ing several stragglers from the rebel force by the plishing the results attained. Mr. Toffing, Topowayside. Passing down this road, the rebel col-graphical Engineer, accompanied the expedition, umn was, for the space of a mile, in full view, and collected matters for a very correct map of moving north on the Ripley road, and about three the roads over which we passed.

Arriving at

fourths of a mile to the west of us.
Pontotoc, it was found that the rear of the enemy
had left town, but could still be seen in the dis-
tance moving north.

T. LYLE DICKEY, Colonel and Chief of Cavalry, Commanding Division.

Doc. 78.

INSPECTION OF ARMY HORSES.

REPORT OF MR. JOHN S. RAREY.

WASHINGTON, D. C., December 19, 1862. GENERAL: Pursuant to your orders, I visited the army of the Potomac, on the twelfth instant, to inspect the horses and mules in the cavalry, artillery and teams of the army.

Couriers were here detailed, and a despatch put into their hands to advise the general commanding that this force was moving north, and an escort ordered to conduct the couriers eight miles on the Oxford road. My command left Pontotoc at once, about sundown, on the Rocky Ford road, bearing a little west of north, and running near the Ripley road, making a demonstration of attack on the enemy's left flank. Following this road about three miles, when daylight was disappearing, we turned south-west and passed on by-ways through the country across to the road from Pontotoc to Oxford, and, following this a few miles, we turned again south, and crossed the Yockna, on a bridge, where we camped for the night. I here found, to my surprise, that the escort and couriers, by a fatal misapprehension of my orders, had not left the column. Other couriers were at once sent forward for Oxford, but lost their way in the Yockna bottom, and, travelling all night, found themselves farther from Oxford than when they left camp, and did not arrive until this morn-pected. The mule teams, with some exceptions, ing.

Early yesterday morning, the nineteenth, we took up the line of march, and Colonel Hatch was sent with the command to the cavalry camp on the Yockna River, and with my escort, after a long day's march, I reached Oxford at half-past five P.M. last evening, and reported to you the fact that on the evening of the eighteenth a large rebel cavalry force passed from Pontotoc north on the Ripley road, and notice was at once telegraphed to every point on the railroad north of this.

The expedition to Okolona has been most laborious, and the men and horses are completely worn down, and wholly unfit for service for a few days. Men and horses were subsisted upon the country through which we passed. The day's march usually began before day and closed after night, halting to feed but once a day, usually from ten A.M. to one P.M. The men lived chiefly on fresh meat, sweet potatoes, and corn bread roasted in corn husks, and often without salt. Men and officers, however, were cheerful and prompt in every duty.

In six days we marched about two hundred miles, worked two days at the railroad, captured about one hundred and fifty prisoners, destroyed thirty-four miles of important railroad and a large amount of public stores of the enemy, and returned, passing round an enemy of nine to our one, and reached camp without having a man killed, wounded, or captured.

The movement of troops on that day, and the engagement at Fredericksburgh that followed during the six days that I remained with the army, gave me but little opportunity to see the management of the horse department in detail, though I had the opportunity to see them on duty.

Having gone there very unfavorably impressed with accounts drawn from the dark side of the picture by those taking the rejected and disabled horses of the army as their stand-point, I found these animals in better condition than I had ex

were in good condition, and I doubt if ever an army under similar circumstances was better provided for in this respect.

The cavalry horses suffer most, and many of them were scarcely fit for service. The duties that they have to perform-excursions that sometimes require from twenty-four to thirty-six hours without food or rest-the heavy weight they have to carry, and the unskilful manner in which they are ridden, makes it almost impossible to be otherwise, except they were treated with the greatest care. The artillery horses suffer much, but are a grade better than the cavalry.

The greatest abuse and destruction of the horses in the army is, I believe, in the want of skill, judgment, and care of the individual man to his individual horse. A more diligent looking after of this detail by the officers in charge would be highly beneficial; the good effect of which has been seen, in some instances, where diligence has been exercised with judgment by officers attending to this important but much neglected duty.

