GLORY II Chapter 23

Chapter 23

  General Grierson sat slouched in the saddle of his strong brown mare listening to the sounds of what appeared to be a growing battle to his front.  He had halted about twenty yards on the south side of a small cemetery and could see the four mountain howitzers of the 4th Missouri to his front at about a hundred yards.  They were rhythmically firing into thick scrub oak about three hundred yards down range from their position, the cavalry units lined up in assault formation on both sides of the howitzers disappearing into the thick blackjack.

  Unknown to most of his men, Grierson hated horses.  He had been kicked in the face by a horse when he was a child and feared and hated the animals ever since.  He had joined as an infantryman and hoped to see the war through on foot, but, ironically, he wound up being one of the most prominent cavalry commanders the Union had.  Not bad for a flute player and music teacher.

  While he sat contemplating the initial deployment of his units, a lieutenant approached from his rear and reigned his tired mount to a stop.  The officer identified himself as a Lieutenant Glassen commanding a patrol from the Second New Jersey Cavalry.

  "The enemy has deployed a force along the Guntown Road, Sir," Lieutenant Glassen said, saluting the general.  "We don't know how large a force but it's about half a mile south of the crossroads."

  Grierson sat for a moment, listening to the roar of a steadily growing battle.  He knew Forrest had cavalry with him, but the thundering volleys echoing across the distance sounded more like an infantry assault than a cavalry skirmish.  Had Forrest somehow managed to bring up several brigades of infantry?  With the enemy force on the Guntown Road, his right flank was fully compromised.

  "Colonel Winslow's brigade is back at the Ripley/New Albany Road junction, Lieutenant," Grierson stated.  "Please tell him to bring his brigade forward and deploy along the Guntown Road.  He is to tie in with Colonel Waring's right flank unit."

  Saluting again, Lieutenant Glassen swung his mount around and galloped back down the road.  He almost ran into one of the division surgeon's wagons as he passed a large white house at the crossroads, and he could already see the bodies of several men lying covered with tarps on the east side of the two story house.

  Colonel Winslow had his brigade formed up in columns by battalion in a field on the west side of the Ripley Road.  As Lieutenant Glassen approached, the Colonel and several staff officers rode out to meet him.

  "The General's compliments, Sir," Glassen said, saluting the dirty haggard-looking Colonel.  "You are to bring your brigade forward to cover the Guntown Road and tie in with Colonel Waring's right flank unit.  I will guide you, Sir."

  "Bring the brigade forward," Colonel Winslow ordered a staff major, pointing for Lieutenant Glassen to lead on.  His voice betrayed both impatience and fatigue.

  As soon as he reached Brice's house, Colonel Winslow ordered Lt. Col. John Noble to take his 3rd Iowa down the Guntown Road about half a mile and hook up with Colonel Warings' right flank unit.  He sent a squadron of the 7th Illinois and 10th Missouri down the Pontotoc Road to patrol the road and the woods between the road and the flooded Tishomingo Creek.

  A few minutes later Colonel Noble returned to the crossroads and advised him that if he maintained part of his unit on the Guntown Road, there would be a considerable gap between it and the rest of his regiment, which had made contact with Colonel Warings' right flank.  Winslow advised him to keep his units in position and he ordered Major Pierce to take his 4th Iowa regiment to fill in the gap.  He told Captains Joyce and Lee to take their four artillery pieces on down past a small church and stand by for possible deployment.

  General Grierson was still sitting slumped in the saddle when Winslow rode up and reported that his brigade had deployed as ordered.  "We're ready to push on down the road," he told General Grierson.  "There can't be too many of them over there, Sir."

  "I don't yet have a full report on what we're facing Ed," Grierson replied, constantly scanning the impenetrable thickets with his field glasses.  "I heard what sounded like several infantry volleys a few minutes ago, which leads me to believe Forrest has at least one infantry brigade out there, possibly more.  I think our best option would be to wait for the infantry to come up.  I sent a courier back to advise General Sturgis of our situation and asked that he have Colonel McMillen bring up the infantry as fast as he can."

  "Scouts report at most two squadrons of cavalry facing my entire brigade," Colonel Winslow continued, in an attempt to force Grierson into a decision to take the initiative.  "We should be able to push right through them; swing left, and come to bear on George's right flank at a 45 degree angle.  We'd have the Rebs boxed in all neat and prim, Sir."

  Grierson looked at him with a vacant stare then resumed scanning the thickets with his field glasses.  After a long, uncomfortable five minutes of silence, Colonel Winslow saluted and muttered, "I'll see to my men, Sir."  Without waiting for a return salute he turned his mount to head back to his headquarters.  Before he could complete the turn, he spotted Colonel Waring on his dappled mare riding in their direction at a canter.  He pulled up in front of General Grierson and smiled with a wide grin.

  "How do we look, George?" Grierson asked, looking up at the sweltering sun then pointing back down the road with his field glasses.

  "We've just fought off a heavy engagement, Sir.  The men fought splendidly.  A large unit of Rebel infantry engaged our forward picket line then came on in a brigade front.  They pushed the pickets back to our main line, then made an assault on our line across an open cornfield.  My boys stopped them cold and they withdrew back to the other side of the field with heavy losses.  They won't try that again, I'm thinking."

  "I knew it!" Grierson spat, turning to look at Winslow who sat on his mount in silence.  "Confederate infantry.  There's no telling how many regiments Forrest has hidden in those thickets.  They've had more than enough time to build up a strong force.  Hell!  They've been watching our every move over the past ten days."

  "My men will hold them," Colonel Waring swore, his confidence high.

  "Any sign of infantry moving towards your right flank, George?" Winslow asked.  "Moving over in my direction?"

  "Colonel Browne thought he saw a large force of cavalry moving that way Ed, but the brush is so damn thick it's hard to see just what might be in there.  Captain Hansen did report a long dust trail reaching back down the Baldwin Road before he was forced back by their assault."

  "They could have brought in several infantry divisions to the Baldwyn railhead," General Grierson cut in.  "General Lee and Forrest may both be in front of us or Lee holding while Forrest flanks.  There may be a Confederate infantry division moving up the Guntown or Pontotoc roads as we speak."

  The two Colonels looked at him as if he knew for a certainty that this was happening.  Having already made up his mind, Grierson continued.  "Ed, have Captain Dees send a patrol down the road towards New Albany and another down the Pontotoc Road for at least five miles. It'd be just like that devil Forrest to hit us from three directions.  Both of you keep a sharp eye but stay in position.  We have good lines with ready reserves we can throw in as needed.  No sense in pushing forward without full knowledge of the Confederate's strength.  I'll send another dispatch to General Sturgis to get the infantry here soonest."