REBEL ACCOUNTS. GENERAL POLK'S ADDRESS. and again captured by our army. He expressed Enterprise, all and singular with its improvements, public and private, its paroled camp and its conscript camp, with its associations, historic, poetic, and secesh, has been-according to camp parlance-wiped out. HEADQUARTERS, DEMOPOLIS, ALA., Feb. 26, 1864. The Lieutenant-General Commanding offers his congratulations to the army on the successful termination of the campaign just closed. The cheerfulness with which the troops have borne the fatigues and inconveniences of the march, and their ready acquiescence in the orders directing their movements, have entitled them to the highest commendation. To the firmness and good conduct of the men, and the skill and judgment of their officers in checking the enemy's march, the Commanding General is indebted for securing the public stores and depriving the enemy of the use of the railroads and other facilities for foraging and subsistence. The concentration of our cavalry on his column of cavalry from West-Tennessee formed the turning-point of the campaign. Both their columns are retreating before the squadrons of our pursuing cavalry. The state of feeling and the condition of the people in the section travelled through are indiscribable. The bitterness which has marked this struggle on the part of the Southern people, can scarcely be said to be lessened. In many cases it is intensified, accompanied by an utter recklessness as to personal consequences, which is often fearful. Many having made immense sacrifices, and who now feel that all is lost, seem to delight in wreaking their fury upon some unfortunate negro soldier falling into their hands, or an occasional white straggler from our army, That concentration broke down the only means who is careless enough to be taken. On our re- of subsisting his infantry. His column was deturn from this expedition, the corpse of an Indi- feated and routed, and his whole force compelled ana soldier, who had separated himself from his to make a hasty retreat. Never did a grand camcompany, was found with sixteen bullet-holes paign, inaugurated with such pretensions, termithrough his body. As a general thing, however, nate more ingloriously. With a force three times the sentiment of the people seemed to be one of that which was opposed to its advance, they despondency at the idea of Southern independ- have been defeated and forced to leave the field ence, of weariness with the war, and a willing-with a loss of men, small arms, and artillery. ness to return to the Union rather than to continue a hopeless struggle. The rigidity of the conscription is so complete, however, that this feeling can make little impression, or rather produce little result under the present order of things, or, in fact, until the military rule is effectually broken up throughout the Confederacy. The engineer, to whom allusion has already been made in this epistle, informs me that a lieutenant and six men accompanied each train which passed over the railroad on which he run, and no man without a pass could travel a mile. No man could step off at a station without a guard examined his pass, nor could any one get on the train without the same ceremony. No one could pass from one town to another without his papers being in order, and even then they were scrutinized with the greatest carefulness and frequency. He himself was not permitted to cross the Pearl River, at Jackson, and after the news reached there of our movements, three soldiers were placed on the engine and tender to insure his faithfulness in running the train loaded with confederate soldiers, out of the reach of Yankee bullets. During the entire march, occupying exactly a month, the army was mainly subsisted upon the country it passed through, and the trains had no difficulty in obtaining a sufficiency of forage, without drawing upon that with which they were provided upon leaving Vicksburgh. The Lieutenant-General commanding offers his grateful thanks to the whole army, and trusts that this opening campaign of the new year may be an earnest of the successes which await us in the future. By command of Lieutenant-General POLK. MOBILE REGISTER ACCOUNT. DEMOPOLIS, March 1, 1864. The great campaign under General Sherman, announced in the Yankee papers of several weeks past, to consist of seventy thousand men, to move in three columns, successively, from Vicksburgh, West-Tennessee, and Huntsville, Alabama, to sweep through the States of Mississippi and Alabama, break up their railroads, destroy their grain and manufactures, and capture and reduce their capitals, has been brought to grief. The Commanding General of this department, while deficient in troops, seems not to have been wanting in tact, energy, skill, or judgment. The plans of the astute Sherman seem to have been comprehended and baffled, his movements broken down, and his army forced to retreat. General Sherman left Vicksburgh with forty-five thousand men, ten thousand of whom were sent up the Yazoo. The rest marched in one column through Jackson, into the heart of Mississippi. This was composed of infantry and artillery. This column was first confronted by the cavalry commanded by General S. D. Lee; then by the small infantry force at the disposal of the Commanding General. After crossing Pearl River, Lee's cavalry was thrown upon its flanks and rear, and with such success as to prevent all foraging. The stores in dépôts of all the