Thos. A. Davies to Brigadier-Generai, December 25, 1862
December 25, 1862.
December 25, 1862. Col. JoHN A. RAWLINS, Assistant Adjutant-General :
Sir: I have sent communications to you by the way of Jackson by courier, and do not know whethei you have received them or not. I have been in the hope of receiving some directions fromâyou. As you have been apprised, Trenton was taken on the 20th. The troops having been removed up as far as Union City by General Sullivan there were left at Trenton about 200, under Colonel: Fry, who were captured. A few, say 25, at Humboldt, captured. They captured the troops at Dyer and Rutherford. I withdrew the force at Trenton, about 200 men, and those at Union City, about 50.
We have been threatened here by what was reported to be 6,000 or 7,000, with eight pieces of artillery. I have been re-enforced by General Curtis, so that I have here now alittle over 5,000 men, and I can hold the place against any force that they can bring against me. I have a small gunboat here, and the navy has furnished me with four 8-inch howitzers. To protect the stores from being burned I have been compelled to divide my force about equally between the plain and the forts on the hill.
I received information of a large infantry force moving in the rear of this cavalry, said to be under the command of Cheatham. Being unable to get any more re-enforcements I determined upon loading all the public property upon steamboats that were here, so as to relieve force on the plain to aid in holding the forts against any force which might come. Everything excepting some forage will, I think, be loaded by to-morrow noon.
I communicated with General Halleck, who ordered me to hold Columbus at all hazards.
Two boat loads of supplies will go down to Memphis in the morning. I shall send another boat load to Helena to-morrow.
As near as I can Jearn the rebels have taken about 500 prisoners and destroyed most of the bridges and trestle-works on the road where they have gone. I have 1,500 feet of trestle-work and four bridges ready to proceed with the construction as soon as it can be done with safety to this place. I hope to get some additional re-enforcements to drive them off and commence the reconstruction. Ihave withdrawn the force from Hickman, Moscow, and Little Obion.
They have destroyed nothing this side of Union City as yet, but presume they will. I cannot give you an idea of the exact position of their forces. All I know from the south is that they have a heavy cavalry force hovering about Clinton and Moscow. The cavalry at Fort Pillow have had a fight, in which the famous Gus Smith was killed and several others; no loss on our side.
As the enemy can have possession of the bank of the Mississippi to Island No. 10 I have ordered the armament there to be so thoroughly crippled by the destruction of the powder, spiking the guns, and burning the gun-carriages which are of no use to us, that if the island should fall into their hands they could not close the navigation of the river.
In the absence of orders from you I keep open communication with General Halleck, and have informed him of all my movements.
No damage has yet been done by the rebels in my district. I shall coutinue to press things and do all that can be done under the circumstances. I think that nothing very serious will come out of the ~vhole matter.
very respectfully,
Brigadier-Generai.
HOLLY SPRINGS, Miss, December 25, 1862.
Brig. Gen. GRENVILLE M. DoDGE, Oorinth, Miss. :
Parole the prisoners you have and turn them loose. Send a complete
roll of them to the Adjutant-General of the Army and retain a copy.
Van Dorn was at Saulsbury last night; our cavalry closeonhim. He
was repulsed at every place except here. It is possible that Van Dorn