The manner in which food is given, where only a sufficiency is allowed, is highly important, as much is wasted and trampled under foot.

The

I believe that for cavalry service on a winter campaign, a saddle-blanket to cover the back and loins of the horse, to be left on when the saddle is removed, would be of great service. Arabs, who live more with the horse than any Col. Hatch, of the Second Iowa, commanding other people, and who are older in horsemanship the Second brigade, Lieut. Cregs, Acting Assist- than any other nation in the world, never remove ant Adjutant-General of my division, and Lieut. the saddle from the horse's back when on a long Davis, my Division Quartermaster, deserve special journey. Their saddles have always blankets notice for their untiring and effective aid in accoin-attached that cover the back and loins of the

horse. They argue that the vital part, when heated by riding, should never be made to feel the effects of cold.

As one who loves the horse, who appreciates his intelligence and keen sensibilities, and can anticipate his wants, I do most deeply deplore the dejection of spirit, suffering and loss of life consequent upon the exigencies of war; but while war rages this law must continue.

In an army of fifty thousand horses, subjected to the service and exposure of the army, there must necessarily be a large percentage of disabled and diseased horses constantly accumulating. It is ever so with the soldiers of the army, who are gifted with intelligence and reason, and whose first law of nature is self-preservation, and for the comfort and welfare of whom the greatest energies of the people and the officers of the army are exerted.

How can it be otherwise with the horse? He is not invincible to exposure, which he can scarcely bear as well as man, and with whom he must suffer alike, if not more, in time of war.

I am happy to see the extensive hospitals lately erected in this city to restore disabled horses. I believe they are conducted on the best and most economical principle, and will, I have no doubt, be the means of restoring thousands of horses to the army, that will be better on their second service than they were on their first.

The depot-house and platform, on which there was a large amount of commissary stores and cotton, was then fired. A guard of about a hundred infantry who were guarding the Government stores at the depot, made fight even against such great odds, and a sharp little fight ensued, in which several on both sides were killed. The hundred infantry were, however, soon overwhelmed by the thousands of the enemy, and were taken prisoners. The rest of the five hundred infantry were scattered about in the different suburbs of the town on picket-duty, so that they could not act with any concert, and were captured in squads. Six companies of the Second Illinois cavalry were completely surrounded in the town, by at least as many thousands, and were called upon to surrender, to which demand they made reply by dashing upon the enemy's forces, and nobly cutting their way out. Not a more gallant deed has been done during the war. hundred against over eight thousand, and still they hewed their way through them and escaped!

Six

Immediately after the cavalry had cut their way out, the "rebs" began their work of pillage, and they went about it systematically. Squads of cavalry were appointed to go around to every citi zen's house and inquire how many persons from the North were staying with them. When told, the Northerners were called for and marched off to Van Dorn's headquarters, where they were searched, their money taken from them, and themselves paroled. This part of the business was superintended by Van Dorn himself. Every soldier and citizen of the North was called up be fore him, and put upon his honor to tell the truth, To Major-General HALLECK, as to how much money he had, what his business Commander-in-Chief United States Army, Washington, D. C. was, and so forth. Every one was searched, his

Hoping that the Government will, as an act of humanity, as well as economy, use every effort in its power for the protection of this noble animal, I remain, General, very truly, your obedient servant,

Dog. 79.

JOHN S. RAREY.

money taken from him and handed over to one of the rebel officers who had been appointed as receiver. The pile of greenbacks on the blanket which was spread out before him, kept increas

SURRENDER OF HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS. ing until it was estimated that there was over a

MISSOURI "DEMOCRAT" ACCOUNT.

OXFORD, MISS., December 22, 1862. FROM persons just arrived from Holly Springs, we begin at last to get some particulars of the rebel raid into that place on Saturday.

About daybreak in the morning the enemy's advance-guard rode into the east side of that town, and from that time for two hours or more, they continued to pour in until every street and byway of the town was filled by Van Dorn's twenty-two regiments of cavalry.

