text: War of the Rebellion: Serial 057 Page 0279 Chapter XLIV. THE MERIDIAN EXPEDITION. | eHISTORY
  War of the Rebellion: Serial 057 Page 0279 Chapter XLIV. THE MERIDIAN EXPEDITION.
  Left camp that morning, and crossed the Tallahatchie that same night. Came in camp after midnight and left camp again at 5 o'clock; marched toward Pontotoc, Miss.
  Arrived near Okolona at dark next day, and while marching into camp several shots were fired on our advance, when, under direction of Colonel Waring, the regiment, with the battery, formed in line ready to engage the enemy, who, however, seemed to have no desire to open a conflict. We followed him several miles, and he dispersed in all directions. So went into camp at about 10 o'clock in expectation of meeting him the next morning.
  Marched the next day via railroad station, near Egypt, on the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, and encamped near Prairie Mound or Aberdeen, without my command having a chance of coming into action, although skirmishing and heavy patrolling continued all day.
  On the 20th, we arrived in camp near West Point, and remained in line of battle all night on a most favorable position after some of the other brigades had been in a fight that day.
  At 7 o'clock on the morning of the 22nd, when our brigade received orders to fall back, we left camp in the direction of Okolona. My command marched in the center of the First Brigade, with Captain H. Kemper's squadron in the rear of Captain Knispel's battery, Captain Hanson having the advance. Early after the march a heavy demonstration was made against the brigade marching in the rear of the First, and by order of the colonel commanding I formed in line of battle the pieces, besides my two squadrons, supported by the Second New Jersey and Second Illinois, to our right and left. After awaiting an engagement for about one hour our brigade was ordered to fall back, and we continued our march toward Okolona.
  About 2 p.m. Captain Kemper informed me that he was very hard pressed by stragglers from the brigade in our rear, and that the enemy was coming nearer and nearer. While going to the rear to see what could be done, Major E. Langen, with the First Squadron, had reached a pretty elevated spot, where, with great presence of mind he halted, and was about forming that squadron to the right of the road. Meanwhile our battery and the Second Squadron had also reached this point, where we formed the regiment, with the pieces partly in the road and on both sides, facing toward the running friends of the brigade in our rear and the approaching enemy from the opposite hill, supported again on both flanks by the brave men of the Second New Jersey and Second Illinois.
  The colonel commanding, at that time busily engaged in forming the whole of his brigade, will, I am satisfied, never forget the conduct of his regiment of this critical occasion. While the friends of our rear broke and ran away, and the enemy were coming thicker and thicker, the boys stood like a wall, hoping once to slow their ambition to fight, and our battery just as anxious to be tried the first time under fire. We again were ordered back, and arrived near a place called Ivey's farm. I was there ordered by the colonel commanding to the right of the battery, while he in person placed the same in a splendid position. The enemy slowly but steadily approached and opened a lively fire on us. The Fourth Missouri Cavalry was ordered to dismount and fight on foot. The battery had commenced a well-directed fire, and it was there Colonel Forrest, of the C. S. Army, fell, according to rebel reports since published. It was this young battery that did it. The enemy was checked, and General Smith, present on the occasion, remembering former representations
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