Lt. Col. Clark Barteau’s 2nd Tennessee
Cavalry, which was part of Ruggles’ com-
mand, stationed less than 20 miles away
with 400 or 500 regulars and as many state
troopers. The prisoners also revealed that
a few miles to the northwest a detachment
of the 18th Mississippi Cavalry under
Major Alexander Chalmers was camped at
King’s Bridge.
Torrents of rain pounded down during
the night but slackened a little by first light.
Grierson hoped to further confuse any pur-
suit by dispersing Rebel cavalry camps in
the vicinity. Two companies from the 7th
Illinois under Captain George Trafton
slopped north on the muddy road to New
Albany. There they found a body of state
troops. Trafton’s wet and muddy men
charged forward, guns blazing in the rain.
The Confederates scattered, but not before
eight were killed or wounded.
Two other companies from the 7th Illi-
nois rode out for King’s Bridge to disperse
the Rebels, but they found only hastily
deserted lean-tos, tents, unrolled bedding,
and smoldering cookfires. The final detach-
ment sent out by Grierson, also consisting
of two companies, rode east in an attempt
to make contact with Hatch and give him
orders to make a demonstration toward
Chesterville. They were also to look for a
hidden herd of horses reported by the pris-
oners to be concealed in the woods a few
miles away. The raiders needed fresh
horses, since the fast-moving raid quickly
exhausted their mounts.
The troopers managed to find only a few
horses, but they did make contact with
Hatch’s advance guard and passed along
Grierson’s orders to Hatch before riding
back to rejoin the rest of their regiment.
After breakfast, the 6th Illinois mounted
up and headed toward Pontotoc, followed
by the returning six companies of the 7th
Illinois.
Around 4 PM, the 6th Illinois neared Pon-
totoc. Grierson expected a fight and
ordered the advance troops to ride toward
town in an attempt to determine the
defenders’ strength. Some citizens and state
troopers fired on the advance guard but
soon fled upon seeing the whole Federalregiment. A lone defiant Rebel, however,
remained and continued to fire on the blue-
jackets until he was killed. The town wassoon in Grierson’s hands, and a wagonload
of ammunition was promptly destroyed.
While the 6th moved out, a search party
from the 7th discovered and destroyed 500
bushels of salt hidden in an old mill.
After making a feint toward Chesterville,
Hatch’s Iowans, slowed by state troop skir-
mishers, finally rejoined Grierson. That
evening the raiders encamped five miles
south of Pontotoc at two plantations. On
the morning of the 20th, bugle calls awoke
the troopers. After boiling some coffee and
packing their gear, the soldiers assembled
with their mounts for inspection. Men and
horses thought unfit to continue the raid
were shunted aside to form a special
detachment. These 175 men, nicknamed
“the Quinine Brigade” by the rest of the
brigade, were put under the command of
Major Hiram Love of the 2nd Iowa. Gri-
erson sent the men back to La Grange,
along with several prisoners and a number
of spare horses and mules. Accompanying
them was one of the Woodruff guns.
At 3 AM, the Quinine Brigade, formed
into columns of four, rode out of camp for
Pontotoc. Grierson hoped they would
obliterate his tracks and deceive the Rebels
into believing the whole brigade had turned
back. Meanwhile, the rest of the brigade
was soon back in the saddle and continu-
ing south toward the town of Houston.
Barteau’s combined force of Confederate
regular cavalry and state troopers was also
in the saddle and attempting to pick up the
trail of the Union raiders, who they had
expected to attack them the day before at
Chesterville. After receiving word the
enemy had passed through Pontotoc,
Barteau rode through the night for
Okolona Station on the Gulf & Ohio Rail-
road, believing this was the raiders’ true
objective. But Barteau failed to find any
fresh tracks indicating that mounted forces
had passed by. He headed for Pontotoc,
which his advance scouts reached at noon.
Barteau quickly learned that the Feder-
als had passed through the area hours
before and were headed west for Oxford.
Barteau send a detachment to follow the
Quinine Brigade, which he figured was a
diversionary force. After the scoutsTOP: Grierson, seated center with hand on chin, is
surrounded by his staff. MIDDLE: Confederate Lt.
Gen. John C. Pemberton, left; Colonel Edward
Hatch of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry. ABOVE: Captain
John Raines served with Company C, 2nd Ten-
nessee Cavalry.All: Library of CongressCWQ-EW16 Griersons Raid_Layout 1 10/22/15 3:03 PM Page 83