The Battle of Collierville

     Highlighted areas focus on the Battle of Collierville.

                                    3rd Mississippi Cavalry

(from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898")

The companies were originally organized as Minute Men in 1862, and re-enlisted for twelve months in 1863, under the call of Gen. J. E. Johnston, it being understood between the Governor and President Davis that the men should be exempt from conscription during their term of service. They were understood to be rationed and paid by the Confederate States but the pay was generally several months in arrears. It is first mentioned as Mississippi cavalry, three companies, Col. John McGuirk, with Gen. Chalmers, headquarters Panola, April, 1863. April 8, at Holly Springs ordered to take post near Chulahoma. April 29, detailed to defend Panola, time of Federal raid. May 30, assigned to brigade of Gen Z. George, State troops. Colonel McGuirk was commissioned June 9, 1863; other officers June 11. The regiment served under General George in the operations attending the raid of Colonel Mizner, June 15-25, 1863, who set out from LaGrange, Tenn. , with orders to break the railroad south of Panola, turn on Chalmers and sweep the country of horses, mules, Negroes and the new crop of wheat. Colonel McCulloch skirmished with Mizner after he had crossed the Tallahatchie at Wyatt, and, in view of the Federal strength, Gen. George retreated from Panola across to Yockeney, sending one company to protect the railroad bridge. The whole command moved to that point, but too late to prevent the destruction of the bridge. Colonel McGuirk with his regiment, then pursued the Federal column on its return to LaGrange, swimming the Tallahatchie at Belmont, overtaking Mizner at Tyro and pursuing eighty miles to Hudsonville, "where, on Sunday evening, he overtook and chastised him handsomely, killing and wounding several and capturing 27 prisoners with about the same number of horses and equipments, an extraordinary achievement," considering the arduous service of the command. George's headquarters were at Grenada , and Colonel McGuirk was in command of the brigade in July, 1863.July 21, General George reported that a detachment from Col. McGuirk's Regiment had cut the railroad and taken 15 prisoners near Germantown . In July regiment was ordered to Vaiden for enlistment in Confederate service. General George reported, "I fear half of McGuirk's Regiment cannot be gotten to Vaiden." The enlistment was not made. In the field during the Federal raid from the Big Black and LaGrange, Tenn., to Grenada, August, 1863, of which there are no reports. Regiment then in Chalmers' Cavalry command, 200 in number, Colonel McGuirk commanding, but scattered between Panola and Grenada, arresting deserters and conscripts. Chalmers could not collect a command sufficient to hold Grenada , which the raiders occupied August 20, breaking the railroad and burning the rolling stock. The regiment, with Chalmers' command, moved from Grenada to Abbeville September 12. Assigned to Slemon's Brigade October 18. "The battalion under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Barksdale" was in Chalmers' command, September, 1863.

