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293 Series I Volume XXXII-I Serial 57 - Forrest's Expedition Part I

Page 293 Chapter XLIV. THE MERIDIAN EXPEDITION.

endured, and in all respects exhibited the highest degree of soldierly qualities. To Lieutenant-Colonel Trafton and Lieutenant-Colonel Burgh, for their earnest and hearty co-operation, I am personally and greatly indebted and express my grateful thanks. The members of my staff were untiring in their efforts to effect the success of the expedition, brave and zealous. I made no calls upon their courage, patience, or endurance to which they did not respond to my full satisfaction.

At least 1,000 horses and mules were captured, but our marching the first three days from West Point was so severe that all were required to remount the men. Several hundred negroes were brought in.

Captain Schnitzer, acting provost-marshal, has not yet furnished a report of the number of prisoners captured, but I am safe in estimating them at 75 or 100.

Our losses by regiments during the entire expedition are as follows:

Regiment Killed Wounded Missing Aggregat

e

2nd Iowa 8 27 11 .......

6th Illinois ...... 7 5 .......

7th Illinois 4 15 6 ........

9th Illinois 1 20 10 ........

Total in brigade* 13 69 32 114

For more particular information I transmit herewith the reports of the regimental and detachment commanders.

W. P. HEPBURN,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding.

Captain SAMUEL L. WOODWARD,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Memphis, Tenn.


Numbers 47. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Mathew H. Starr, Sixth Illinois Cavalry, of operations February 11-26.


HEADQUARTERS SIXTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY,
Germantown, Tenn., March 1, 1864.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to report the following part taken by the Sixth Illinois Cavalry in the recent expedition under Brigadier General William Sooy Smith, from Germantown, Tenn., to West Point, Miss.:

On the morning of February 11, I received orders from Brigadier-General Grierson to remain at Germantown until the arrival of the train from Memphis. At 9 a.m. on the same day, I moved toward Olive Branch, Miss., arriving there at 11.40 a.m., thence moving south, crossing Coldwater at Doty's Mill, thence south through Byhalia, joining and bivouacking with the brigade at a point 11 miles southwest of Holly Spring.

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* But see revised statement, p.194.

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Page 293 Chapter XLIV. THE MERIDIAN EXPEDITION.