railroads between Pearl River and the Tombigbee were sent east, and the whole of the rolling stock of those roads was placed beyond the enemy's reach. This being accomplished, the Commanding General placed the infantry on the east side of the Tombigbee, to defend the crossings, and concentrate the whole of his cavalry on the enemy's second column, from West-Tennessee, which he now moved. DESCRIPTION BY A SOUTHERN WOMAN. MERIDIAN, February 22, 1864. MY DEAR MOTHER: As one of our neighbors go down to Mobile to-morrow, I will send you a few lines to let you know how we came out in this "terrible raid." My husband left here at ten o'clock A.M., as guide to General Polk. The Yankees came in at four P.M., in full force. They skirmished a little in our yard, which frightened us very much. The small portion of our servants went away with my husband, so no one remained with me but Violetta, Louisa, Lucinda, my mother-in-law, and three children. After the skirmishing stopped, the mob ran around, going into the houses, breaking open doors, trunks, locks, etc., tearing up and destroying every thing they could. Caught all the chickens in the place in half an hour. I begged for my things and saved nearly every thing; for while I was talking to the part of the mob who had entered my house, I sent mother off to look up some of the Generals, and to try to get a guard, telling them that I was being run over. General Hurlbut gave us the guard. Only five men entered my house, and demanded my keys. I took some time to get them, showing a great willingness; told them I hoped that they would not take my clothes. They said no; they only wanted all arms and gold and silver I had. I told them they could have all of both which they could find, but I had none. They searched the bureau-drawers and trunks before the guard arrived. One man ran up the stairs and took three sacks of flour, and three or four blankets, and was moving off with them just as the guard came, who made him return the blankets, and pretended to go off for the flour; but that was never returned. The guard staid all night, Sunday, and Monday. claimed his protection. He answered: "I will take care of you, madam, as long as I am here." I said: "I hear that all Meridian is to be burned down; will my house be burned, too?" We then passed a few more words, when I took my children back into my room. I did not see the General any more till the next day, when I met him in the passage. He was very pleasant. One of his officers asked me where my husband was. I told him that he left on Sunday. He asked if I was a Southerner. I replied: "Yes; a genuine Southerner, as I have never been in a Northern State." He said: "You take every thing very coolly." I said: "I try to, but I find it very hard to do, as I am frightened all the time." He said: "You need not be, as you shall not be disturbed." All of the children were questioned very closely, but got on finely. Mary said just what she pleased. Told them she did not like Yankees. One of the captains told her that if she would only go home with him, she would not be in any more war. She replied: "No; I am a rebel, and I don't want to be with the Yankees." Our store was burned to the ground, and so was another one of our new houses. My two milch-cows were killed, and every one in the town; and for eight or ten miles around, all cattle and horses. Our horse was not at home. The printing-office and all the public buildings were burnt up, and Mr. Ragsdale's Hotel, Cullen's, Terrill's, and the Burton House. All the railroad is torn up, both up and down, for miles, and all the ties burned, and the iron bent and destroyed. Oh! such destruction! I do not believe that you or any one would know the place. There is not a fence in Meridian. I have not one rail left. Some of the ladies about town have but one bed left, and but one or two quilts. Mrs. McElroy (her son is colonel in the rebel army) has not one thing left, except what she and her daughter ran out of the house with on their backs-just one dress. The soldiers told me, when I asked them the reason she was done so, that Mrs. McElroy and daughter had insulted an officer and a private the day her house was burned down. Ragsdale, her son-in-law, brought her here, and asked me to take care of them. I went out in the passage and encountered the General, and told him what Ragsdale had asked of me. He said: "If you do, your house will be burned in an hour, for I cannot prevent it." So I had to tell them that I could not take them. I could not write you of every thing, if I were to consume the whole day; but I can tell you that I got on better than any other lady in MeridIian, and I will say that the General and officers who staid at my house acted the gentleman to me; but I could not, would not go through what I have again, for all that is in Meridian. Mrs. was grossly insulted. Mrs. D. was cursed blue; but you must send her folks down there word that she is still alive. Mr. Taylor, her uncle, has not a second change, nor any of his family. I did not lose a particle of General Leggett and staff came and asked me for all the house-room I could give them. knew that it was only a demand, and granted it; so that I only occupied two rooms, and mother kept her own room. I did my cooking in one of my rooms; as I had already moved into the house all the cooking utensils, coffee-mill-in fact, even to an ax. I by that means saved them all. I met the General and told him that I, three little children, and an old mother-in-law clothing, and only those things that I have mentioned. My grown girl, Violetta, got ready to go, but as good fortune would have it, I had heard an officer express himself on slavery, so I went to him and got him to scare it out of her. I was lucky, so many negroes went from about here; all of Mr. McElmore's, Semmes's, and Dr. Johnston's-he had but two old ones, all are gone. I do not think that you have any idea how bad the Yankees are. I thought I knew, but I did not know the half. They took old Mrs. 