Miller. Search was subsequently made for Miller's body, but it was never found. On the afternoon of December 4, 1862, Lieutenant-Colonel gillmore went with a party of his men to Thompson's house; found it open and soldiers of other regiments there. Lieutenant-Colonel Gillmore drove them away and took from the negroes some wearing apparel, mainly ladies' dresses. These were placed in the hands of a citizen of Holly Springs to return to Mrs. Thompson. He also took four bales of cotton, which he turned over to a quartermaster at Holly Springs, taking his receipt. Lieutenant-Colonel Gillmore locked the house and gave the key to the chief negro servant. Thompson's house was subsequently burned; I am unable to ascertain by whom. On the morning of the 5th of December, 1862, Thompson, at the camp of Mitchell's band, was sworn in as a member, and when Miller was shot he said, "Good; there goes another Yankee son of a bitch." The negroes (Thompson's) state that Thompson's had arranged with Mitchell to be there, and did notify Mitchell when the men were there. Thompson's chief servant stated that she knew that Thompson had arranged with and notified Mitchell of their presence.

The father of Lieutenant Powell has a permit to purchase cotton, and Lieutenant Powell was driven from his home by our men on the night of December 4.

Thompson did not take care of the wounded men. I believe that numbers of citizens in the vicinity of Thompson's knew all about the affair and are in part guilty of the murder.

I have the honor to be, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN MASON LOOMIS,

Colonel, Twenty-sixth Illinois, Commanding Post, Oxford.

Major JOHN A. RAWLINS,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Thirteenth Army Corps.

Numbers 13.

Report of Colonel Robert C. Murphy, Eighth Wisconsin Infantry, of the capture of Holly Springs, December 20.

HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS., December 20, 1862-7 o'clock p. m.

COLONEL: Although you telegraphed me last night at 11 o'clock that it was unnecessary to send out my cavalry to look after Jackson, who was advancing north with a large force, until this morning, yet from information from a contraband at 5 o'clock this morning that General Van Dorn was advancing on me with twenty-two regiments, or 12,000 men, and would be here at daylight, induced me to act at once and make every disposition for a faithful defense. Accordingly I ordered the whole cavalry force under Colonel McNeil to report to me at once at the railroad depot, and preceded them to issue orders for trains to bring re-enforcements, in accordance with a telegram which I send you.*

Just as the trains were ready to move and all my orders were issued a force of the enemy, some 6,000, came dashing into the railroad depot and on my infantry camp (my left), which did not contain over 200 effective men. My last message expressed the fact that about 5,000 or

---------------

*See "Correspondence, etc.," December 19 and 20, post.

---------------