The railroad depot is on the eastern side of the town, and on the track near it were two trains of cars, one empty and one loaded with cotton, both of which in a few minutes more would have been off, as they were all ready to start, one for the North and the empty train for this place. The rebels began their day's work by setting fire to the two trains, which were soon in a blaze. It seems they came prepared for such business, as all their canteens were filled with turpentine, which they poured over the empty cars, and then touched them off.

hundred thousand dollars, all of which had been taken from private individuals.

The pillage and destruction had now reached their climax. The passenger depot, the freight depot, the round house, the foundry, and the great Arsenal, built by the rebels themselves, which was full of arms and ammunition, twenty or thirty buildings on the public square, and the eighteen hundred bales of cotton, were blazing at once. Hundreds of the rebels had found quantities of whisky, (with which beverage their stomachs had not been astonished for months,) and were shouting and yelling about the town, as much intoxicated with their victory as with the whisky. The fire had now crept around to the buildings in the square where large amounts of ammunition had been stored; and in the midst of all this riot and destruction, suddenly there came an explosion that seemed to be the very crack of doom. The solid earth shook as though old "Thor" himself had hit it a whack with his thundering hammer and knocked every thing into universal "pi.” Men were knocked down in the streets by the concussion; the windows of houses five squares away

DOCUMENTS.

were completely smashed, sash and all; doors quartermasters' stores, etc., besides an immense
were burst off their hinges; locks and bolts were amount of private property, among which were
snapped like glass; the brick walls of one or two one thousand eight hundred bales of cotton.
houses were caved in like bellying sails, and for Some of the cotton had been seized by the Gov-
half a minute after the first great explosion there ernment and confiscated, but the larger half be-
The track,
was a rattling sound of falling bricks and frag-longed to individuals in the cotton trade. Forty-
ments of glass. There were several other explo- two cars, two locomotives, and every one of the
sions during the forenoon, but none so terrific as dépôt buildings were destroyed.
this first one. A few more such would have shat- however, of the road was left uninjured. The
just above and below the town, but the timber
tered every house in the town so as to render it rebs made some attempts to burn the bridges
uninhabitable.
in the bridges, which had but recently been re-
built by our army, was too green to burn. They
braces, but did not succeed in doing much dam-
then attempted to destroy them by sawing the
age.

Among the ammunition was a great number of shells, and the fragments from the bursting of these whizzed about and fell in every part of the town, killing and wounding many persons.

But all that I can write from hearsay will not give you so good an idea of the scenes that transpired during that day as the graphic letters which a friend (Mr. Wing, of Columbus, Ohio) had written to a friend, relating his own experiences, and from which he has kindly given me the privilege of extracting. He says:

6

When the enemy first entered the town, and the handful of infantry were endeavoring to stem the torrent, several of the citizens were observed firing upon our troops from windows and behind fences. Others, however, acted honorably, especially the ladies. Northern cotton-buyers, who had large amounts of money with them, iminedi"I went to bed on Friday morning with as ately handed their funds over to ladies in the houses where they were boarding, and, as the ladies were respected, their money was saved. perfect a feeling of security as I ever did in my One gentleman, who had only arrived in the own house. Mr. Lough (of St. Louis) was my town on the evening previous to the entrance of room-mate and bed-fellow. I waked up about the enemy, had forty thousand dollars with him. | daylight, and soon after heard cheering such as As soon as he saw how matters were going, that you have heard from our troops on the cars. every Northern man was marched up to head-Lough observed, 'There is a regiment going up,' quarters and searched, he handed the package meaning toward Jackson, where there had been containing that amount over to the mistress of some skirmishing for a few days past. Directly the house, whom he had never seen until twelve I heard shooting — pop, pop, pop, in quick suchours before, who, by the way, was a strong ad- cession, and horsemen galloping up the road tovocate of secession, and the day after received ward town. I jumped up and run to the winfrom her hands his package of money. Several dow, and saw the street was full of Texas cavalother Southern women wore belts that day worth ry-real, wild, butternut-colored fellows, yelling from twenty to fifty thousand dollars, all of which like Indians. Said I to Lough: 'Get up, the town When the enemy is full of secesh!' Lough jumped up, took one belonged to Northern men. marched out of town in the evening, several of glance. Wing, we're gobbled, by Judas!!'[I our officers who had been captured were taken never heard him swear before or since.] We with them. Among them was Major Fullerton, commenced washing and dressing. I concluded As the and put on a fresh shirt, drawers, and socks. of the Second Illinois cavalry, and several whose to try the virtue of a clean shirt with the rascals, names I have been unable to learn. column passed through the streets, several ladies thought of several things in a very few moments. of the best families in the town, though known The financial question was the most troublesome. to be secessionists, came out and requested Van [Mr. Wing was buying cotton, and had a very Dorn and his officers to treat the prisoners kind- large amount of money with him.] What to do ly, because that during their own rule in Holly with it,' that was the question. I took my Springs they had acted like gentlemen. Let it money and made two piles of it, one I divided be recorded in honor of the women of Holly into two parcels and put in my belt, and put that Springs, that though their prejudices may be in on next my body, the other I gave to Mrs. Barthe wrong side, they have the hearts and sympa- ney, except seventy-five dollars, which I put in thies of true womanhood, which overcame even my wallet. I arranged my papers, destroying does the old darkey woman to bring us some cold their prejudices! One such woman does more some and putting others away. Lough called to toward ameliorating the horrors of war By this time the secesh cavalry more toward ending it — than fifty of those vira- meat and bread; we put on our overcoats and gos who spit their venom from windows and awaited results. doorways at our troops as they pass, trusting to had complete possession of the town, and were ward the dépôt. Before our lunch came, there the iminunity which is their sex's privilege for driving our men in little squads as prisoners tosafety. Van Dorn remained in Holly Springs from was a violent ringing at the door-bell. I looked seven o'clock in the morning until five in the out and saw three cavalrymen at the gate and evening, during which time he destroyed about one at the door. The negro answered the bell. two million dollars' worth of Government proper-Tell your master that we want him, and every ty in the shape of ammunition, commissary and other man in the house, quick!' A Lieutenant

I

·

Langworthy, from Iowa, was in the house; we will serve as a sample: Where do you live? heard every word, and having all our arrange-In Newark, Ohio.' 'Are you connected with ments made except breakfast, we went down, the army? No, sir.' What are you doing Wing ahead. 'Good morning, gentlemen,' said here, sir?' 'Well, sir, I am at the house of a I; you favor us with rather an early call this friend, Mrs. Capt. Barney, who formerly lived at morning.' Rayther,' said he, with a grin like a the North, and whose husband is an engineer, crocodile. 'Where is the officer of Gen. Grant's and is now with your people in Alabama.' 'Are staff, who boards here?' (Col. Hilyer.) He went you not a cotton buyer, sir? Yes, sir, I (a-hem) to Oxford yesterday with his wife and Mrs. have invested all my spare money in cotton, and Grant.' He looked at me very sharply and said: to-day it has gone up the spout.' 'All right, not 'Is that true, sir?' Lough says: 'Yes, sir, when a good speculation. I presume, sir, the Southern we tell you lies it will be for ourselves and not cavalry do unexpected things sometimes, sir; I for others.' 'We'll take your word, gentlemen: advise you to stay at home, sir, where there is fall in! you must go to headquarters. We fell less risk, sir. Let me see your money and pain' at a brisk walk, not exactly knowing whether pers.' I pulled out my wallet, he took it, counted we should find headquarters at Vicksburgh, Mo- the money, (some $70 in greenbacks) and returnbile, or Charleston. ed it to me again. He noticed a gold dollar in it, and said: That little button is worth all the balance.' I took the pocket-book without remark, not caring to argue with him just then, for fear I should convince him it was very valuable, and he should take a notion to keep it. He then passed on to the next man.