's teeth, all her spoons and knives, and destroyed all provisions and corn which they could not use. Two army corps were here-with Generals Sherman, Hurlbut, McPherson, and Leggett. Mother has been sick ever since the Yankees left. How glad I am that I did not get sick! No one need want to be with the Yankees, even for a few days. They staid here from Sunday until Saturday morning, and it appeared like a month. I have no time to write more; will write again soon. Love to all. Your daughter, S. E. P. B. OPERATIONS OF THE CAVALRY UNDER GENERALS SMITH AND GRIERSON. MEMPHIS, TENN., February 27. From an officer attached to General Grierson's column of the cavalry expedition, which returned yesterday, the following memoranda of the march of that command was obtained. February 11th, marched from Germantown, Tennessee, crossed the Cold Water, and camped for the night three miles south of Byhalia, Mississippi, making twenty-five miles. Twelfth, marched toward Waterford, one battalion making a feint on Wyatt, where Forrest was in position with artillery. We passed through Waterford, and camped three miles We destroyed a contelegraph line. Very south-east of the railroad. siderable portion of the little skirmishing. Thirteenth, marched at daylight; built a bridge at Tippah Creek; crossed at four P.M., and camped for the night ten miles south; considerable skirmishing. Fourteenth, marched at daylight; crossed the Tallahatchie at New-Albany at noon, and camped four miles south of that place; raining. Fifteenth, marched four miles and encamped. Skirmishing on the extreme right. Sixteenth, marched six miles and encamped, waiting for Waring's brigade to come up. Captured several prisoners, one of them General Forrest's chief of scouts. Seventeenth, marched at eight A.M. Passed through Pontotoc at one P.M., and camped four miles south. Eighteenth, passed through Red Land, burning a large amount of confederate corn and wheat. In the afternoon passed through Okolona, capturing some prisoners, arms, and a large amount of confederate government supplies. Camped five miles south. Nineteenth, marched at eight A.M. toward Aberdeen, capturing forty-five prisoners and a large amount of government supplies, etc. Crossed the Tombigbee River, and encamped five miles south of that river on an abandoned plantation. Twentieth, destroyed a number of cars and culverts, and a large amount of corn and cotton along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. At three P.M., had a hard fight with the enemy in front, driving them back. Twenty-first, marched at eight A.M.; attacked the enemy in their intrenchments at West-Point, driving them out, our loss forty killed and wounded; destroyed the railroad track, culverts, and dépôt. At dark we drew the enemy into an ambuscade, when they retreated in confusion, with considerable loss. We marched due west until one A.M., and encamped. Twenty-second, the rebels under Forrest attacked our rear and flank at Okolona. They charged upon the Third brigade. The Third Tennessee cavalry broke at the first volley, running five of our small guns off of the road into the ditch, breaking their carriages. The guns were spiked and abandoned. The Second brigade, with the Fourth regulars, charged the enemy at four P.M., driving them back, and our mules, prisoners, and negroes were placed in the advance, guarded by the First brigade, under Colonel Waring. The Second and Third brigades dismounted, and a general fight ensued, which lasted until dark. loss was about one hundred, mostly prisoners. Our Twenty-third, the enemy followed up our rear, but no general engagement ensued. We re-crossed the Tallahatchie at noon, and marched until midnight. Twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth, we marched leisurely; nothing of note occurred, and arrived at Germantown. Our loss during the expedition will reach about one hundred and fifty killed, wounded, and pris oners. This column burned about three thousand bales of confederate cotton, over one million bushels of corn; captured over one hundred prisoners, over one thousand mules, and a multitude of negroes. Owing to so large a portion of our force being required to guard our trains, captured property, and negroes, General Smith was greatly outnumbered by the enemy - Forrest's effective force being over five thousand strong. Our loss is trifling compared with the results of the expedition. A NATIONAL ACCOUNT. MEMPHIS, TENN., March 2. On the eleventh of February, the First brigade of the cavalry division of the Sixteenth army corps, composed of the Fourth Missouri cavalry, Second New-Jersey cavalry, Seventh Indiana, Nineteenth Pennsylvania cavalry, and a battery of the Second Illinois cavalry, all un- conducted themselves with coolness and bravery der the command of Colonel George E. Waring, the day before in the face of the most furious Jr., of the Fourth Missouri, left