and through Aberdeen, at Prairie Station, where a routed troops, without control and in great disnumber of cars and pens of corn were destroyed order. The enemy were held in check for a time, on the night of the day the command was united. and the First brigade ordered to take up another At three P.M. on the twentieth of February, the position. This was done, the Second New-Jerwhole force arrived near West-Point Station. sey cavalry and a battalion of the Second Illinois Hepburn's brigade, which was in the advance, cavalry checking the enemy with loss as he adskirmished with the enemy, and with but little vanced. From this, the First brigade was ordereffort drove him over the Octibbeha River. The ed to retire within the lines of the Second bridivision encamped in line of battle; the men were gade, which had taken advantage of some defiles in excellent spirits, and the horses had been in- and ridges to hold the enemy, until the negroes proving in condition during the past two days, and train, that had been in great confusion, could on the unlimited supply of forage which the be parked in an open field on the left of the road. plains through which they marched contained. About a mile to the rear of this point, Colonel Through much of this region the United States Waring formed his brigade on a hill known as troops had never passed; the plantations had Ivy Farm, and while so doing, the pack animals, been undisturbed, and the slaves hitherto had negroes, and many stragglers moved to the rear, not been interrupted in their tillage. As the in a solid body and with irresistible force, over troops moved by cluster after cluster of huts, the road and through part of the field, carrying the young and able-bodied negroes joined the with them the largest portion of the Second Newrear of the column on horses and mules, to Jersey cavalry and Second Illinois cavalry, which the number of about one thousand eight hun- were moving to their several positions. Shortly dred. These, with the long train of pack animals after the Second brigade began to retire in the and led-horses, were now in rear of the division. direction of Ivy Hill, the enemy appeared at a On the morning of the twenty-first, the whole turn in the road commanded by a battery of force was ordered by General Smith to return to howitzers belonging to the Fourth Missouri cavOkolona, McCrellis's brigade leading, followed alry, and firing at once began. The enemy disby the negroes and pack train, after which was mounted, and in large force, as skirmishers, pressWaring's brigade, and in the rear Hepburn's. ed forward and on the flank, toward the road, This movement at once became the object of con- which, like all the surrounding country, exceptstant inquiry on the part of the troops; this was ing the field where the brigade was formed, was followed by an uneasy feeling, increased as came heavily wooded. In the wood, on the side tofirst news of constant skirmishing, and then the ward the road, dismounted skirmishers had been sound of small arms and cannon in the rear. placed; and these, with the firing of the battery, The enemy, on finding a retreat had begun, press- caused the enemy to halt. Soon after, a body of ed forward with great vigor, but were constantly their skirmishers commenced moving from the checked by Hepburn's brigade, in which the Se- thickets which bounded the southern edge of Ivy cond Iowa cavalry and Ninth Illinois cavalry were Farm, threatening the right flank of Waring's mancevred with great bravery and skill. About brigade. Under cover of this, a large force was three P.M., a column of the enemy was seen mov- massed opposite the battery, which force, preing parallel with the retreating force, about a ceded by a line of skirmishers, moved rapidly mile on the right flank, and near the railroad. forward, and at once seized a gully running in A portion of Waring's brigade was at once mov- front of and somewhat obliquely to the line formed to that flank, and after the exchange of a few ed by the brigade. General Smith, who had arshots, the enemy moved forward and to the rived on the field a short time before, at once right of the railroad. General Grierson, with assumed command, and ordered the Fourth MisHepburn's brigade, had now closed up to the souri cavalry, which was on the left of and supcolumn, and the whole encamped three miles porting its battery, to dismount, and prevent the south from Okolona. At nine o'clock on the enemy's further advance. The order was scarcemorning of the twenty-second of February, the ly executed, when the enemy's skirmishers in entire force was placed on the narrow, hilly road the wood skirting the road, began to gain on leading to Pontotoc, Hepburn's brigade leading, those thrown forward by the brigade, rendering followed by the train, and Waring's and McCrel- the position of the battery, as well as of its dislis's brigades. In passing Okolona, the Seventh mounted support, dangerous. The General at