This regiment, the Seventh Tennessee (Colonel Duckworth), A. H. Chalmers' Eighteenth Battalion, and one rifled gun of McLendon's Battery, in all about 850 men, constituted the immediate command of General Chalmers when he was collecting forces for the raid to Collierville, Tenn., in October, 1863. With this command Chalmers was about to move to Salem for a juncture with Richardson's Brigade, when a column of Illinois cavalry, under Colonel McCrillis, advanced from LaGrange Tenn., against Holly Springs, whither Chalmers moved on the 5th. McCrillis, with 750 cavalry, heard on his approach that Chalmers was ahead of him, and began to recross the Coldwater, when Chalmers attacked at Lockhart's Mill, October 6. There was a brisk skirmish, in which the four howitzers posted by McCrillis on the north bank of the river, played an important part. Chalmers then moved to Salem and on the morning of the 8th set out for Collierville, leaving Hooves' Regiment to occupy Salem. Meanwhile McCrillis had returned from LaGrange to the vicinity of Salem with 1,250 cavalry and mounted infantry and six guns. He attacked Hooves and drove him from the town, and Chalmers, learning of this, at a distance of ten miles, returned rapidly and attacked McCrillis, who occupied a strong position on a long ridge, with his skirmishers through the town. Chalmers had been reinforced and had 1,200 in the battle, but only one piece of artillery, which was useless after the third fire. After three hours' hard fighting, said Chalmers, the enemy was driven from every position. "In this affair the Second Missouri Cavalry (Lieutenant-Colonel McCulloch), Third Regiment Mississippi State Cavalry (Colonel McGuirk), and the Eighteenth Mississippi Battalion (Major Chalmers) bore the brunt of the conflict, and although the last two were composed almost entirely of untried men, they behaved with a gallantry equal to that which has ever distinguished the veterans of the Second Missouri Cavalry." Colonel McGuirk, who moved from his camp at Wyatt, was the first to reinforce Hooves, and was ordered to take the two regiments and command the front attack, but Chalmers decided to also attack in front. The regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Barksdale, charged the Federal position at Hamer's house, drove the skirmish line from the village, and compelled the retreat of the artillery from a hill. Captain Hartin and Lieutenant Kennedy were wounded in the fight. Captains Logan, Farris, Griffin, Barksdale, McKie, Webb and Lieutenants Thornton and Towns gallantly commanded the companies. The casualties of McGuirk's Regiment was 1 killed, 22 wounded; of the rest of Chalmers' troops 5 wounded. General Sweeney, commanding LaGrange, reported that on October 8, "our cavalry, under Color McCrillis, with the mounted infantry and a section of Captain Tannrath’s Battery, under Colonel Phillips, were attacked by the enemy at Salem and driven back on the railroad with considerable loss." In the night following, Chalmers was reinforced by Richardson's Brigade, about 850 men. Colonel Hatch on the other side came up from LaGrange with 750 Union cavalry, and no artillery, expecting to join McCrillis and Phillips, but finding them gone, he sent for reinforcements from Davis'  Mills. Chalmers remained most of October 9 in line of battle at Hamar’s house, with his force of over 2 ,000 men and six guns, believing that Hatch had against him "nine regiments and nine pieces of artillery." He reported that "there was some slight skirmishing, but the enemy did not make his appearance in force." Hatch received orders to fall back to LaGrange, which made it possible for Chalmers to carry out his plan of a raid on Collierville, while Hatch, with a force of 2,200, returned again to hunt for him at Salem and Holly Springs. Chalmers moved to Holly Springs on the 10th for food and ammunition, and approached Collierville early on the 11th. In the disposition for attack, Col, McGuirk, with his own regiment and First Mississippi Partisans, was sent to gain possession of the town and attack the fort from the rear. The movements on the left and right drove the garrison to the rifle pits and part of them into the fort, and possession was taken of the train of cars on which General Sherman was traveling with a battalion of regulars as an escort, but the movement on the rear was not so successful. General Chalmers ascribed this to Colonel McGuirk's delay at the cavalry camp northwest of town. In the attack upon the cavalry camp, 1st Lieutenant-Colonel Barksdale commanded the regiment, about 175 men. He reported that after the First Partisans were repulsed, his regiment advanced upon the camp, firing steadily, and drove the enemy to shelter in the woods and swamp, and that he never saw men, even in the Army of Northern Virginia, deport themselves with more gallantry. He gave special mention to the conduct of Maj. B. M. Kilgore, who fell wounded while leading a charge, and to Captains Logan, Barksdale, Griffin , Gwartney, and Lieutenants Towns and Thornton, company commanders, Lieutenant Turner, Company H, and Lieutenants Thornton and Tyler, Company K, collected the prisoners, 89 in number. Lieut. J. H. Alexander brought off 18 wagons with mule teams. Sergeant Grizelle color bearer, distinguished on this as on former fields for gallantry, fell with a severe wound as he was carrying the flag, with a captured flag in his other hand. Lieutenant White, Company D, carried the colors forward. The casualties of the regiment were 1 killed, 6 wounded. The attack on Collierville failed, and General Chalmers retreated. At the crossing of the Tallahatchie, near Wyatt, October 13, the Confederate command, under Col. R. V. Richardson, was attacked by Hatch. McGuirk recrossed the river with his two regiments, about 300 men, dismounted, and two guns of the Buckher Battery, and took position to check the pursuit. A body of Federals under the famous Captain Hodgman, Seventh Kansas Jayhawkers, occupied a log house, which Barksdale and his men charged in the face of a heavy artillery fire from two batteries. The house was taken and Hodgman wounded and captured. About dark the regiment was again in action with Hooves' Regiment, repelling twice the Federal attack. It came up with a charge and a yell, said McGuirk. About 9 o'clock the rear guard, volunteers from this regiment, crossed the river. The casualties were 1 killed, 6 wounded, 3 missing. Captain Logan, Acting Major; Captain Barksdale, Lieutenant Hurt (commanding Company G), were mentioned for gallantry. For their service in this expedition, including the engagements at Salem, Collierville and Wyatt, honorable mention was given to Lieut.-Col. James A. Barksdale, Major; B. M. Kilgore, Adjutant; (Captain) W. Joseph Walker, Sergeant-Major E. L. Richmond, Orderly C. C. Harris, Capt. H. E. Williamson, Quartermaster,; Lieut. P, M. Morgan, Commissary; W. F. Baker, Acting Commissary.

