I took along with me 5,000 feet of inch pine lumber and five small
boats, sent from Memphis; but an examination of the boats proved them to be
leaky and worthless, and we had to delay operations until morning. Being
convinced that the means furnished for bridging were wholly inadequate, I
dispatched parties up the Coldwater and down the Tallahatchie to hunt for
boats. They found two large flats up the Coldwater, but they found the river
full of snags, and it was not until nearly 4 p. m. that they succeeded in
getting them down. By 4.30 p. m. I had the bridge completed, and by 6 p. m. I
had my entire force of cavalry on the eastern bank of the river. My orders were
to march my force as rapidly as possible to the rear of the rebel army and
destroy his telegraphic and railway communications. To do the latter the most
effectively I thought it best to march directly on Grenada, knowing that there
were there two important railroad bridges across the Yalabusha River-the one on
the Mississippi Central Railroad and the other on the Mississippi and Tennessee
Railroad. The distance to make to reach Grenada was 56 miles, but by pushing
hard I deemed it possible to reach there by daylight next morning. After
proceeding nearly east, along the Yocknapatalfa River (commonly called the
Yockna), about 11 miles, the roads fork, one road going to Panola, the other to
Charleston and Grenada. A few yards from the forks of the road, on the Panola
road, is a ferry across the Yockna, and the head of my column turned down the
Panola road to the ferry to water their horses. They were at once fired upon by
a heavy rebel picket. Major Hawkins, of the Sixth Missouri, immediately brought
his small howitzers to bear, and we soon silenced the enemy and drove him away.
We afterward learned that they were the pickets of a cavalry force of 3,000,
who were encamped 6 miles up the Panola road, who on hearing our guns supposed
we were bound for Panola, and they retreated to that point. After leaving this
point we were several times fired upon by the pickets of the enemy, which
compelled us to feel our way during the night.
At daylight I found myself at Preston, a little town 16
miles from Grenada. When I arrived here I found it would be impossible for me
to reach Hardy Station, the first station above Grenada, on the Mississippi and
Tennessee Railroad, in time to intercept the up train, which I ascertained
usually left at 8 a. m. I detached Captain
A. M. Sherman, Second Wisconsin Cavalry, with 200 men of the Second
Wisconsin and Fifth Illinois, to cross over to the Mississippi and Tennessee
Railroad, at Garner Station, which was only 4 miles distant, and destroy the
telegraph and such bridges as he could find, and if possible to capture the
train. He burned one bridge over 100 feet long and cut the telegraph. He was
also instructed on leaving Garner Station to cross through the woods to the
Mississippi Central, a distance of 9 miles, in an air line, and hunt for and
destroy bridges and cut the telegraph. This last, from the character of the
country to be passed over, be found would be impracticable. The train from
Grenada did not come up. With the remainder of the column I passed on down
toward Grenada. About 9 a. m., my horses being thoroughly jaded, I found it
necessary to stop and feed and rest them, which I did for about two hours. I
then passed on to Hardy Station. About half a mile below the station I found a
bridge about 100 feet in length, which I burned, and also destroyed several
hundred yards of telegraph wire, and one passenger, one box, and ten platform
cars. We here learned that our coming had preceded us by several hours, and
that the evening previous 1,100 infantry had come down the road from Panola to
Grenada.
At Hardy Station the road we traveled crossed the
railroad and passed down between the Mississippi and Tennessee and Mississippi
Central. Passing down the road toward Grenada for about 2 miles, and hearing
from the negroes that trains of cars were running all night down the Central
Railroad toward Grenada, loaded with soldiers, being in a perfect trap between
the two railroads, in a low and densely wooded bottom, with no knowledge in
regard to roads, and knowing that they had had time to send ample force from
Abbeville, I deemed it too hazardous to proceed farther in that direction. I
here detached Major Burgh, of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, with 100 men, armed
with carbines, crow-bars, and axes, and directed them to cross the country,
through the woods and canebrakes, until they should strike the Central
Mississippi Railroad, and then destroy the telegraph and all the bridges they
could find. They successfully performed the service, destroying the telegraph,
tearing up the railroad track, and burning one small bridge, being the only one
they could find, they having an uninterrupted view of the track for a long
distance each way. White thus employed a train of cars loaded with soldiers
came slowly up the track from toward Grenada, apparently feeling their way to
find out where we were. They fell back on discovering Major Burgh and party.
Major Burgh, having done all the damage to the railroad he could, fell back to
the main column.