Indiana cavalry, of Waring's brigade, was ordered once ordered the Fourth Missouri cavalry to by General Grierson to the support of the Fourth mount and charge the advancing force. Quickly United States cavalry, which was protecting the the three squadrons of that regiment were formright flank and confronting the enemy, who soon ed in double ranks and under fire, Colonel Waradvanced, and heavy skirmishing began with ing commanding, and leading the charge in perthese two regiments. This was kept up for sev-son. With tactical precision, the squadrons eral miles, when the Fourth United States and moved forward, with drawn sabres, at a trot. As Seventh Indiana cavalry were obliged to retreat, they moved down that slope and came under in some disorder, upon the Third brigade, which the closer fire from the wood and fence on the was at once broken, and retreated to the main left, and from the gully in front, the wounded column in great confusion, losing a battery of six howitzers. The First brigade was immediately formed in line, through which came the drifted after the advancing line. The squadrons, however, now galloping, and preserving their front and alignment with the precision of troops on review, rushed forward in solid charge. The near Selma. Up to the morning when General enemy's skirmishers fell hastily back, although W. S. Smith's command was bivouacked near it was impossible to reach him either in front, West-Point Station. It had been both fortunate owing to the gully, or in the road, bounded as it and successful in the advance. The dreary barwas by a high worm-fence. At this charge, loud rens of North-Mississippi had been passed, the hurrahs came from the troops in line, and the marching had not been severe, the horses were skirmishers again advanced. The Fourth Mis- improving on the abundant forage found on the souri cavalry wheeled and retreated toward the rich plains bordering the Mobile and Ohio Railleft, to their original position near the battery. road, the men were in excellent spirits, and when The enemy now brought a section of artillery into the enemy had been met it was in very small action, and moved forward as before. Slowly force and he had been easily repulsed, with scaree and doggedly the skirmish-line of the brigade any loss to the United States troops. The dewas forced back, the enemy gaining tree after termination on the part of the General to retreat tree on the left, and nearing the battery, which was reached and acted upon without resort to was ordered to fall back; as it did so, the enemy the usual and proper means of finding the nummoved forward, but were met by two charges bers and disposition of the enemy. No scoutfrom a squadron of the Fourth Missouri cavalry, ing party or reconnoissance was thrown across and an impetuous rush from the Seventh Indi- the Octibbeha River; no attempt to divert his ana cavalry, which fell upon them, and, fighting attention at one point while the command was hand to hand with great bravery, stopped their crossed elsewhere; and no movement with a advance until the battery could be removed. In view to cover the main column. The whole force this movement the shaft of one of the gun-car- was placed for retreat on the one road on which riages broke, three of the four horses attached the advance had been made, and which was now to it were killed, and the gun was spiked and waste and desolate from the supplies legitimately abandoned; the rest of the battery was safely taken a few days before, and the criminal and withdrawn. The sun had now set; the firing wanton destruction of every species of property had become less heavy, and the brigade was or- which had been permitted, without punishment dered to retire, which it did in good order, pass- and almost without rebuke, from the General ing through the lines of part of the Third bri- Commanding gade, having been in action over two hours, and having checked the enemy, who stopped the pursuit for that night, and encamped on the battlefield. The troops could ill understand the reason for a movement so disheartening, and which every hour became less a retreat and more nearly a rout, without any information or apparent cause The whole force marched forward during the for it. They imagined the pursuers to be in overnight, until it reached a large open space near whelming force, to be on both flanks as well as Pontotoc, where several hours were spent in ar- in advance. This feeling grew, and on the second ranging, as far as possible, the disorganized regi-day, when Okolona was passed, and its great ments. Hepburn's brigade was placed in the rear and the march toward New-Albany continued, skirmishing going on with a body of the enemy who continued the pursuit. On arriving at New-Albany, General Grierson ordered Waring's brigade to hold the enemy in check and cover the crossing of the Tallahatchie River. This was successfully done. The Second and Third brigades then moved on the Holly Spring road, and