After the battle was over General Rosecrans came through the lines, and was cheered most heartily, as he had proved himself more than a match for Price and his staff. Defeated 40,000 rebel troops under Price with half that number, and gained a decisive victory over them.
While they were engaging us Gen. Hurlbut was marching with a strong force to get in the rear of the rebels, and they met at the Hatchie river, where a severe engagement ensued, and our men were victorious, drove them back, and we marched to intercept them. As we started in pursuit on the 5th, they were turned back and had to retrace their steps until they came to another crossing that was not occupied by federals. The rout became general, and all along the whole road was strewn guns, tents, &c. Caissons and cannon were captured, wagon loads of ammunition and wagons of every description. Flour was scattered all along the road, and cooking utensils of all kinds in their haste to get away; our men were close upon them all the time. They would turn and give battle, and then retreat, as our men would overtake them as they would get a pretty good start of them again. Almost every house contained either dead or sick soldiers. Stragglers became plenty, and came in by dozens, as the woods were full of them. They were paroled. The 2d brigade followed them to Ripley. The 11th went to within a short distance of Ripley and came to a halt, and stacked arms in a piece of timber, expecting to remain for some time. Some of the 11th were detailed as grand guard, company B being part of the detail, we went out in advance and deployed out the same as skirmishers, between a cornfield and a swamp. We stood on guard about two hours when we received orders to return to camp. On our return we were informed that we would remain here until evening, when we would go out and establish a grand guard line. At length we started through almost impassable roads, sometimes nothing but a path to guide us. Where we established our line was an old wheat field, and it was the intention of our commanders to cover our whole line with a strong guard; and here we supposed we would remain until next day. But no, there was no such good fortune awaiting us, as the order came for us to return to the regiment, as we were to march that night. We returned to camp again, and were informed that we were to march at 2 o'clock that night. We had sweet potatoes and fresh meat in great plenty, and after eating a good meal we lay down, and were roused from our slumbers by hearing the command to fall in. As we were rear guard to the wagon train, we were the last to get started. Such a march as that was; it was enough to wear out any man's patience. We had to stop every five minutes for the train to proceed. Some of the teams would refuse to pull, and this would stop the whole train. We lingered along this way all night; our progress being very slow and tedious; so next day we went ahead of the train, and did not stop much until we arrived at Corinth, where we established a camp about one mile from the town, and here we remained for some time, had our brigade and battalion drills under Colonel Loomis, of the 26th Illinois, who was acting as brigadier at this time. Every regiment was ordered to report with spade and shovel for fatigue duty, and we had to work from day to day until we considered Corinth impregnable, as there were strong earthworks all around the city. Most of the inhabitants had left, and the town was occupied by soldiers. After completing this work we received orders to prepare to march with two day's rations in our haversacks, also knapsacks with blankets. After every thing was got ready, the command was given along the whole line, and off they moved, one regiment after another. At length came a long line of wagons, extending as far as the eye could reach, and a strong guard was left to guard these trains. So we moved on from day to day, sometimes marching all night. We were not disturbed by an enemy, but the advance skirmished almost every day with the rebels, and at length the rebels were driven back to the Tallahatchie river, where they were in strong position, and had thrown up strong earthworks, and here they would have given us a warm reception if Sherman had not marched with a strong force to get in their rear. We could hear the heavy roar of artillery as our men advanced to the attack, as we had just reached the place where the brigade was establishing camp. Being rear guard we did not arrive at camp until 2 o'clock in the morning. Rations were distributed to us, and we lay down on our blankets and were soon fast asleep. We awoke much refreshed after our tedious march of the day before. Next morning we went about a mile from here, and pitched our tents, and remained several days. There was a grist mill near here, and the soldiers used it and ground corn as long as we remained. There was some ammunition captured here. A very good spring of water was near our camp, which was a rare thing to us.
The rebels did not wait long enough to see what Sherman's intentions were, but as soon as they got an intimation that there was a force to get in their rear, they left their stronghold and fled, but Sherman took a good many prisoners, and pursued them for some time. The rebels did not halt until they reached Grenada. After remaining several days here we moved to Cold Water, and remained a short time. There was a small town on the railroad. The next place we went to was Oxford, Mississippi, where we went into camp and remained for some time.
Here the report came into camp that the rebels had made a raid on Holly Springs, and taken all the soldiers stationed there prisoners and paroled them, also the commander of the post. Three weeks' provisions for Grant's whole army and an immense quantity of army clothing, several thousand pairs of cavalry boots were also captured, and an immense amount of cotton was burned, together with a train of cars just ready to start out. The raid was made by Van Dorn and about 7,000 mounted infantry, at the break of day. Report says that Murphy had knowledge of the intended raid on Holly Springs, but of that we have no certain information, but he did not prove himself true to the Government at first, as he was entrusted with removing all the commissary stores along the railroad from Corinth to Tuscumbia, as the rebels were said to be advancing in force. Tuscumbia valley is a very fine country, with an abundance of corn for forage for their cavalry.
Their advance soon arrived at Tuscumbia and took possession. Everything was removed to Corinth, and their cavalry followed the valley right up to Iuka, surrounded the pickets and took them prisoners. The 8th Wisconsin was scattered all over town, and there were few to resist the attack of the rebels. They returned to camp as soon as possible, but a large number were taken prisoners. Everything that could not be removed was ordered to be destroyed, and it was entrusted to an officer in the 7th Illinois cavalry to do the burning, but for some reason it was neglected, and an immense quantity of flour and commissary stores, which came very acceptable to them, fell into their hands. There were several sutler stores there, and the cavalry took almost everything, clothing, tobacco, and some good liquors. You may ask, where was Murphy all this time? He was retreating with his regiment towards Burnville. The rebels pursued them several miles, as there were a great many negroes following the regiment, the rebels would come up and shoot them down without mercy. After traveling several miles the rebels gave up the pursuit. Murphy was put under arrest for this and tried by court martial, but for some reason got clear, and was restored to confidence again, and entrusted with the post at Holly Springs, but abusing the confidence reposed in him, he was arrested, tried again, cashiered, and dishonorably discharged the service without any pay.