The regiment, under the command of Colonel Barksdale, participated with George's Regiment in the gallant cavalry charge at Collierville, Tenn., November 3, 1863, which was repulsed by the unexpected volleys from revolving rifles of the Second Iowa, at the railroad. The advance of this regiment was on the Quinn's Mill road, and the attack was gallantly made, as was testified to both by Chalmers and Hatch, the officers commanding on each side. On the retreat, after crossing the Coldwater near Quinn's Mill, the regiment joined in the stubborn resistance which prevented their pursuers from crossing until the next day. The casualties of this regiment were the heaviest in General Chalmers' command --1 killed, 3 officers and 19 men wounded.

 http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/3rd_MS_CAV.htm

                                   10th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry

(aka 12th Battalion, Mississippi Cavalry) (from "A Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898," by Dunbar Rowland)

Inge’s Battalion is mentioned in the official reports as operating in northeast Mississippi in March 1863. April 10, ordered to report to General Chalmers, but afterward allowed to remain in Ruggles’ district, the northeast. April 22, Inge’s Battalion was part of the force under Colonel Barteau, who attacked at Palo Alto the Federal column which diverged from the main body of Grierson's command, south of Houston, for a raid to Macon, and compelled it to retreat rapidly to Lagrange, by way of Okolona . Barteau followed and fought another engagement at Camp Creek, near Birmingham , in which Inge's Battalion behaved with particular gallantry. May 5, the battalion, under Capt. P. A. Mann, with Barteau's command, fought Cornyn's expedition, Cornyn sustaining a small loss in killed and captured. Mann was the first to meet the enemy, at Reece's bridge. This raid by Cornyn's Brigade of Dodge's Cavalry Division, was to cover the famous raid by Colonel Streight against the Atlanta and Chattanooga Railroad, Streight starting out from Tuscumbia April 26. Gholson and Ruggles were not able to make effective resistance to Cornyn's four regiments, and Cornyn reported the taking of 81 prisoners and the destruction of "immense quantities of arms, coats and blankets." May 24, Ruggles reported the battalion in vicinity of Okolona  August 27, 1863, listed as Twelfth Regiment in brigade of Gen. S. W. Ferguson, headquarters Okolona , with Second Alabama and Second Tennessee. Gen. S. D. Lee in his report of inspection, September 1, called it the Twelfth Mississippi Partisan Rangers. It was then "mostly without accouterments." September 7, 1863, Colonel Inge's command moved from Fulton against a Federal raid from Jacinto. October 4, they, with Richardson 's command, were engaged in battle with the Third Michigan Cavalry. Colonel Richardson reported that "Colonel Inge with his regiment, the Twelfth Mississippi, engaged the enemy in the suburbs of New Albany, but retired to a wooded creek bottom, where he held his position gallantly, though shelled by the Federal artillery until 4 o'clock, when the Reneau battery' silenced the enemy's guns." Then Inge and Green advanced and regained possession of the town, and their commands, on foot, pursued the retreating column for some distance. On the 8th they joined General Chalmers in the raid to Colliersville, Tenn., participating in the attack upon the fort there, October 11th, held by a portion of an Indiana Regiment and General Sherman with a battalion of regulars. After five hours' fighting Chalmers fell back to Byhalia, where Colonel Richardson, left in command by General Chalmers, for some hours held his ground, October 12, against Hatch's cavalry division. Inge's Regiment participated in this fight and the one later in the day near Wyatt, Inge and the Reneau Battery acting as rear guard while the Confederate cavalry crossed the Tallahatchie . The casualties of the regiment were 18 wounded in this expedition.