By this time it was nearly night; my horses and
men were too thoroughly tired out and my knowledge of the country was too
limited to justify me in periling my whole force by venturing farther, and I
accordingly fell back about 15 miles and encamped for the night. Before doing
so I hesitated as to the route I should take on my return. I was at the point
where the main road from Abbeville and Coffeeville intersected the road I
passed down upon, about 5 miles from Grenada. I felt the importance of striking
Coffeeville and destroying some bridges that I heard of there, and from there
fall back via Oakland, on the Mississippi and Tennessee road. Coffeeville was
13 miles off and Oakland 30; but on reflection I determined not to do so. Had I
taken the other road the result might have proved disastrous.
Sunday night a force of 5,000 rebel cavalry came into
Oakland in pursuit of me with two field pieces. After feeding and resting for a short time they proceeded on to
Grenada via Coffeeville. Had I taken the other road via Coffeeville, and the
only other one by which we could return, we should have encountered this force.
As we should have been compelled to go into camp from sheer exhaustion soon
after leaving Coffeeville they would no doubt have come upon us in camp, and
with more than double our numbers and a perfect knowledge of the country they
would have had us at great disadvantage.
On Monday morning I broke camp, 4 miles beyond
Charleston, and marched to Mitchell's Cross-Roads, 12 miles from the mouth of
Coldwater, where we found that General Hovey had sent forward to that point
about 1,200 infantry and four field pieces. I had scarcely arrived at
Mitchell's Cross-Roads when word came into camp that two companies of infantry,
sent out by Colonel Spicely on the Panola road as a picket, were fighting and
in danger of being cut off. Without waiting an instant I threw my force
forward, Captain Walker, of the First Indiana, with his little howitzers in
front, and Major Burgh, of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, immediately following.
As soon as we came in sight of the enemy Captain Walker and Major Burgh brought
their guns into position, and a few well-directed shots sent the enemy flying.
The enemy was posted on the north side of the Yockna, a deep stream about 125
feet wide, crossed by a ferry. I immediately threw a portion of Captain
Walker's command across the stream, who pursued them lively for a few miles,
until farther pursuit was useless. This force was part of Starke's cavalry.
Being now entirely out of rations I sent into the mouth
of Coldwater, where the supply train was, for two days' rations to be sent out
during the night, intending to march early next morning and endeavor to reach
Coffeeville. My men had their horses saddled up and in readiness at daylight,
but no rations came. Owing to the breaking down of wagons they did not come up
so that the rations could be distributed before 2 p. m.
This day, Tuesday, December 2, it rained incessantly
all day. Not being able to march on Coffeeville, owing to the want of rations,
and knowing that the enemy were in considerable force at Panola, on the
Tallahatchie, 14 miles from my camp, where they had fortified to defend the
crossing, and also at Belmont, 7 miles farther up the river, I concluded that I
would go up there and reconnoiter and if possible drive these forces away, so as
to have no force in my rear when I should move toward Coffeeville the following
day.
I left camp about 2 p. m. and rode rapidly to Panola.
About 1 1/2 miles before reaching the town we came upon their camp (apparently
a very large one), but we found nobody to receive us, they having fled the
night before. I sent Major Burgh with the Ninth Illinois Cavalry forward, who
took possession of the town and captured a few prisoners. We also ascertained
from negroes who had been at work on the fortifications at Belmont that they
abandoned their works there and fled in great precipitation when they heard of
our approach. After occupying Panola we returned same night to our camp near
Mitchell's Cross-Roads. I did not disturb the railroad at Panola or burn any
bridge, having already rendered it useless to the rebels and knowing we should
want to use it very shortly.
The next morning early I took up my line of march for
Coffeeville via Oakland. I ordered Colonel Spicely, who was in command of the
advance infantry and artillery force, to throw forward for my support as far as
Oakland 600 infantry and two field pieces, which he did, under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel Torrence, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry. The roads were very heavy
and the march was tedious. As we approached Oakland our information was that
there was no enemy there and had been none since Sunday night; but about 1 mile
before reaching town the advance guard from the First Indiana came in sight of
2 or 3 rebel pickets. Each party fired, and the pickets fled, hotly pursued.
The road here was narrow and the ground on both sides lined with a dense growth
of small saplings, with a fence on each side. The advance immediately formed in
line so far as the nature of the ground would admit. They found the rebels dismounted
and drawn up in line in large force in a most advantageous position. The
advance stood their ground manfully and delivered their fire with great
coolness and precision. After delivering their fire the enemy charged upon them
in great force, and the ground being such as to render it impossible for them
to reform, they were compelled to fall back about 200 yards to an opening,
where I was able to deploy to the right and left of the road. Supposing that
the force was the large cavalry force that occupied Oakland on Sunday night I
felt impelled to move with much caution and beat up the woods as I proceeded.