Colliersville, attacks of the rebels, were now so panic-stricken Tennessee, destined to cooperate with General as to be beyond all control. The Second brigade Smith. On the seventeenth we formed a junc- and the Seventh Indiana rallied and held the tion at New-Albany, on the Tallahatchie River, rebels in check, falling back from time to time, with the Second brigade, commanded by Gen- and taking new positions, both sides suffering eral Grierson, and the Third, commanded by considerably. At three o'clock, the third batColonel McCrellis. On the nineteenth we talion of the Seventh Indiana formed across the reached Egypt, a station on the Mobile and road in line of battle, to stop, if possible, the Ohio Railroad, in the midst of the finest and wild flight of the Seventh brigade. This was most fertile country I ever saw. In no part of done in good order, under the command of Major the South, outside of the cities, is there found Febbs, and succeeded in stopping, in a measure, more wealth than here. One man owns eight the wild flight of our men, and restoring commiles square of this land, and a poor fellow parative order. Lieutenant-Colonel Brown now who owns but one thousand acres of this land arrived and assumed command, and we were is considered by his neighbors as almost an ordered in force back, and to take a new posiobject of charity. Of course they are the most tion. Here we were assailed furiously by the inveterate rebels. We here, and at other points rebels, and, after holding the position firmly for in this vicinity, destroyed about three million a short time, we were ordered to fall back, bushels of corn, two thousand or three thousand which was done in good order. Just at night bales of cotton, a tannery containing two thou- a position was taken by the First brigade, the sand sides of leather, all belonging to the rebel battery of the Fourth Missouri occupying the government, and capturing about two thousand road, supported by the Fourth Missouri, Second negroes, and three thousand mules and horses, New-Jersey, Sixth and Seventh Illinois, and tearing up about thirty miles of the railroad, Seventh Indiana. This line was formed in the burning the bridges and culverts, and rendering immediate rear of the train, and if broken the the rails unserviceable by being heated, thus train would be captured and we hopelessly cutting off their communications with Mobile. defeated. Twilight was fast settling down, All this was done without any interruption, making every thing indistinct. On rushed the although the rebel General Forrest, with a large cavalry force, was near us, On the twentieth we, for the first time, encountered the enemy in the neighborhood of West-Point, where they had taken a strong position, and after a little sharp fighting they were driven back, we encamping on the battle-field. On the morning of the twenty-first, having accomplished fully the object of the expedition, we commenced our return, the Second Iowa cavalry and a battalion of the Sixth Illinois cavalry guarding the rear. Several times during the day the rebels charged furiously upon the rear, but were as often repulsed by the brave boys of the Second Iowa, assisted by detachments from the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Illinois, the rebels suffering great loss, we but little. At ten o'clock at night we encamped two miles south-west of Okolona, with almost a certain prospect of a battle the next day. On the morning of the twenty-second we moved out of camp, the First brigade being charged with guarding the train, the Seventh Indiana cavalry being in the rear, and the other regiments of the brigade preceding it, the Third brigade occupying the rear of the expedition for the day. As we passed through the town of Okolona, the rebels were discovered drawn up in line of battle about three fourths of a mile on our right, having passed us in the night, but not in sufficient force to attack us. About ten o'clock, having been largely reënforced, they made a furious attack upon our rear, and the Second Iowa, having become panic-stricken, stampeded the whole of Colonel McCrellis's brigade. Here followed the wildest scene of disorder that I ever witnessed. Men who had rebels with the most determined bravery and coolness. The battery opened with spirit. The Sixth and Seventh Illinois delivered a few volleys and fell back, and were soon followed by the Fourth Missouri and Second New-Jersey. The sharp flash of the enemy's carbines could be seen in the deepening twilight within twenty feet of the guns of the battery; if they should be taken, all would be lost. The command was now given by General Smith: "Seventh Indiana, charge the enemy!" Quick as thought the brave boys of the Seventh drew their sabres, and, with a shout, charged down the slope of the hill, full in the face of the enemy, driving them like sheep, and inflicting the most dreadful slaughter. The enemy for the first time were completely checked and driven back; the day was won, and we were safe. It was not accomplished without loss. Companies I and A, the right and left companies of the regiment, lost largely, company A losing their captain (Parmlee) and their first lieutenant (Donaho) and twenty men, and company I lost ten men. We were ordered to fall back so rapidly that we were forced to leave our dead and wounded on the field. At ten o'clock we halted and fed our tired and worn-out horses, and cooked supper for our fatigued and famished men, and