the First brigade, with the entire train and the negroes, marched on the Beck Spring road. On the twenty-fourth February the entire force had crossed the Tippah River. McCrellis's and Hepburn's brigades marched to Germantown, on the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, fourteen miles from Memphis, and Waring's brigade crossed the Wolf River near Colliersville, and moved slowly toward Memphis, where it arrived on twenty-seventh February, again crossing the Wolf River at Shelby's Ferry. The loss of the entire command in men killed, wounded, and missing was about three hundred and fifty; in horses, nearly three thousand. By this retreat General Sherman was deprived of the large force of cavalry, without which his expedition was unable to follow the army of Lieutenant-General Polk, which was retreating from Meridian, or to move eastward into Alabama and destroy the arms, arsenals, and stores at or open plain, so well suited to the movements of cavalry, was left behind, the hope that here a stand would be made and a battle fought, (which had been the wish of all on the previous day,) passed, and the undisciplined and more timid thought only of flight toward Memphis. From the twenty-second February, excepting the halt for the battle of Ivy Farm, the column was steadily hurried northward over the long reach of barren oak and pine hills which lay between Okolona and the Tennessee boundary. Sleep was not allowed the men, and the horses was without rest or forage. The line of retreat became marked by great numbers of the lame and broken-down horses, and the sides of the road by long files of dismounted troopers, plodding wearily forward, and striving to keep pace with their mounted comrades. When at length the vicinity of Memphis was reached, the seven thousand men who two weeks before had set out with brave hopes, were now worn down, one third dismounted, many without arms, most with scanty clothing, and, saddest of all, the daring spirit, the morale of the command, was impaired, and gloom and despondency in its place, which was not relieved when it became known that at West-Point the enemy had but three thousand men, and that his whole force, which was commanded by Major-General Forrest, did not exceed six thousand, many of whom could not be much less than two million bushels, were State militiamen. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. CAIRO, Feb. 29, 1864. Some particulars of the late expedition of General William S. Smith, lately returned to Memphis, have already been published. General Smith, in person, arrived here last evening. His official report to the military authorities will set forth the following facts: The expedition moved from Memphis on Thursday, the eleventh instant, some seven thousand strong, Brigadier-General William S. Smith in command, the purpose being to clear the country of straggling rebel forces, and, if possible, create a diversion in favor of General Sherman, with whose rear it was thought the cavalry expedition might in due season communicate. It was stated that the enemy were posted in force beyond the Tallahatchie, and that they would determinedly resist the Federal advance. After two days' heavy marching, the expedition reached the Tallahatchie. A brigade of infantry, temporarily attached to the expedition, under command of Colonel McMillen, was sent forward and threatened Panola, and afterward to Wyatt, for a similar purpose. The move was successful. The infantry attracted the attention and the forces of the enemy to these points, when General Smith swung his cavalry around and to New-Albany, whence he crossed without firing a shot. He then pushed boldly forward to a point near the Pontotoc, in the vicinity of Houston, where he encountered some State confederate troops, under the command of Gholson, numbering near six thousand. They stampeded at his approach, throwing away their arms as they ran. General Smith pursued them hotly and until he reached Houlka Swamp, where he found the enemy concentrated in heavy force, holding a corduroy road, the only one across the swamp. This could not be turned either to the right or to the left, so Smith's whole force was moved rapidly to the eastward, while a heavy demonstration was made on the front, as though he intended to force a passage over the road. The enemy were again deceived, and our forces fell back upon Okolona. This was on Monday, the fifteenth instant. The attack upon Okolona was so little expected that several confederate officers, at home on visit to their families, were captured. Some of them were finely mounted. The Ninth Illinois regiment of cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Burgh commanding, was then sent out to Sheridan, to endeavor to secure a crossing of the Tombigbee. On the next morning, Hepburn's brigade, commanded by General Grierson in person, was sent out to support the Ninth regiment, and at Aberdeen, with directions to threaten Columbus strongly. With