"They took us out about a mile from town, where we found two long lines of long-haired, long-legged, sallow-looking butternut cavalry, drawn up about ten yards apart, between which we marched and halted. Brisk firing was heard on the other side of town for two hours, when it ceased. Little squads of prisoners kept coming for two or three hours longer; meantime the rebels set fire to the dépôt, engine-house, government stores, and a train of forty-three cars on the track, Immense piles of hay, corn, oats, barrels of beef, pork, rice, molasses, whisky, boxes of clothing, hospital stores, every thing went up in one grand conflagration. While this was going on, parties of soldiers were rolling cotton together in the public square and putting the torch to that. Every sutler's store was broken into and plundered of every thing in it by the soldiers. What they could not carry off nor destroy they gave to the negroes and secesh citizens. The army postoffice was turned inside out, and letters too, and those from the North were opened, and all that were not carried off were put in a pile and burned in the street.

"A large brick building on the square had been filled by our people with shot, shell and ammunition. Another building on the next block had been filled with post commissary stores. It was said by citizens that Van Dorn's orders were that these stores should be taken out and burned, but the soldiers having got hold of some whisky, and the carrying out business becoming a little tedious, put fire to the commissary's store, and in half an hour the whole side of the square was in flames. At three o'clock the arsenal was fired, and blew up with a most awful explosion.

"While this was going on before our eyes, the rebels commenced at one end of the long line taking the parole of the soldiers. We know,' said they, that we cannot hold this place. We have accomplished all we came for. We have destroyed your stores and taken your men. We can't take them with us, as we are mounted, therefore we will take your parole not to serve during the war unless exchanged, and let you go.' The cotton-buyers, traders and citizens were then separated from the soldiers and questioned as to the business, etc., by one of General Van Dorn The questions asked me

"A friend of mine, Mr. Groat, conductor on the railroad, was examined, and had all his money taken, some $700. His papers and letters were all torn up. Every body suspected of being connected with the railroad, was robbed of every thing he had, and many others where the soldiers could get them out a little.

"Col. Murphy was in command here. He was at the telegraph office telegraphing to Gen. Grant for reenforcements, when the rebels came upon the town, and took him prisoner the very first. If he had used the men he had, he might have prevented all."

To judge from the results of the rebel raid into Holly Springs, one would naturally suppose it was a surprise; such, however, was not the case. Gen. Grant knew the whereabouts of Van Dorn's force, during every day of the three days previous to the attack upon Holly Springs, and had taken what seemed to be all the necessary precautions to prevent so great a disaster as occurred there. To explain this, I must go back and relate what I had already related in my last letter, in relation to the movements of our own cavalry under Col. Dickey, but which letter, I have every reason to suppose, was lost with the mail at Holly Springs.

On Tuesday, the sixteenth, Col. Dickey, with about twenty-five hundred cavalry, arrived at Pontotoc, a small town about twelve miles southeast of this place, and learned that it was occupied by the enemy in great force, but that they were moving out of it toward the north. Col. Dickey immediately sent couriers back to Gen. Grant, and from that time until they entered Holly Springs, scouts were kept upon Van Dorn's track, and informed Gen. Grant every day of his whereabouts. So well had Gen. Grant divined Van Dorn's purpose, and so well had he timed his march, that on the evening before the attack he telegraphed from Oxford to Col. Murphy at Holly Springs that the enemy would attack him about seven next morning, but that he had sent him sufficient reenforcements to drive them off

DOCUMENTS.

The reënforcements were indeed sent from here, to the number of three or four thousand; but, owing to some obstruction in the road near Waterford, they arrived nearly two hours too late, so that the rebel rear-guard had been gone out of the town about an hour when the cavalry advance of our forces rode into it.

At Pontotoc, Col. Dickey, seeing the great inequality of numbers between his own force and that of the enemy, waited to let them pass through, which they did, without knowing that he was watching them. After Van Dorn had passed through toward the north, Colonel Dickey passed through toward the east, and kept on over to the Mobile and Ohio road, striking it at Saltillo; from that place northward he tore up the track and burned the bridges for thirty miles, making a terrible gap in that great line of communication between the South and the rebel stronghold at Chattanooga.