rested till about four o'clock A.M., when we again resumed our march; passed through the town of Pontotoc just at daylight, and moved on rapidly during the day. The rebels followed us, and several times during the day made furious attacks on our rear, but were as often repulsed. Just at night, we crossed the Tallahatchie at New-Albany, destroying the bridge behind us, and we were safe. From here we marched on rapidly, night and day, without In several instances, it was necessary to build further interruption, and reached Colliersville the boats, and in others, a path through the ice In in the rivers, (which was in layers, separated by six inches to a foot of water,) had to be chopped by axes before the boats could be used. places, owing to the rise of the water over the swamp-lands, and cane ridges as well, the brigade and train were forced to make long detours to avoid miles of low-lying ground, covered with melting ice and water; or to reach some point where a bottom could be found, to be used to cross the command over a slough or river. Even with this necessary selection of the route, the men were at times dismounted, and the horses harnessed to the artillery carriages or ammunition-wagons, to draw them for miles through the half-frozen mud and water. On the eighth of February, the First brigade, having marched two hundred and fifteen miles since leaving Union City on the twenty-third of January, 1864, ar on the evening of the twenty-seventh, and again ACCOUNT BY A PARTICIPANT. MEMPHIS, March 12, 1864. The force thus assembled was under the command of Brigadier-General W. S. Smith, then the Chief of Cavalry in the Division of the Mississippi. Under the orders of General Smith, was Brigadier-General Grierson. Prior to setting out, the commanders of regiments and brigades met at the headquarters of General Smith, where so much of the plan of march as was deemed proper was explained, advice in the management of it given, and contentment expressed at the duty before them, and satisfaction with the state of the command and affairs up to that time. Editor of the Rebellion Record: While General Sherman was collecting and organizing part of his forces at Vicksburgh, for the expedition through Mississippi to Meridian, orders had issued for that part of the cavalry, which was then scattered through West and Middle Tennessee and North-Mississippi, to con- On the eleventh of February, the whole force centrate at Colliersville, a point on the Charles- began its march in a south-easterly direction, ton and Memphis Railroad, twenty-four miles and on the sixteenth of February, the last of the from Memphis, and to proceed from that place command had crossed the Tallahatchie River at through Mississippi and along the Mobile and New Albany, without interruption. The attenOhio Railroad to Meridian, there joining the tion of the enemy, who was in small force on the army of General Sherman, and affording that south bank of the river, had been successfully officer the means necessary to carry out his de- diverted to Wyatt, a point west, by the pressigns. Accordingly, three brigades of cavalry ence there of a brigade of infantry, under Colwere ordered to meet at Colliersville early in onel McMillen, and by the march in that direcFebruary. The Second brigade, commanded by tion of the advanced troops of the cavalry, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hepburn, of Second Iowa by attempts to throw a bridge across the river cavalry, and the Third brigade, under the com- at that place. After the river was crossed, the mand of Colonel McCrellis, of Third Illinois cav-march south-eastwardly was continued, and late alry, composed of regiments comparatively near in the day of the eighteenth February, the comthe point of concentration, arrived at Colliers- mand arrived at Okolona, a village and station ville before the First brigade, commanded by on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and the northColonel G. E. Waring, Jr., of the Fourth Missouri ern point of the succession of very fertile plains, cavalry. This brigade was stationed at Union which continue southward for nearly sixty miles, City, Tennessee, on the north-western boundary intersected by the railroad, and known as the of West-Tennessee, when orders reached it to Prairie. Within a short distance from Okolona, march southward. Without delay, the command Hepburn's and Waring's brigades encamped, a was put in motion, through a district of coun- part of the latter having fallen in with and driven try rendered barren of forage and provisions by a small patrol of the enemy. During the night, a two years of campaigning, in which not a bridge detachment of the First brigade was sent to was standing over the many deep streams which Egypt Station, distant about five miles, to descrossed the line of march, and where the rains, troy the stores of corn and provisions belonging snow, and ice of the preceding month had swol- to the Confederacy, the railroad, bridges, and len the river, overflowing the low lands and bot-station-house; this was done, and on the morntoms, and rendering the roads through them heavy, and in places impassable for the artillery and trains. These rivers were crossed by rope ferry-boats, carrying but ten horses at a time. ing of the nineteenth, Waring's brigade was moved southward along the line of the railroad; McCrellis's a few miles to the west, and in the same direction; and Hepburn's to the east, toward |