The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 1, Volume 30, In Four Parts. Part 1, Reports. Page: 20
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20 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., N. ALA., AND N. GA. [CnaP. XLII.
the utmost difficulty that we continued the march; the rain fell in
torrents, making the road nearly impassable in the blackness of the
night.
It would have been impossible for man or beast to have marched
but for the continual flash of lightning which kept us in the road a
part of the time.
It was so difficult to keep the road that many a horse, rider and
all, tumbled into the ditch, where they would struggle for some time
before they could extricate themselves.
At 12 o'clock midnight we reached the (old battle-ground of Coffee-
ville, when we became tired of the slow progress making, and con-
cluded to halt awhile for the clouds to move off that there might be
a little more light. After an hour's halt we moved on, and after a
mile's travel were overtaken by yourself, who directed that we halt
until morning.
Soon after sunrise of the 17th we moved on toward Coffeeville,
where we arrived in an hour afterward. Here we captured some 3
prisoners, and after a few minutes' halt moved out on the Grenada
road. The advance struck the enemy's pickets about 2 miles below
the town, where they captured a soldier belonging to McCulloch's
command.
When 6 miles below Coffeeville I saw a locomotive moving up the
road slowly and ordered the advance to send some men in its rear,
hoping that they might reach the track in time to prevent its return
by throwing obstructions upon the track. But, unfortunately, the
movement was discovered in time for the engine to escape, not, how-
ever, without receiving some fifty shots from our carbines, which was
the only means left for halting it. One car was found here loaded
with car equipments which were left by the company.
The locomotive was undoubtedly after this car, as no other busi-
ness was apparent.
From this on skirmishing was continuous all the way to Grenada.
When within 8 miles of Grenada we discovered a large number of
cars and locomotives, which we afterward learned amounted to 6
locomotives and 25 cars, all in good order.
When within 4 miles of Grenada we discovered a heavy column of
smoke which we took to mean destruction of some kind, and imme-
diately took a gallop that we might get to the place as soon as possi-
ble.
At three-fourths of a mile of town our advance came upon a heavy
force, as they thought, and called for assistance, when I dismounted
one battalion of the Third Michigan Rifles [Cavalry] and one battal-
ion of the Ninth [Illinois] Infantry, deploying them on either side
of the road as skirmishers, and pushed forward.
To make the command entirely safe from any show of ambuscade,
I sent a company of sabers on each flank to feel the timber all through,
and see the enemy driven out.
We had not advanced more than one-half a mile when they opened
upon us with 6 and 10 pounder artillery.
This did not check our movements, however, until we had driven
them all over the river. Here they exhibited a strong determination
to resist us.
In an hour we succeeded in bringing two of our 12-pounder how-
itzers to bear upon them, when n otlil~ig more was to be heard from
them.
As soon as it was practicable to cross I took some 200 men and went
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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 30.
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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 30, In Four Parts. Part 1, Reports., book, 1890; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152978/m1/31/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.