29th North Carolina Infantry Regiment at Yazoo City

Thomas' Legion
American Civil War HOMEPAGE
American Civil War
Causes of the Civil War : What Caused the Civil War
Organization of Union and Confederate Armies: Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery
Civil War Navy: Union Navy and Confederate Navy
American Civil War: The Soldier's Life
Civil War Turning Points
American Civil War: Casualties, Battles and Battlefields
Civil War Casualties, Fatalities & Statistics
Civil War Generals
American Civil War Desertion and Deserters: Union and Confederate
Civil War Prisoner of War: Union and Confederate Prison History
Civil War Reconstruction Era and Aftermath
American Civil War Genealogy and Research
Civil War
American Civil War Pictures - Photographs
African Americans and American Civil War History
American Civil War Store
American Civil War Polls
NORTH CAROLINA HISTORY
North Carolina Civil War History
North Carolina American Civil War Statistics, Battles, History
North Carolina Civil War History and Battles
North Carolina Civil War Regiments and Battles
North Carolina Coast: American Civil War
HISTORY OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
Western North Carolina and the American Civil War
Western North Carolina: Civil War Troops, Regiments, Units
North Carolina: American Civil War Photos
Cherokee Chief William Holland Thomas
HISTORY OF THE CHEROKEE INDIANS
Cherokee Indian Heritage, History, Culture, Customs, Ceremonies, and Religion
Cherokee Indians: American Civil War
History of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Nation
Cherokee War Rituals, Culture, Festivals, Government, and Beliefs
Researching your Cherokee Heritage
Civil War Diary, Memoirs, Letters, and Newspapers

29th North Carolina Infantry Regiment at Yazoo City, Mississippi

Report of Lieut. Col. William B. Creasman, Twenty-ninth North
Carolina Infantry.

JULY 25, 1863.
SIR: Being informed on the 10th instant that Gen. Cosby was
moving from Mechanicsburg in the direction of Canton, I immediately
sent out pickets on the different roads leading to Yazoo City. I also
sent 4 of Lieut. Johnson's cavalry 12 miles below the city on the
road running down the west bank of the river.

About 7 p.m. On the 12th instant, I received information, through a
citizen living 25 miles below the city, that there were three gunboats
coming up the river, and immediately gave orders for the command to
be in readiness for action. A few minutes later one of my pickets came
in from below and reported one gunboat within 12 miles of the city.
By a little after dark the gunners were at their guns and the infantry
in the redoubts and rifle-pits, the right wing of my regiment resting on
the Liverpool road and the left on the Vicksburg road, 1 mile from the
city. Captain [James A.] Hoskins' light battery was planted--three
pieces on the Vicksburg road, and one on the Liverpool road.

In the mean time the baggage, cooking vessels, &c., were placed on the
wagons and sent 2 miles north of town. About 10 p.m. I received a dispatch
informing me that Gen. Cosby had engaged the enemy near Canton, and
upon receipt of this information I immediately ordered the wagons and
baggage on the boats, believing it impossible to retreat across the
country, if retreat should become necessary. Consequently I determined,
if retreat should be inevitable, to go up the river and join Gen.
Chalmers.

Early on the 13th, I called on Lieut. Johnson for four reliable
cavalrymen, whom I posted down the river, 5 miles distant from each
other. About 10 a.m. One of these came in and reported four gunboats
and six transports passing Liverpool up the river. Shortly afterward
another picket came in from the opposite side of the river, confirming
previous reports. Lieut. Johnson and Adjutant [John E.] Hoey also made
a reconnaissance, and assured me the boats were coming up the river.
About 12 m. another picket came in and reported the enemy landing
3 miles below the city, though he could give no positive information as
to their strength or the number of transports landing. I immediately
sent Captain Sanders and, Lieut. Johnson, with about 20 men
(mounted), to ascertain, if possible, their strength and movements.
About 3 p.m. One gunboat appeared in sight of our battery of heavy
guns, which promptly opened fire upon her at a distance of 11/2 miles.
She halted, replied, and a brisk cannonade ensued, lasting about half
an hour, when she ceased firing and backed out of sight down the river.
During this firing, Lieut. Johnson returned and reported Captain
Sanders and 3 men cut off, the enemy moving up Short Creek, endeavoring
to turn our left flank. Soon after another picket from the Mechanicsburg
road reported Captain Sanders and 1 man captured and 1 horse killed,
and confirmed Lieut. Johnson's report as to the enemy's direction.
Shortly after, a picket from up the river reported the Saint Mary,
a small picket-boat, captured. This boat was up the river a distance
by water of 7 miles, but by land only 3 miles. The other boats were
still higher up the river. Those which were wooded moved up the river,
and those not wooded were burned. Captain.[W. T.] Edwards, acting
commissary of subsistence, carried the commissary stores off on
those boats which escaped. One hundred beef-cattle near Benton
I ordered out by way of Lexington.

About 5 p.m. I determined to evacuate the place, finding I was entirely
overpowered and almost surrounded. I concentrated my forces at the
redoubt on the Canton road, half a mile from town, except Captain
[Robert] Voigt, of Waul's Texas Legion, who, refusing to obey my
orders relative to the evacuation, was with his company (C) captured
by the enemy, when he could have escaped with the rest of the command.
I considered it dangerous to send after him when I found he refused
to come out, the enemy being then in sight on the west bank of the
river. I ordered Captain [Isaac N.] Brown, C. S. Navy, to destroy or
render useless the heavy artillery, which he failed to do, informing
me afterward that he did not have time, and to destroy them by blowing
up would have given the enemy notice of our intention to evacuate
and thereby endanger our retreat.

I moved the command about 7 p.m. toward Lexington, via Benton,
crossed the railroad at Goodman, and Pearl River at Edwards Ferry,
arriving at Hillsborough on the 20th, and reported to you on the 22d. I
would have reported at an earlier moment but that droves of cattle were
being hurried through the town, and men and officers constantly passing,
who reported two of your divisions coming upon the Hillsborough road and
your entire army moving toward Meridian. So soon as I found the army was
still near Morton and Forest, at which former place I was told you had
headquarters, I reported to you.

I am reliably informed that the baggage and cooking vessels are on
the road to Meridian from Winona or Louisville.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

WM. B. CREASMAN,
Lieut. Col. 29th N. C. Regt., late Comdg. Post at Yazoo City.

Col. [B. S.] EWELL.

Source: Official Records. MISSISSIPPI, WEST TENNESSEE, ETC. [CHAP. XXXVI, Series I, Vol. 24, Part II, Reports. Serial No. 37.]

Site search Web search

Return to American Civil War Homepage

Best viewed with Internet Explorer or Google Chrome

google.com, pub-2111954512596717, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0