http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/10th_MS_Cav.htm

   18th Battalion Mississippi Cavalry (aka Chalmers’ Battalion)

(from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898"; company listing courtesy of H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land, I’ll Take My Stand’)

Lieutenant-Colonel -- Alexander H. Chalmers. Majors -- A.H. Chalmers, William R. Mitchell. Adjutant -- S.F. Green.

This battalion was organized mainly from independent companies of partisan rangers which had been formed for the protection of the northern part of the State after the evacuation of Corinth. Gen. James R. Chalmers was assigned to command on the northern frontier, with the duty of organizing these commands, after the Kentucky campaign of October, 1862.

A battalion was organized under the command of Major Alexander H. Chalmers, which is mentioned in the official reports, April, 1863, as with General Chalmers' command. headquarters Panola. After Grierson’s raiders crossed the Tallahatchie , April 18, 1863, he sent a detachment toward King's bridge, against Chalmers' command. May 11, Colonel Hatch, Second Iowa Cavalry, set out from LaGrange to attack Major Chalmers at Panola, and encountered some portion of it at the crossing of Coldwater, taking three prisoners. General Chalmers followed Hatch and attacked at 2 o'clock, morning of the 14th, at Temperance Hall, again at Walnut Hill and again at the crossing of the Hecula, according to Hatch's report. Chalmers reported the capture of twelve.

With General Chalmers (at Grenada), in July, stationed at Wyatt; Webb, Middleton and J. W. Smith commanding companies: Lieut. James H. McCain, enlisting a company at Panola. Battalion actively engaged in meeting expeditions from Memphis and LaGrange. Five companies were posted at Holly Springs , Coldwater and Wyatt, at the time of the Federal raid from the Big Black River and LaGrange, Tenn., to Grenada, August, 1863. Major Chalmers, with two companies, 94 men, guarding the river at Wyatt, fell back before one column of the enemy to find Grenada occupied by the other. The other companies did not return, but in September remnants of two companies were reported near the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

September 10, 1863, the command received the name of the Eighteenth Battalion, Mississippi Partisan Rangers. About this time Major Chalmers was authorized to increase his command to a regiment by enlistment of men not subject to conscription. The companies of Captains Middleton and McCain were then in the battalion. The companies of Mitchell and Smith were ordered to report on pain of treatment as deserters. Through these vigorous measures by S. D. Lee the battalion was enlarged. General Chalmers announced, October 7, that the battalion having been increased to six companies, Major Chalmers was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel; Capt. W. R. Mitchell, Company A, to Major. The battalion was assigned to McCulloch's Brigade of Chalmers' Cavalry, in October, 1863, the effective strength being 225.

