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Regiment: 3rd Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: James R. Chalmers, Robert E. Lee
Camp at La Grange Aug 24th 63 Nom 3
I seated my self to pen a few lines to you This leaves
us all well & feeling first best When I last wrote to
you we were going out on a scout & now we have
returned & I will give you a detail of it We left Lagrange
on the 13th of this month with six days rations in our
haversacks & more in our wagons. here let me give you
the nom that left this place of the 3rd Mich 7 Compa
nom of men 200 & 200 of the 2ond Iowa & 100 of the 11th Ills
under command of Major Coon of the 2on Iowa at daylight
we took up our line of march south & at noon we took dinner
1 mile north of ripley at night we had to ford the tipton River
& some of the boys got ducked but nothing of importance took place
& bivouacked for the night On the 14th at day light the Bugle
sounded to horse & away we went for Rocky ford here
we expected to meet with some of the rebs but had to be dis
appointed fed after crossing & moved for Oxford & camped
at the plantation where Gen Lee took his Christmast
dinner our Co was on Picket at night no rebs found
yet On the 15th we move for Oxford & at noon we arive
at the once beautiful Citty but now is laid in
ruins by war here we found no opposition But
Gen Chalmers left last night he hearing that
the Yankeys were coming moved for Grenady
at this place we were joined by the troops from
Germantown 3rd 4th & 5th Iowa & from Pochahontus
were the 9th mounted Infantry 9th Cav. & Battery in all
making quite a Cavalry force from here we marched
towards Water Valley at night it rained very hard, at daylight
of 16th we were on the march for town & at noon had taken
the place or had captured their Wagon train & some
twenty Prisoners their train consisted of 36 mules
& six wagons about 10 oclock today the rebs fired into
our train thinking it to be our rear & the consequences
was that they were gobled up & none of our boys were hurt
on ariving at Water Valley we took dinner at different
houses Ed Jim Henessey & my self killed 5 chickens & had
the woman they belonged too cook them for us I tell you
it made her swet but she had to do it I paid her 20 doll
in confederate at about 4 oclock all of the troops start for
Coffee Ville 13 miles distant we advancing on two roads
& the worst travling I ever saw in my life it rained
& dark was no name for it but on to Coffee Ville was
the watchword until 3 oclock when we came to a halt
until daylight of the 17th when advanced on the town
& at 8 oclock had possession of the place that our troops
were once defeated but now what a contrast but very
few rebs to be found & they captured by our men
at this place we captured a good many arms & some
prisoners did not stop long in town for the report
is that a train of Cars was on the track but a few
miles below & it was to be seen that the object of our
raid was to capture rolling stock had not proceeded
far before we came on their pickets drove them & took
some contrabands & they said at
[ ? ] there was
cars only 3 miles distant Co C & L made the advance
on the Depot captured 3 prisoners 4 Engines 12 Coaches
& 10 flat cars a very good thing for us Co C was detailed
to remain & guard them down to Grenada we done
so & it took us until next morning to run them down
it was one of the most dangerous things that I ever
engaged in only 7 of our co & the rest of the co had to
lead horses we expected to be fired into every moment
but was not but just before dark 1 or our Co & myself
went out to a house about 1 mile in the country & came up
with 4 of the rebs & fired at them & they run I think that
we hit one of them but dont know one of them dismounted
But I will return to my Brigade they advance on
to Grenady by the main road & had quite a skirmish
& the result was we lost 1 man out of the 9 Ills Cav
was shot in the neck I dont know how many the rebs
had killed The troops from Vicksburg were to come
up on the other side but they were about 3 hours to
to late for the bird had flown Gen Chalmers with 4000
Cav had run & left six millions of doll worth of
road stock in our hands but they burned the
rail road bridge & we not thinking it prudent
to remain ther to rebuild it burned the cars
between 700 & 1000, & 68 engineers here we caught some
more of the rebs on the morning of the eighteenth we
camped on the north side of the river & remained in camp
all day this day
[ ? ] to burning property a more
distructive display of properity I never saw in my
life & I hope I may never see again nothing of much impor
tance took place today On the morning of the 19th at day break found
us in readiness to return the Vicksburg troops returned
with us & all marched for Panola at night we crossed
the Yolkney & camped for the night Next morning of the
20th we marched down to Panola & here we met with
a band of rebs who thought they would not let us pass
on the ferry but after shelling them a little while they gave
back & we crossed none of them killed or wounded
on either side after jay hawking the town we crossed the
river & marched 7 miles & camped for night here I found the
Regt that Gary Thompson was in the 4th Iowa Cav one
of his messmates told me he had a furlough to go home on account
of his health being so poor
On the morning 21st we took up our line of march & leaving Oxford
on our right came to the Coldwater & it was said one of the Vicks
burg boys was killed whilst crossing up at another ferry
they leaving us during the day for Memphis after crossing the
river we camped for the night within 25 miles of Holley Springs
at day break of the 22nd we start for Holley Springs & nothing
of any importance took place during the day at night we camped
within 20 miles of La Grange & on the morning of 23rd found
us in our saddles to return home, as we term it, without a
loss in our brigade at 10 oclock Col Phillipps left us six
miles from Lagrange to return to his
command at Pochahontus & as we passed
he congratulated us & said Boys I am
glad to see you so near home & none killed
We arrived at camp at noon in good
spirits & now let me say a little about
the contrabands I never saw as many
together in my life near one one thous
men women & children & imense large
amount of property it has all been
estimated at between 8 & 9 millions
of doll it was one of the most effective
rades ever made in the United States
all of their rolling stock has been
distroied in norther Miss
I will have to close for want of time for
we have orders to pack up for we have to
move to Corinth
Now I tell you I never was more surprised
in my life than to see Milan & the rest
of the boys join us they are all in good
spirits I will write more next time Jane
You may pass this poor writing
around to our friends my best
respects to all & kiss little Trudy for
me
From M. H. Hogmire
in U.S.
