BA001470
Collierville, Tennessee
Dec. 27, 1863
Event ID # BA 001470
Federal Troops Engaged: Detachment of Cavalry Division, 16th Army Corps. LA 2nd Cavalry Regiment and the IL 9th Cavalry Regiment
Confederate Troops Engaged: Forrest's Cavalry
As an incident of the operations in northern Mississippi and west Tennessee, portions of the 2nd Louisiana and the 9th Illinois cavalry met the Confederates 2 miles from La Fayette and drove them back. Here reinforcements came to the aid of the Confederates and the Union force was steadily but slowly driven back until the Confederates were brought under the range of the cannon in the stockade at Collierville.
No casualties were reported.
HDQRS. CAVALRY DIVISION. SIXTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Memphis, Tenn., January 1, 1864.
Lieut. Col. W. H. THURSTON,
Assistant Inspector-Gen., Sixteenth Army Corps:
~ ~ ~
Touching the destruction of the railroad at La Fayette, on the 27th day of
December, and the escape of the rebel forces under Forrest, I would report that
the Third Brigade of this division received orders to move to La Fayette and
attack the enemy wherever found; that ample time was given in which to move
La Fayette before the enemy could have crossed his whole force; and, further,
that no disposition was shown by the brigade commander to press the enemy
while there was a probability of preventing the crossing and escape of his
whole force. I would report Col. W. H. Morgan, Twenty-fifth Indiana Infantry
Volunteers, commanding Third Brigade, Cavalry Division, Sixteenth Army
Corps, as inefficient.
~ ~ ~
Respectfully submitted.
M. H. STARR, Maj. 6th Illinois Cav., A. A. I. G., Cav. Div., 16th A. C.
No. 2.
Report of Col. Edward Hatch, Second Iowa Cavalry, commanding Second Brigade,
of skirmishes at La Fayette and Collierville, Tenn. (27th.)
HDQRS. SECOND BRIGADE, CAVALRY DIVISION, Collierville, January
1, 1864.
Capt.: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the
detachments of this brigade which were left in camp when the command was
ordered out during the recent advance of the enemy:
At 3 p. m. on the 24th of December, 1863, in compliance with orders received
from your headquarters by telegraph, I ordered a detachment of 30 men, under
Lieut. Dunham, mounted on the wagon mules, to Macon, Tennessee They
swam Wolf River about 7 miles northeast of this place, and proceeded to
Macon, reaching there about daylight on the morning of the 25th, found no
enemy in the vicinity, and returned to camp, arriving about 3 p. m., 25th
December.
On the 25th December, received orders from Gen. Hurlbut to destroy all the
crossings of Wolf River immediately. Telegraphed the orders to Germantown
and La Fayette, and sent details from Collierville to perform the duty. On the
26th and on the morning of the 27th December, repeated the orders, and supposed
that they were obeyed, but have since learned that the destruction of the
bridge at La Fayette was only partial.
About half past 1 p. m., on the 27th December, received information that the
enemy in large force was crossing the Wolf River at La Fayette; that they had
driven Lieut. Roberts, Ninth Illinois cavalry, with his command of two companies
of the Ninth Illinois Cavalry, from the town, and were pushing him west
on the State Line road. This information came by mounted courier. I immediately
mounted every man that was available in camp, using the transportation
mules for the purpose, and sent Capt. Foster, Second Iowa Cavalry, in command
of the detachment, amounting to about 100 men, on the State Line road
toward La Fayette. They met Lieut. Roberts, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, with his
command, about 50 men, 2 miles west of La Fayette, and immediately joined
with him and engaged the enemy; checked their advance. Drove it back half a
mile, but heavy re-enforcements of the rebels coming up they again drove our
men slowly but steadily back, pursuing them until within range of our guns in
the fort at Collierville, which were opened. Our little detachment fought so
stubbornly that it was after dark when our artillery opened.
The enemy, 2,000 strong, under Gen. Forrest, formed a line of battle threefourths
of a mile east of the fort, sending 400 west and 600 south of the town.
The night was intensely dark, and it was raining. Before daylight on the morning
of the 28th December, Gen. Forrest moved his whole command south on
the Chulahoma road. Soon after daylight the Ninth Illinois Cavalry came into
camp from the east; about 9 a. m. Col. Morgan's brigade arrived.
At 12 m. the Ninth Illinois Cavalry started in pursuit of the enemy, and at 3 a.
m. on the 29th, Col. Morgan's brigade followed. The pursuit was continued afew miles south of the Coldwater, but the enemy having twenty-four hours the
start of any considerable portion of our forces, of course the pursuit was fruitless.
The command returned to camp on morning of the 31st December.
The conduct of Capt. Foster, Second Iowa Cavalry, and of Sergeant Pullman,
Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and most of the men of their commands, is highly commendable.
Our casualties are as follows: Two men wounded and 8 men captured. The
losses of the enemy much greater that ours, and as far as known were 1 man
killed and 7 men wounded.
I am, captain, your most obedient servant,
EDWARD HATCH, Col. Second Iowa Cavalry, Cmdg. Brigade.
OR, Ser. I, Vol. 31, pt. I, pp. 610-611.