.ODcy.MjEyNQ

3ed page

while they were in the hands of the rebels. In a few days after our fight at Coffeeville the 2nd Iowa and our reg. took a scout through Pontotoc and south of there some thirty miles to Tupelo, Harrisonburg, and Saltilo. We were there two weeks without a ration but got what we could in the country to eat and we took every horse and mule we could find. We took a few pris and eigh secesh wagons eigh six mule teams 125 new tents that had never been streched sevral boxes of canteens a large quantity of corn meal two casks of whiskey etc. etc. We had to burn the things as the roads was so bad we could not get away with them. As we came back through Pontotock the rear guard of a large force of rebels was just leaving town. The force consisted of Cav. and mounted Infantry. It was the same force that made the decent on Holly Springs. Their rear guard formed in line to receive us but they were as many as five to one of us so we let them be and they dident trouble us. We then took another trip to Coffeeville we found but few rebels that time. We took sevral other scouts in truth we have been in camp but very little for two month. When our army commenced falling back the Cav. started the other way and made some demonstrations. In comeing back the 2nd Iowa and 7th Ill. had to swim the Tippa river a rapid stream with ugly banks. Some streams we so bad that we had to drive