This occupied some little time, we in the mean time having got our howitzers in
position and shelled the woods in all directions where an enemy seemed
probable. Advancing with our lines extended we entered the town just in time to
get sight of the enemy. Colonel Stephens, commanding the Second Brigade, having
deployed on the left, was first to enter the town, and as soon as he came in
sight of the enemy charged upon them and drove them with great rapidity through
the town and down the road to Coffeeville. We captured a number of prisoners,
horses, arms, and 5,000 rounds of Minie-rifle cartridges, and we found at
different houses in town about a dozen so badly wounded that they could not be
taken away, among them Captain Griffin, of the First Texas Legion, whose arm
was shattered by a pistol ball; also a chaplain, surgeon, and 2 lieutenants of
a Texas regiment. Some of their wounded were fatally so.
I have to report no loss of men during the engagement,
but about 10 men wounded, only 1 of them seriously. The First Indiana lost 8 or
10 horses, which were killed during the engagement, and my body guard had 6
horses killed, and Lieutenant Meyers, commanding the body guard, had his horse
shot under him and a bullet shot through his coat. I regret to have to report
that during the confusion that ensued when the enemy charged on the head of our
column, and before the First Indiana could get their guns in position, one of
them, which had been too far advanced to the front, was captured and borne off
by the enemy. This is the only event of the expedition that I have cause to
regret; and yet knowing as I do from personal observation the determined
character of the first onset of the enemy I do not regard the event as
surprising, or one for which the company to which the gun belonged is
censurable. The conduct of Captain Walker throughout is worthy of all praise.
When at Oakland I was 15 miles from Coffeeville. From
prisoners captured and from citizens I learned that the rebel army had fled
from Abbeville and were falling back rapidly via Water Valley and Coffeeville.
I also learned that the cavalry force which we encountered at Oakland were
Texas troops and about 1,500 strong, and were part of a force which left
Coffeeville that morning in pursuit of me; that it was divided into three
different parties, each of about that number, and left on as many different
routes. Concluding that they would all fall back on Coffeeville, and being
satisfied that more or less force from Price's army was at Coffeeville, I
deemed it highly imprudent to proceed farther, as my whole force of infantry
and cavalry did not exceed 2,500 men. I bivouacked for the night on the public
square at Oakland. Though near the enemy in large force, with the precautions I
had taken I felt perfectly secure. I knew that the enemy was retreating on the
road not 10 miles in an air line from me, but I felt confident that he was in
too great a hurry to turn aside to fight me, particularly as they had received
such exaggerated reports of the forces under General Hovey's command. I
determined to remain here and send back for a portion of the remaining infantry
to be sent up to my support, that I might proceed on to their line of retreat
and harass them as they passed; but about 12 o'clock at night I received a
dispatch from General Hovey transmitting a dispatch from General Steele stating
that the object of the expedition had been fully accomplished and ordering the
entire force to return to Helena immediately. I allowed my men to rest quietly
at Oakland until morning, when I quietly and deliberately, but reluctantly,
returned.
The day I returned from Oakland it rained hard all day,
and with the previous rains was calculated to excite just apprehensions that we
could not get back with our artillery to the Mississippi across the low
alluvial bottom which we had passed over in going out. No person that has not
passed over this road can have a just estimate of it in a wet time. For 50
miles from the Mississippi or 10 miles beyond the Tallahatchie the land is an
alluvial formation filled with ponds, sloughs, and bayous, and subject to
annual overflow, and the roads are impassable as soon as the fall rains begin.
In conclusion I beg to say that the result of the
expedition has on the whole been eminently successful. Had I possessed in
advance the knowledge I now have I could have done some things I left undone;
but my main object, which was to stampede the rebel army, could not have been
more effectually accomplished. At no time, except at Oakland, had I over 1,925
men, and then I had 600 infantry and two field pieces, which came up just at
night. The impression prevailed wherever we went that we were the advance of a force
of 30,000 that was to cut off Price. The infantry sent forward to my support at
Mitchell's Cross Roads consisted of the Eleventh Indiana, Colonel Macauley,
400; Twenty-fourth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Barter, 370; Twenty-eighth and
Thirtieth Iowa, Lieutenant-Colonel Torrence, 600, and an Iowa battery, Captain
Griffiths, all under the command of Colonel Spicely, of Indiana, an able and
efficient officer.
Of the temper of both officers and men under my command
I cannot speak in too high terms of praise. From the time of my landing at
Delta to this time my command has marched over 200 miles. The weather for two
days out of six has been most inclement, raining incessantly. Without tents of
any kind and not a too plentiful supply of rations, I have never heard a word
of complaint or dissatisfaction. The health of the command has continued
excellent.
To my personal staff, who accompanied me on the
expedition, Captain W. H. Morgan,
assistant adjutant-general; Capts. John Whytock and G. W. Ring, I am under many
obligations for efficient services.
Respectfully, yours,
C. C. WASHBURN,
Brigadier-General.
Captain JOHN E.
PHILLIPS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
***
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