the remaining two brigades, General Smith swept down the railroad toward WestPoint, tearing up the railroad completely as he advanced, and also burning all the corn he found. There were vast quantities of this, cribbed and ready for transportation. The amount destroyed and was possibly much greater. Two thousand bales of cotton were also devoted to the flames. During this portion of the march negroes flocked to General Smith by hundreds and thousands, mounted on their masters' horses and mules, with briddles and saddles of the most primitive description. They welcomed General Smith as their deliverer whenever he met them. "God bless ye! Has yer come at last? We've been lookin' for you for a long time, and had almost done gone give it up!" was the cry of many. They bade farewell to their wives and children, and marched in the van. Hearing that the enemy was concentrated in heavy force at West-Point, the brigade of Aberdeen was called over by a forced march to the line on the railroad, at a station fifteen miles north of West-Point, while the main force moved down upon West-Point. Two miles north of that place, Smith came upon a brigade of the enemy, drawn up in line of battle, to receive him. This was on Wednesday, the seventeenth instant, at about three P.M. Our forces charged it in a 'gallant style, and after a sharp engagement of some fifteen minutes' duration, drove the enemy back through the town into the Suchatoncha Swamp, on the right. Skirmishing continued on the border of the swamp during the remainder of the evening, until dark. Meanwhile the whole Federal force was being brought forward into position. Through his scouts, General Smith ascertained that the enemy was upon his front in powerful force, that he held every one of the crossings of the swamp on his right, and on the line of the Octibbeha in the front. He was confined on the left by the Tombigbee, which it was impossible to cross. His force was heavily encumbered with the pack-trains, horses, mules captured, to the number of full three thousand, and an equal number of negroes. These he felt obliged to protect, and it took such a heavy guard force, as to reduce the effective fighting force nearly one half, leaving him powerless to drive the enemy, so strong in numbers, before him, and who had taken up a strong position, that he could better defend with musketry and riflemen, than Smith could attack with only light carbines, his horses being useless on the marshy ground occupied. There was little time for speculation. The position was imminent. General Smith did the best he could under the circumstances. He made a strong demonstration upon the rebel centre, and while sharp fighting was going on, drew all his incumbrances and the main portion of his force rapidly back toward Okolona, covering his rear with a well-organized force, which fought the enemy from every line of concealment that offered on their backward march. The enemy pursued in force, and made desperate attempts to overwhelm the rear-guard, but without success. They also failed in attacking the main force in flank, which they several times essayed, but were as often foiled. All their best manoeuvres were thus handsomely checkmated, and General Smith soon had the fighting all in his own way, until he reached Okolona. At this place, after the pursuing force had been three times repulsed in a most brilliant manner by the Fourth United States regular infantry alone, a whole brigade was sent to support the Fourth, and was thrown into confusion by a stampede of the Second Tennessee cavalry, Lieutenant-Colonel Cook, who had fifty men killed in all, and was himself mortally wounded. In the precipitate flight from the field of this force, a battery of small howitzers-six guns of Perkins's Illinois battery-were run off of the road into a ditch, where the carriages were so badly smashed up that they were unable to get them off, and they fell into the enemy's hands. All the ammunition of the battery was destroyed, all the harness cut, carriages destroyed, guns spiked, and horses saved. It was with the greatest difficulty that this uncalled-for panic could be broken and order restored. Organized forces were thrown to the rear as quickly as possible, and the advance of the enemy handsomely checked. From crest to crest of the hills the fighting was resumed and continued for over ten miles with the utmost determination on both sides. Having reached Ivy Farm, a splendid place, it was immediately taken possession of, and a large force deployed, a battery placed in position, and the whole field cleared for action. The enemy advanced into the open field, and the whole strength of our artillery was opened upon them at short-range with killing effect, supported by a full line of carbines firing upon the dismounted troops. When their line was shaken, a gallant charge was made upon their centre and on the right, by mounted men. This manoeuvre was performed in handsome style, the enemy were