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couched in this unequivocal lan- surrender. The case under consideration is
almost an extreme one. You had a servile
guage:
race armed against their masters, and in a

"I assert that our officers, with all the circumstances against them, endeavored to prevent the effusion of blood; and, as an evidence of this, I refer you to the fact that both White and Colored prisoners were taken, and are now in our hands."

"To the Commander of the United States country which had been desolated by almost
forces, Columbus, Ky.:
unprecedented outrages.
"Fully capable of taking Columbus and
its garrison by force, I desire to avoid shed-
ding blood. I therefore demand the uncon-
ditional surrender of the forces under your
command. Should you surrender, the ne-
groes now in arms will be returned to their
masters. Should I be compelled to take the
place by force, no quarter will be shown
negro troops whatever; White troops will be
treated as prisoners of war.

"I am, Sir, yours,

"Á. BUFORD, Brig.-Gen." It is in vain, in the face of these documents, that Forrest-giving his loss at 20 killed and 60 wounded, and claiming to have buried 228 of our men on the evening of the assault, beside "quite a number" next daypretends that all these were killed in fair fight, or "by a destructive fire into the rear of the retreating and panic-stricken garrison;" and that his superior, Lee, thus pettifogs the case of the subordinate assassin :

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The garrison was summoned in the usual manner, and its commanding officer assumed the responsibility of refusing to surrender, after having been informed by Gen. Forrest of his ability to take the fort, and of his fears as to what the result would be in case the demand was not complied

with. The assault was made under a heavy

fire, and with considerable loss to the attacking party. Your colors were never lowered, and your garrison never surrendered, but retreated under cover of a gunboat, with arms in their hands and constantly using them. This was true particularly of your colored troops, who had been firmly convinced by your teachings of the certainty of slaughter in case of capture. Even under these circumstances, many of your men- -White and Black—were taken prisoners. I respectfully refer you to history for numerous cases of indiscriminate slaughter after successful assault, even under less aggravated circumstances. It is generally conceded, by all military precedent, that where the issue had been fairly presented and the ability displayed, fearful results are expected to follow a refusal to

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All this can not weigh against the solemn oaths of scores of unimpeached witnesses, several of whom were themselves shot and left for dead long after the fighting had utterly ceased, when they were known to have surrendered, and several of whom testify that they saw prisoners thus butchered next day. And the evidence" of Whites and Blacks proves that the murderers a hundred times declared that they shot the Blacks because they were "niggers," and the Whites for fighting with niggers." If human testimony ever did or can establish any thing, then this is proved a case of deliberate, wholesale massacre of prisoners of war after they had surrendered-many of them long after —and for the naked reason that some of them were Black, and others were fighting in Black company.

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Forrest retreated rapidly from the scene of this achievement into Mississippi, and was not effectively pursued; there being no adequate cavalry force at hand for the purpose.

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STURGIS ROUTED AT GUNTOWN.

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were speedily, thoroughly routed, and
in most disorderly flight, over a bad,
narrow road, with their train utterly
lost at once, and no supplies, no place
of refuge, no rëenforcements, within
three days' march. The 1st cavalry
brigade, Col. Geo. E. Waring, had
been carved up to give an escort to
the commanding General, and for
various details, until not enough was
left to present an imposing front; but
the 2d brigade, Col. E. F. Winslow,
was disposed as a rear-guard, and did
what it could to cover the retreat of
the hungry mob of fugitives on foot.
After crossing a stream at Ripley,"
a stand was made and a sharp fight
ensued, whereby the pursuit was
checked, but with a considerable loss
in prisoners on our side. Thencefor-
ward, the pursuit was less eager; but
it was continued nearly to Memphis:
no attempt being made by Sturgis to
reorganize his infantry or do any
thing effective to mitigate the se-
verity of the disaster.
Our loss,
mainly in captives, was variously
stated at 3,000 to 4,000; but it is
probable that the force that Sturgis
brought back to Memphis, counting
guns, wagons, and supplies (all lost),
was not half so efficient as that with
which he set out. Among our killed
were Col. T. W. Humphrey, 95th,
and Col. Geo. W. McKeag, 120th
Illinois; the former for months act-
ing Brigadier, and both excellent
officers.

