The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 17, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports. Page: 9
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SKIRMISH AT COLDWATER STATION.
pairing and manufacturing of arms, and from telegrams captured it ap.
pears that the machinery, tools, &c., have been sent to Atlanta, Ga.,
the muskets to Grenada, Miss. Euggles in command at Grenada; force
estimated about 10,000. Dispatches from R. B. Lee, commissary, make
headquarters at Tupelo.
W. T. SHERMAN,
Major- General.
Major-General HALLECK.
JUNE 21, 1862.-Expedition to Hernando, and skirmish at Coldwater
Station, "Miss.
Report of Col. Benjamin H. Grierson, Sixth Illinois Cavalry.
HDQRS. SIXTH REGIMENT ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
Memphis, Tenn., June 23, 1862.
GENERAL: In pursuance of your order of June 20, received at 9.35
p. m., with five companies of the Sixth Illinois Cavalry, Compaies G,
H, I, K, and L, 250 men, together with a portion of the Third Battalion
Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, numbering 65 men, in all 315, I proceeded
on a forced march to Hernando, Miss., distant 25 miles, to attack the
forces reported to be there under command of Jeff. Thompson, and
capture the train expected at that place that day.
We arrived at Hernando at 5 o'clock on the morning of the 21st, and
found the telegraph wire had been taken down, and that Thompson
had moved his forces to Coldwater Station, distant 12 miles from Her-
nando. Upon making a thorough search of the town and vicinity I
succeeded in arresting four of Jackson's cavalry. From there I con-
cluded to move immediately upon Coldwater Station and Bridge, and
attack the forces reported to be there, 400 strong. I left in Hernando as
a rear guard a detachment of the First Illinois Cavalry, who numbered
25 men, under the command of Lieutenant Lindsay, who had reported
to me after our arrival, and whom I ordered to follow us to Coldwater
Station in a half hour after our departure. We pushed rapidly forward
toward Coldwater Depot, hoping to reach that point before the train
would leave. When within three fourths of a mile of or to the right of
the station, hearing the whistle of the locomotive, we moved still more
rapidly to intercept if possible the train at a point south and beyond
the station, sending at the same time 30 men to attack the guard said
to be at Coldwater Railroad Bridge, 1 miles north of the station. Un-
fortunately we were a few moments too late to capture the train upon
which Thompson was leaving, but not too late to charge with impetu-
osity the rebels assembling at the station to attack us, of whom we killed
3, wounded 7, and captured 9, together with their arms, horses, and
equipments. Among the wounded was a lieutenant, who was endeav-
oring to escape upon General Jeff.'s favorite horse, which was killed in
the engagement. In the mean time the detachment which had been
dispatched to the bridge upon their .arrival there found it burning
and the enemy on the opposite bank fleeing. Our men fired upon and
wounded several of them, and captured one on the bridge, who we pre-
sume applied the incendiary match. Finding that it was impossible to
stop the flames or cross the bridge, which was totally destroyed, the
detachment rejoined my command at the station. Here, upon search-
ing the depot, we found about 15,000 pounds of bacon, a quantity of
lard and forage, which we rolled out, piled up, and set on fire, and saw9
CRAP.XXIX.1
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Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 1, Volume 17.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 17, In Two Parts. Part 1, Reports., book, 1886; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth154626/m1/20/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.