swept backward at every point, and so completely scared, that they made no further attack, in force, upon Smith's men, though they followed up at a respectful distance, until he crossed the Tallahatchie. General Smith succeeded in bringing off all his captured stock, pack-trains, negroes, and other spoils, having performed a march of over sixty miles without rest. Our loss is reported as having been light, the heaviest being in the Fourth gulars, which lost thirty-five. There were quite a number of our men captured while straggling, catching chickens, and performing acts not legitimately in the line of their duty. In summing up, General Sinith speaks in the highest terms of the conduct of General Grier son. Where danger was most iniminent, there was Grierson. The fighting of the whole Second brigade, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hepburn, of the Second Iowa cavalry, was excellent. Theirs, with that of the Fourth regulars, under Captain Bowman, was beyond all praise. The Second brigade is composed of the Second Iowa, the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Illinois cavalry. General Smith mentions with gratitude the bravery of the Seventy-second Indiana, (mounted infantry,) Fifth Kentucky cavalry, and Fourth Missouri cavalry, all of which commands behaved themselves nobly on all occasions. Forrest, in this fight, or series of fights, had four brigades of cavalry and mounted infantry, reënforced by Gholson's State troops, six hundred strong, and, it is said, a portion of Lee's command. His total force, when at West-Point, was over five thousand. This did not include the troops stretched along the Octibbeha, on the left and front, and the troops back of the Suchatoncha Swamp on the right. Forrest boasted that he had General Smith just where he wanted him, and that the people had no need to fear that he would ever advance any further South. The latter part of his boast for the present only holds good. General Smith's expedition returned to Memphis after just fourteen days' absence, having made a march out and back of about three hundred and fifty miles, with the results above set forth. REBEL REPORTS AND NARRATIVES. GENERAL S. D. LEE'S REPORT. DEMOPOLIS, February 24. HEADQUARTERS, STARKVILLE, Miss., February 22. Lieutenant-General Polk: } Major-General Forrest reports, at nine A.M., yesterday evening, two miles south of Pontotoc, we have had severe fighting all day with the enemy. The engagement closed about dark. We have killed about forty of the enemy and captured about one hundred prisoners. Our loss is not known, but is not so heavy as that of the enemy. The prisoners captured report that two of their colonels and one lieutenant-colonel was killed this evening. Colonel Forrest was killed this evening. Colonel Barksdale was badly wounded in the breast. Colonel McCollock was wounded in the head. We have captured four or five pieces of artillery. General Gholson came up this evening, and will follow after them, and drive them as far as possible. The fight commenced near Okolona late this evening, and was obstinate, as the enemy were forced to make repeated stands to hold us in check, and to save their pack-mules, etc., from a stampede. The fight closed with a grand cavalry charge of the enemy's whole force. We repulsed them with heavy loss, and completely routed them. LEONIDAS POLK, Lieutenant-General. S. D. LEE. ATLANTA CONFEDERACY ACCOUNT. DEMOPOLIS, February 22, 1864. News from the front grows stale. The enemy having prospected as far south as De Soto, on the Mobile road, seem to be hesitating as to their future movements. It seems the Yankees are by no means sanguine of their future success, and many report that the subordinate officers and men are extremely nervous and apprehensive, and swear that Sherman is crazy and doomed to destruction. There is no doubt but that Sherman expected material aid and full coöperation from a column that was to come down through North-Mississip pi. So entirely was this support relied upon, that the Federal commander has openly boasted that "General Smith would be in Columbus by the fifteenth." It is confidently believed here, that the Federal force now moving in that direction will fall in with some obstacles little dreamed of in their philosophy, which will very seriously interfere with their arrangements. this war. We have conversed with gentlemen recently from that section, whose accounts all concur in the main facts of that almost marvellous exploit. The enemy's reports fully confirm these accounts, but they do not state the exact force by which these results were accomplished. Owing to the exhaustion of his horses, the want of arms and munitions and other causes, Forrest could array a force of only two thousand four hundred men to confront Smith and Grierson's column of seven thousand of the best equipped cavalry the Yankees have ever put in the field. Forrest's men, too, were mostly new and untried, especially in the