Some weeks later, a similar and in whatever, our exhausted infantry was good part the same force, but including sent in to the support of the already most of A. J. Smith's corps, now re-engaged cavalry; and both, of course, turned from the luckless Red river campaign, was sent from Memphis after Forrest, with instructions to push on till he was found and beaten, so as to prevent the transfer of a large part of his force to Jo. Johnston, then resisting Sherman in northern Georgia. Maj.-Gen. S. D. Sturgis-in spite of overwhelming proofs of his aggravated unfitness-was again intrusted with the command. His force consisted of 9,000 infantry and artillery, with 3,000 cavalry led by Gen. Grierson. Sturgis had advanced E. S. E. nearly 100 miles, through West Tennessee and northern Mississippi, meeting little opposition till near GUNTOWN, on the Mobile railroad; where Grierson's troopers found" Forrest's cavalry, and pushed it vigorously back on his infantry, which was strongly posted on a semi-circular ridge or crest, with a naked slope in front, and a small creek at its foot, which could with difficulty be forded by infantry at a few points only. Word was sent back to the infantry, now 5 or 6 miles behind; and, in an intensely hot day, they were pushed forward at double-quick to the scene of action, arriving thoroughly blown and incapable of exertion. As if this were not folly enough, the train of more than 200 wagons came rushing up with them, filling the road and impeding the movement of the troops; being hurried over the bridge and parked within sight and range of the enemy's lines. And now, without rest or proper formation, without an attempt to flank the enemy's strong position, or exhibit any common sense

23 June 10.

Another expedition, also numbering 12,000, was promptly organized to wipe out the recollection of this most needless disgrace; Gen. A. J. Smith

24 June 11.

being placed in command. It was fully equipped at Salisbury, 50 miles east of Memphis, advancing" thence, skirmishing incessantly with Forrest's cavalry, to Tupelo, where the Rebel chief had concentrated his command, estimated by our officers at 14,000, and where he had decided to fight. Thrice his infantry assaulted" our lines, and were each time repulsed with heavy loss; being finally driven from the field, leaving on it as many of his men killed or desperately wounded as the whole number of our killed, wounded, and missing.

.28

Gen. Smith made no farther advance; but there was a sharp, indecisive cavalry skirmish next day at Old Town creek; after which our army was withdrawn to the vicinity of Memphis; whence Smith once more advanced," with 10,000 men, by Holly Springs to the Tallahatchie but found no enemy to fight, save a very small body of cavalry. Forrest's main body had been drawn off for service elsewhere. Smith remained in this region several days, and then returned to Memphis; whence he was soon called to the aid of Rosecrans in Missouri, as has already been stated.

captured several staff and other officers, with soldiers enough to make a total of 300. Yet he failed to carry Irving prison, where the Rebel captives were in durance, made no attempt on the fort, and was driven out or ran out of the city after a stay of two hours, in which he had done considerable damage and appropriated some plunder. He lost some 200 men here and at Lane's, outside; where a smart skirmish occurred on his retreat, and Cols. Starr and Kendrick on our side were wounded. On the whole, the raid can hardly be deemed a success, and can not have realized the enemy's expectations, unless they were very moderate. As Hurlbut had at least 6,000 men in or about the city, it was not practicable to do more; and Forrest left not a moment too soon. He made his way back to Mississippi unharmed.

In East Tennessee, Gen. Longstreet's withdrawal into Virginia, after his failure at Knoxville, was at first closely pursued by our cavalry under Shackleford, on whom he turned" at Bean's station, near Morristown, and a spirited fight ensued, with no decided result; but Shackleford does not appear to have hurried Longstreet thereafter.

"

But while Smith was vainly hunting for Forrest in Mississippi, that chieftain reported himself in person at Memphis. Taking 3,000 of his best-mounted men, Forrest flanked" our army by night, and made a forced march to Memphis, which he charged into at dawn;" making di- | it-Siebert having but 100 menrectly for the Gayoso house and other hotels, where his spies had assured him that Gens. Hurlbut, Washburne, and Buckland, were quartered. He failed to clutch either of them, but July 14. Aug. 4. 28 Aug. 17.

Wheeler, with 1,200 mounted men, struck a supply train from Chattanooga to Knoxville, guarded by Col. Siebert, near Charlestown, on the Hiwassee, and had easily captured

25 July 7.

20

27

when Col. Long, 4th Ohio cavalry, came to his aid with 150 more cavalry and Col. Laibold's 2d Missouri infantry; wherewith he quickly retook the train, and hurled the 20 Aug. 18. Aug. 21. "Dec. 14, 1863. Dec. 28.

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MORGAN'S LAST RAID INTO KENTUCKY.

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raiders back on the road to Georgia, says he lost 200 when the Rebels captured Strawberry Plains. It was supposed on our side that this Rebel advance presaged a fresh attempt on Knoxville by Longstreet; but that able General was doubtless masking the movement of the bulk of his forces into Virginia, whither he retired next month. Of course, that ended the pressure on our lines east of Knoxville.

with a loss of 41 killed or wounded and 123 prisoners. We lost but 16. Gen. S. D. Sturgis, commanding our advance east of Knoxville, had a fight" at Mossy creek, near Newmarket, with a Rebel force reported by him at 6,000, led by Martin Armstrong and John Morgan; wherein the Rebels were worsted. Our loss was 18 killed, 82 wounded. Sturgis reports the enemy's at 250 to 400; saying that he buried 22 of their dead and took 44 prisoners.

34

Our advance eastward from Knoxville, having occupied " Dandridge, was attacked there next day, and more determinedly at 3 P. M. the day after; holding the town till after dark, when our men fell back to Strawberry Plains.