That stopped our forward movement, and we were ordered back to Corinth. We returned to Davis' Mills, where part of the 25th Indiana had a desperate engagement with the raiders, as it was their intention to surprise the guard and take them prisoners, but in this they failed in every attempt. A great many of them were killed and wounded. Their intention was to burn the mills and tear up the railroad here, and stop the cars from running, but Col. Morgan with his little band resisted all their attacks, as he was in a strong position near the mill. Earthworks were thrown up and our men were on the inside; some cotton bales were placed around the top as a protection to sharpshooters. Some of the men defended themselves from the mill, several were shot and fell in the water as they were attempting to cross over. After trying in vain to dislodge the federals, they gave it up and left without doing the Indiana boys any damage. But this was not the only place they visited. They went to Bolivar, Tennessee, and there met with as warm a reception as they got at the mills, and they very soon left, leaving some of their number either killed, wounded or prisoners, in the hands of our men. They tried several places along the railroad from Holly Springs, but met with no better success, as the guards were on the alert. They attacked a small force belonging to the 12th Michigan, numbering 115 men, in a small fort, and Van Dorn demanded their surrender, they refused, and informed him if he wanted them he must take them, while we were getting a warm meal they would get a cold bite. Alter receiving this answer to his demand, he made ready for the attack; 500 of the men dismounted and advanced from all sides to surround this little band of brave men; on they came, expecting an easy prize, they approached to within a short distance of the fort when the order was given to fire, and the rebels were met by a shower of bullets, and after trying in vain to get inside of the fort, they left and took their wounded with them, leaving about 30 dead around the fort. There was no artillery used on either side.
Such was the success of Van Dorn's raid along the railroad, they cut a few telegraph poles, and the wire in one or two places, and had to leave suddenly as our cavalry had got on their track and were but a short distance behind them, when they left the 12th Michigan infantry. Only one man of the brave little garrison lost his life, and that was by the accidental discharge of his gun. Our cavalry soon drove them inside of their lines, and here we will leave them for awhile.
You will return with me to camp again and leave the pursuit of the rebels. Our camp is situated on a rise of ground 100 yards from water, either way, and we did not suffer for that article while we remained there, which was several weeks. Grant's army had to subsist on the citizens of the country; army stores were quite scarce, and it became the duty of our Generals to look out for the welfare of their men, and long trains of wagons were sent with orders to take a certain amount of forage, when it arrived in camp it was distributed to each regiment. This forage consisted of fresh pork, newly packed coffee, sugar, molasses, cattle and hogs were also drove into camp, and we fared pretty well, as there were plenty of provisions in the country. We had plenty of everything but bread. One cracker was allowed us a day. Several thousand army overcoats were discovered concealed in a cellar, and the coffee we got belonged to us. It was stolen at the time of the raid, as the citizens participated in it.
They said they had just received it from Memphis, but our men were not to be deceived by such stories, and would take most all of it from them. Some of them had protection papers but this did not save them, as the soldiers had got tired of listening to such professions of Unionism and loyalty as these men made, which was only in vain, as there was but little friendship for the Yankees existing amongst them at this time. We lived on the country for more than two weeks. Everything was taken for miles from camp, and on New-Year's day we were ordered to prepare for marching, taking nothing but two day's rations in our haversacks, and blankets and arms, with forty rounds of ammunition in our cartridge boxes. We ascertained our destination was La Grange. The rebels were expected to make a dash on that place. We arrived in sight of the town about the middle of the afternoon, came to a halt, and remained until nearly evening, when we received orders to return to camp, and were soon treading our way back, as there was no use for us here. We arrived at camp early in the evening, broke ranks and went to our respective tents. As they were made to hold four men each, we lay down and soon were fast asleep. So passed the first day of 1863. But we were not destined to remain here much longer, as we received marching orders to return to Corinth, as a brigade came to take our place from Holly Springs, and they informed us that Oxford was destroyed by fire, also Holly Springs, in retaliation for shooting of our soldiers by the citizens of the town at the time of the raid. It was here that Col. Mowers returned to the regiment, having recovered from the wound which he received before being taken a prisoner by the rebels. He was taken back to their lines, and as he had nothing on him to denote his rank, dressed in a common blouse without any shoulder straps, he was not very closely guarded, and he managed to escape the same day by mounting one of the rebels horses and riding it into camp, or into the lines, as we had no camp at this time. He was cheered by the whole brigade as he rode through the lines without any hat. His wound was quite severe and he had to go to the hospital to receive proper attendance and care, and there he remained until he came here ready to take command of his regiment. General call was sounded and we were ordered to prepare for marching. The tents were soon struck and rolled up and loaded on the wagons, everything being ready we strapped on our knapsacks, fell into line waiting for the command forward, which at last we received, and are again on the tramp.
On our march to Corinth, by the way of Bolivar, we passed through several towns, La Grange and Grand Junction, near where the 11th was a guard for ten days, as they were moving towards Holly Springs. Our rations were scarce here as we drew nothing but flour, and as we had no means of cooking it we might as well have had none. We were well supplied with fresh meat as we found plenty of fat hogs in the country which we killed. We managed to get some of the flour baked by the negroes.