Letter

Unknown to Griston Granger, August 11, 1862

August 11, 1862.

August 11, 1862. General GRANGER, Rienzi :

General Grant says he has information that 800 to 1,000 conscripts and guerrillas rendezvousing about Ripley are raiding up toward Pocahontas—that is, via Russellville—burning cotton, &c. Can you verify that and if possible cut off and capture a large number of them? “Sharp is the word.”

Tell Elliott his orders are here to report to Pope without delay.

The Second Missouri Reserve is ordered to Saint Louis to report to Major-General Schofield. Direct them to get ready; the order will be ready in the morning. W. S. ROSEORANS, Brigadier-General, U. 8. Army.

ROSEORANS’, August 11, 1862. General Grant: ace ere

I sent word to Granger to inquire into that matter. Our cavalry were over there on Saturday and captured 25 conscripts. Our spies from there agree in saying there are only 150 of those fellows, who rendezvous

8 miles below Ripley—a spy who went to the Grand Prairie and thence to Grenada, thence back via Ripley. At Grenada, 50 conscripis and the sick. Infantry brigade formerly there gone south to West Landing, 39 miles lower down on the railroad. Breckinridge gone south, to Baton Rouge. No forces except cavalry north of Grenada. Price’s force, said to be 12,000 or 15,000, above Tupelo. W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General, Commanding.

ROSEORANS’, August 11, 1862. Major-General GRANT: I have just received the following from General Granger in reply to my dispatch predicated on yours of to-day:

I have already captured the guerrilla party referred to. You have probably received, as I forwarded to you, with a free passto Alton. It consisted of 17 instead of 800.

In reply to my advice he says: “Sharp is our name, game, and practice.” It seems so. W. S. ROSECRANS, Brigadier-General, U. 8. Army.

BOLIVAR, August 11, 1862. General McCLERNAND:

My scout has returned from Somerville, La Grange, and to camp of enemy, 12 miles below Holly Springs. Total force there reported 18,000, under Genera! Villepigue, of which 900 are cavalry, 24 pieces of artillery; 6 pieces are 24-pounders. They are advancing as rapidly as they

can reach the railroad, and expected to be at Holly Springs to-day. He says everybody going into the service able to bear arms. Active preparations going on at every house. It is reported in the Confederate camp and believed by them that the gunboat Arkansas was sunk. L. F. ROSS, Brigadier-General.

Editor's Notes
From: Operations in West Tennessee and Mississippi, Pt. 1. Summary: General Rosecrans orders General Granger to verify and suppress guerrilla conscripts raiding near Ripley, while coordinating troop movements and intelligence during the 1862 Mississippi campaign.
Sources
The War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 17, Part 1 View original source ↗