cavalry service. He had recent General Forrest, who is already confronting them, has been amply reënforced, and strong hopes are entertained that very few will reach General Sherman, and those will hardly improve his already partially demoralized army. This Northern Mississippi raid, it seems, consists of from seven to ten thousand men, cavalry and infantry com-ly recruited them them in West-Tennessee. It bined, with six pieces of artillery. This raid is abundantly provided for. Our cavalry have been doing splendid work. I have heard Wirt Adams's old regiment more particularly mentioned. I had begun to fear the "forty wagons" affair was a "reliable contraband" story, but to-day I learned the particulars from a participant in the affair. seemed the extreme of rashness and recklessness to attempt with such a force to arrest the march of a column of seven thousand splendidly mounted and equipped men, led by experienced officers, whose march thus far had been uninterrupted, who were buoyant and confident, and were charged with such an important mission. The Two squadrons from Wirt Adams's old regi- junction of this cavalry force with Sherman at ment, led by Colonel Wood, (now commanding Meridian was the key of the whole scheme of the that gallant corps,) and supported by a small Yankee plan for the occupation and subjugation force of dismounted men under Colonel Dumon- of the South-West. If successful, Sherman would tielle, charged across a small field, along the op- have been in a condition to advance upon Demoposite side of which the enemy's wagon train | polis and Selma, or Mobile; and these important was passing, heavily guarded by a line of infan-points, as well as the rich countries adjacent, try on either side. would have been at the mercy of the enemy. The charge was so sudden, so wild, so gallant, They could have been driven back only at the that the wretches felt their doom was sealed and enormous risk of weakening Johnston's army, so fled in wild confusion. On dashed the avenging as to open Northern Georgia and Rome and At"rebels," and while the mules and drivers strug-lanta to Grant's army. General Polk, with his gled in confusion and dismay, they shot drivers and mules as they swept like whirlwind down the line of struggling, crushed, and disorderly Yankees, and poured a perfect shower of balls into them, and then, coming to a heavy line of infantry drawn up to receive them, they wheeled off and dashed again out of sight and reach. We lost six men and some few horses in the affair; and among them a very gallant fellow, Sergeant Gibson, who was wounded, and afterward killed in cold blood by the cowardly wretches who had fled on the first sight of our men. It is of course not prudent to mention what is now transpiring hereabouts, but all weak-kneed people had as well take heart, and not cry "Wolf!" too soon. There is no little probability that the adventurous Yankees will pay dearly for their grand raid. All apprehensions of an attack on Mobile or Selma are now dissipated. It turns out that there is no considerable force at Pascagoula, or in that vicinity, and if General Polk had only been reënforced at the critical point, at Meridian, for instance, the whole Yankee force would have been incontinently "gobbled up." RICHMOND DESPATCH ACCOUNT. RICHMOND, VA., March 9, 1864. The recent victory of General Forrest in Northern Mississippi, by which the grand plan of the Yankees in the West was so effectually defeated, was one of the most remarkable achievements of scant infantry force, quickly perceived the momentous issue which depended upon the result of the cavalry movement from Memphis, and after securing his small army on the east side of the Tombigbee, and removing all his supplies and munitions, and returning to Mobile the troops he had borrowed from General Maury, sent imperative orders to Lee and Forrest to unite their forces, and at every cost to crush and drive back Smith and Grierson's cavalry. Con Lee did not receive these orders in time to reach Forrest with his force, which was already greatly exhausted by the continual skirmishing with Sherman's column. Forrest was therefore left alone with his two thousand four hundred men to perform this immense undertaking. fronting the enemy on the broad prairies near West-Point, on the Tibbee River, he prepared for action. The enemy formed in a long and most imposing line, outflanking Forrest, and threatening the instant demolition of his small and imperfectly organized force. The charge was given, and the Yankees advanced with great boldness and an air of certain victory. Great was their surprise when, as they approached Forrest's line, they observed his men slip from their horses, and converting themselves into infantry, each man taking the most favorable position, availing themselves of every advantage the ground afforded, and awaiting with the utmost coolness the impetuous charge of the Yankee chivalry. On came the splendidly mounted dra |