At the Coldwater Ford, near Holly Springs , October 5, 1863, Chalmers’ Battalion was distinguished in the fight with McCrillis' Brigade of Hatch's Federal Cavalry, on a raid from LaGrange, Tenn. Both Federal and Confederate commanders agree that the battalion made a gallant charge, though they differ as to results. McCrillis retreated to LaGrange, and on the 8th made another incursion to Salem , where he took position on a ridge east of the town, and sustained an attack for several hours by General Chalmers command. McCrillis reported that his artillery fired upward of 300 rounds. After three hours' hard fighting they were driven from the position, Chalmers reported. Chalmers reported his strength at 1,200, with one piece of artillery; McCrillis his at 1,250, with sections of two batteries. The brunt of the conflict, said General Chalmers, was borne by McCulloch's Missouri Regiment, McGuirk's Regiment and Chalmers' Battalion, "and although the last two were composed almost entirely of untried men, they behaved with a gallantry equal to that which has ever distinguished the veterans of the Second Missouri Cavalry." The total Confederate loss was 1 killed, 27 wounded. Chalmers, reinforced by Richardson 's command, remained in line of battle next day at Harmar's near Salem , while considerable forces of Federal cavalry moved against him, but without serious attack. He then moved to Holly Springs, and Major Mitchell, with 100 men, was sent out at night to tear up the track of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, over which General Sherman was about to move troops to the support of Rosecrans at Chattanooga. On the 11th Chalmers and Richardson attacked the fort at Collierville, Tenn. garrisoned by six companies of the Sixty-sixth Indiana, unexpectedly reinforced by General Sherman, escorted by a battalion of regulars. The fort was strong and gallantly defended, and though McGuirk captured 135 prisoners and thirteen wagons and teams, Chalmers was compelled to retire with a loss of 3 killed and 48 wounded. On the retreat Chalmers' command was engaged in battle near Byhalia and Wyatt, on the 12th. The battalion had 18 wounded in this campaign. Later in October, being notified that Sherman was moving his troops east, Chalmers made another attempt, his plan being to demonstrate against Collierville, with the commands of Slemons and McCulloch, while Ferguson and Gholson tore up the railroad somewhere between LaGrange and Corinth. November Major Mitchell, with two companies of the Eighteenth Battalion, drove in the Union pickets at Quinn's Mill, hoping he could draw the Federals into a position favorable for attack, but they did not cross the Coldwater. November 3, 1863, Chalmers attacked Collierville, the Eighteenth Battalion forming the left wing of McCulloch’s command, which included also McCulloch's and Hovis' Regiments. After a sharp engagement of over an hour, the attack failed, and Chalmers retreated across the Coldwater, skirmishing with his pursuers at the crossing. The battalion casualties were 1 killed, 5 wounded. Though not mentioned, the battalion doubtless participated in Chalmers' raid of December, 1863, against the railroad, with fighting near Moscow, December 4.

http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/18th_Bn_MS_CAV.htm

                                     Buckner Battery (aka Holt’s Battery)

(from Dunbar Rowland’s "Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898"; company listing courtesy of H. Grady Howell’s "For Dixie Land, I’ll Take My Stand’)

Lieutenant--C. H. Holt.

The Buclmer Battery of four steel breech-loading 2-pounders, Lieutenant Holt commanding, was part of the command of Col. R. V. Richardson, which joined General Chahlmers in his unsuccessful attack on LaGrange and Collierville, Tenn. , October 9-11, 1863, and participated in the battles of Byhalia, October 12, and Wyatt, October 13, during the retreat of Chalmers. Colonel McGuirk, commanding the brigade at Wyatt, said: "Lieutenant Holt, with his little battery, did well. If his guns were as large as his courage, he could do much more in defense of his country." During the battle the battery was withdrawn, "after doing good service and withstanding a terrific fire from the enemy." Lieutenant Holt had but two guns in this battle, the other section being under command of Lieutenant Armstrong, who also commanded one section at Collierville. Holt complimented the service of Armstrong, and also mentioned Private McDougal and Corporals Williams, White and Hofmeister. October, 1863, assigned to McCulloch's Brigade, Chalmers' Cavalry, one rifle gun added to the battery. November 28, twenty-eight men, four Willlams 10-ounce, only guns of the kind in the army, and one 2.9-inch rifle. Lieutenant Armstrong and enlisted men of Ferguson's Brigade were on duty with the battery during December campaign on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad.

http://mississippiscv.org/MS_Units/buckner_battery.htm

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

In the first days of November 1863 General Chalmers was ordered by Johnston to harass the rear of Sherman's corps and destroy the railroad behind him. He made a demonstration between Memphis and La Grange and crossed at Quinn's mill on the 3rd capturing the picket of 27 men. He then attacked the Federal forces at Collierville. Colonel Hatch (commanding Union forces) reported "Mounted and dismounted men came forward in fine style, the howitzers of the Second Iowas firing rapidly. The Regiment, lying on the ground, waited till the enemy's cavalry were within fifty yards, sprang to their feet and poured in a severe fire from revolving rifles. A few men reached the guns; among them General George and two officers." Colonel Slemon's report on this action says in part, "Colonel George, with a gallantry discarding caution, dashed on ahead of his men and fell into the hands of the enemy." General Chalmers reported his loss as 6 killed, 63 wounded, 26 prisoners.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bclayton/coa5reg.html

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