Gen. Vance, with 500 mounted men and 2 guns, crossed Smoky mountain from North Carolina into East Tennessee, making for Seviersville; near which place he, with 175 picked men, charged and captured a train of 17 Union wagons, making 26 prisoners. Attempting to return, however, he was surrounded" on Cosby creek by the 4th Illinois cavalry, Maj. Davidson, who routed and captured him, with 100 of his men.

Sturgis had several further collisions" with the Rebel cavalry under Martin and Morgan, wherein he claimed the advantage, with a superior loss inflicted on the enemy; but, as he began them near Dandridge and Newmarket, and left off at Maryville -some 30 miles farther back-it is not safe to credit his estimates of the respective losses. He claims to have taken 150 prisoners in a cavalry fight near Seviersville; another account Jan. 15, 1864.

33 Dec. 29.

Morgan remained in East Tennessee-hiding, as well as he could, the paucity of his numbers-till the 1st of June; when he started on another raid, via Pound gap, into Kentucky; evading Gen. Burbridge, who was in that quarter with a superior force, meditating an advance into southwestern Virginia, in concert with the advance of Crook and Averill up the Kanawha. Morgan had but 2,500 followers, and these not so well mounted as they would have been two years earlier. Still, sending forward small parties to purvey as many good horses as possible, he moved, so swiftly as he might, by Paintville, Hazel Green, Owingsville, Flemingsburg, and Maysville, into and through the richest part of the State; capturing Mount Sterling, Paris, Cynthiana, and Williamstown, burning trains, tearing up railroads, &c., almost without resistance. The most amazing feature of this raid was the capture of Gen. Hobson, with 1,600 well-armed Unionists, by Col. Giltner, one of Morgan's lieutenants, who had 300 only, by crowding him into a bend of the Licking, and then threatening him from the opposite bank so that he was glad to surrender. It is added that the Rebels were nearly out of ammunition. It is

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to be hoped that they paroled their prisoners not to serve again during the War, unless on their side.

but, as he left his wounded to the enemy, it would seem that the real difficulty was a superfluity rather than a scarcity at least of balls.

Gen. Gillem, still posted near Bull's gap, finding a Rebel force, composed of the brigades of Vaughan and Palmer, in his rear at Morristown, suddenly attacked" and routed them, with a loss on their side of 400 men and 4 guns. Two weeks later, Breckinridge in like manner surprised Gillem by a night attack;" routing him utterly, with the loss of his battery, train, and most of his small arms, which his men threw away to expedite their flight. The darkness was intense, and Burbridge admits a loss of 220 men only. He took refuge in Knoxville, leaving Breckinridge transiently master of the situation.

.

Gen. Burbridge, who had promptly started on Morgan's track, had, by a forced march of 90 miles, struck" him heavily at Mount Sterling; Morgan decamping at the close to continue his career. Part of his force entered Lexington at 2 next morning, burned the railroad dépôt, and left, heading for Frankfort and Georgetown. Part of Cynthiana was burned by another detachment. But, near that place, Burbridge fell" on the Rebel raiders while at breakfast; killing and wounding 300 of them, capturing 400, beside 1,000 horses, and liberating some of Hobson's men. Hobson and staff were recaptured soon afterward. Our loss in this conflict was but 150. Morgan fled to south-western Virginia with the wreck Johnson's island, Lake Erie, near of his command, which was no longer Sandusky, Ohio, having been made a a force. He had only gathered a prison-camp, where several thousands small band, with which he occupied of captive Rebels were usually conGreenville, East Tennessee, when he fined, plots were laid by certain of was surprised" and killed by Gen. the Rebel agents and refugees in Gillem; who, being apprised of his Canada to liberate them. To this arrival, had made a forced march of end, the unarmed steamboat Philo 16 miles from Bull's gap to catch him. Parsons, on her way" from Detroit Burbridge was detained for weeks to Sandusky, stopping at Malden, in Kentucky, rëorganizing and re- Canada, there took on board 20 pasmounting his overmarched force; sengers, who, at 6 P. M., proclaiming when he resumed the movement themselves Confederate soldiers, seizwhich had been arrested by Mor-ed the boat, and with her captured gan's raid. He struck directly for the salt-works at Saltville, near Abingdon; where he found himself confronted" in strong force by Breckinridge, by whom he was beaten off, with a loss of 350 men, including Col. Mason, 11th Michigan, killed. He drew off during the night after the conflict, alleging a lack of ammunition; 37 June 9. 38 June 12. 39 Sept. 3.

the Island Queen; soon scuttling the latter; then standing in for Sandusky, where they expected, in concert with secret allies in that city, to capture the U. S. gunboat Michigan; but their signals were not answered, and they soon put off; running the boat on the Canada shore near Sandwich, and escaping.

40 Oct. 2. 41 Oct. 28.

42 Nov. 13.

43

Sept. 19.

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