But to return to the Holly Springs affair: There were enough troops in Holly Springs to have held it against the enemy if any man of courage or judgment had had command. Gen. Grant's despatch reached Col. Murphy on the evening previous to the enemy's appearance near the town. There were between five and six hundred infantry, and seven companies of the Second Illinois cavalry, as brave fellows as ever trod shoe-leather or mounted a horse, as the fighting of the infantryguard at the depot, and the gallant dash of the Illinois cavalry through the rebel forces proves. There were also cotton-bales enough in the public square and at the depot to have barricaded every street in the town, so that the enemy's cavalry could not have charged through as they did; but the infantry had received no information of the threatened attack, and the cavalry had only very indefinite information of it. I am credibly informed that the only precautions Colonel Murphy took were to telegraph next morning to Gen. Grant for reénforcements, in the very act of which he was captured by the enemy. The troops fought literally without commanders, except their company commanders, and the Majors of the Second cavalry. I am also told that the cavalry were ordered by their own Colonel to surrender, he threatening to arrest those who were firing. This command, the cavalry refused to obey, and charged through the enemy's ranks. In their charge they lost seven men, and killed thirty of the enemy. The movements of so large an army as this are soon known all over the country, and I have no doubt that long before this letter will reach you, you will have learned, by hook or crook, in spite of the rebels cutting off our communication with the North, that this army began falling back from its position, fifteen miles south of this place, on the day before yesterday, (Saturday.)

or on the flanks, and as it seemed then for noth-
ing but a cavalry dash into Holly Springs. I
say when, as it then seemed, for no other cause,
The
the army began to fall back, and our own troops
began passing through Oxford toward the north,
An army of men is none
cause is apparent now.
we were at first worse puzzled than ever.
the less relieved from the necessity of eating
than the individual man is, and as there is not
much left that is eatable in this country, Gen.
Pope's plan of subsisting on the enemy could
not be put into practice here, and the supplies
can come from no direction but the North. Three
or four days' rations are not sufficient to push on
to Grenada and open the road from there to
Memphis. Those who know Gen. Grant best,
With the
know, that if it could be done he would do it.
The army will now probably fall back until the
supplies it will then get, it will be able to push
road to Columbus is rendered secure.
on and open new lines of communication with
the North.

On Saturday, the nineteenth, Gen. McArthur's division passed through town on their way southward, and on yesterday passed through again on their return. Day before yesterday every thing looked as though we should continue advancing steadily, as we have done since leaving La 66 very black Grange, but yesterday the face of affairs changed. Cotton, which had begun to come in in large quantities, suddenly got a eye," as they say on 'change; sutlers began to A very ridiculous rumor got pack up, and to-day every thing looks like taking the back-track. afloat among outsiders that a tremendous army was marching up from Grenada, and a few of the cotton-buyers, who had heard of the bad fortunes The troubles of one nervous pair have of the brethren at Holly Springs became very nervous. already become a subject of fun for hundreds. They were lodging together at the hotel, and like cats slept with one eye and both ears open. They had gone to bed early with the intention of getting up in good season and leaving the town with the first division of the army. They had just dozed off in uneasy slumbers when a drum "O my Lord!" says was beaten at rather an unusual hour, in some "there's the long roll! the enemy are one of our distant camps. There's going to be a What shall we do ?" Both H, battle right here! coming sure enough! were now up on end, listening to the sound. The drum continued to roll, and as the wind carried the sound about, it came now near and loud, now faint and far, like the sound of some ghostly drum beaten by spirits in the air. Presently a stronger gust of wind brought the sound, aptoo much. In an instant they were on their feet parently right under their window. This was 66 clean daft," We, who had been endeavoring to keep our hunting distractedly in the dark for boots, panselves thoroughly posted about the movements taloons, coats, etc. Hof the enemy, and of our own army, were sur- as the Scotch say, that he could find nothing but Some fun-loving acquaintance, or the prised at the rebel raid toward Jackson. Still his coat (which contained his money) and his more surprised at their entrance into Holly spurs. Springs, but when this army, with no enemy boot-black of the hotel, if the hotel was guilty threatening it with superior forces, in the front of that institution, had carried off his boots.

was so