Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 13.djvu/292

 Campaign Against Grant in North Mississippi. 291

Orders were issued accordingly for the wagon train to move at 3 A. M. I was instructed to send one of my brigades to escort the wagon train, and to remain with the other two brigades as rear-guard of the army. Accordingly, before dawn I had occupied the commanding heights, referred to by Rosecrantz in his last night's dispatch to Grant, with the brigades of Moore and Cabell. Phiffer's brigade had gone on with the train.

I think Rosecrantz must have thought our army was changing front to offer battle from those heights, and the concerted plans of Grant and himself were so disconcerted that before they could re- arrange any, the wagon train was safe on the road toward the Gulf of Mexico. The army, too, disappeared over the hill and into the forest-screened road, while the commanding heights were occupied by my line of battle with colors flying and guns unlimbered, offering battle to all their combined forces.

Soon after 8 A. M. Colonel Snead galloped up to me and said: " General, I am ordered by General Price to say that the train and army are now well on the road, and you will please follow at once with the rear-guard." We moved at once; Armstrong covered my rear with his cavalry, and it was about 2 P. M., at a point eight miles from luka, that the last collision occurred between us and Grant's army during the luka affair. I held the Second Texas Sharpshooters, Rodgers commanding, and Bledsoe's battery in rear of the rear-guard. Armstrong had been followed all day by the enemy's pursuing force, who were very cautious in their pressure upon him, but kept close up to his cavalry constantly.

About 2 P. M. the movement of our army had become quite slow. The teamsters, having no longer the fear of the enemy before them, had relaxed their energies, and the rear-guard halted. Just at this moment the enemy was coming confidently on; Armstrong moved on with his cavalry past the rear of the rear-guard of infantry, Rodgers and Bledsoe were lying in ambuscade at a good point in the road, and Colonel "Bob McCulloch's" cavalry regiment was formed ready to charge. On came the confident Federals I think a Gen- eral Hatch was commanding them until they were within short range, when the Second Texas Rifles and Bledsoe's canister and old McCulloch's cavalry all broke ufton them at once. We laid many of them low, and then pursued our march to Baldwin without a shot.

In my narrative of the battle of luka I have related how General Price, acting on information received from General Bragg and from our own scouts, had moved as far as luka on his way to prevent