HEAD-QUARTERS, 13TH ARMY CORPS, DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, HOLLY SPRINGS, MISS., December 24, 1862. (Extract.) [Special Field Orders, No. 23.] It is with pain and mortification that the General Commanding reflects upon the disgraceful surrender of the place, with all the valuable stores it contained, on the 20th inst., and that without any resistance except by a few men, who form an honorable exception; and this, too, after warning had been giving of the enemy northward, the evening previous. With all the cotton, public stores, and substantial buildings about the dépôt, it would have been perfectly practicable to have made, in a few hours, a de- · fence sufficient to resist, with a small garrison, all the cavalry force brought against them until the re-enforcements which the commanding officer was notified were marching to his relief could have reached him. The conduct of officers and men in accepting paroles, under the circumstances, is highly reprehensible, and, to say the least, thoughtless. By the terms of the Dix-Hill cartel each party is bound to take care of their prisoners and to send them to Vicksburg, or a point on the James River, for exchange, or parole, unless some other point is mutually agreed upon by the generals commanding the opposing armies. By a refusal to be paroled, the enemy, from his inability to take care of the prisoners, would have been compelled either to have refused them unconditionally, or to have abandoned further aggressive movements for the time being, which would have made their recapture, and the discomfiture of the enemy almost certain. The prisoners paroled at this place will be collected in camp at once by the post commander, and held under close guard until their case can be reported to Washington for further instructions. Commanders throughout the department are directed to arrest and hold as above all men of their commands and all stragglers who may have accepted their paroles upon like terms. The General Commanding is satisfied that the majority of the troops who accepted a parole did so thoughtlessly and from want of knowledge of the cartel referred to, and that in future they will not be caught in the same way. By order of JOHN A. RAWLINS, A. A.-G. Major-General U. S. GRANT. Other posts in General Grant's rear were attacked at about the same time as Holly Springs, but were bravely defended by their garrisons, and the rebel onslaughts repulsed. General Grant, therefore, caused a full investigation to be made, respecting the conduct of the troops at all the points that were assailed, and expressed his feelings concerning it, in the following order : HEAD-QUARTERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, [General Orders, No. 4.] } I. The Major General Commanding the department takes just pride and satisfaction in congratulating the small garrisons of the posts of Coldwater, Davis's Mills, and Middleburg, for the heroic defence of their positions on the 20th, 21st, and 24th ultimo, and their successful repulse of an enemy many times their number. The 90th Illinois, at Coldwater (its first engagement); the detachment of the veteran 25th Indiana, and two companies of the 5th Ohio Cavalry, at Davis's Mills; and the detachment of the gallant 12th Michigan at Middleburg, are deserving of the thanks of the army, which was in a measure dependent upon the road they so nobly defended for supplies, and they will receive the meed of praise ever awarded by a grateful public to those who bravely and successfully do their duty. These regiments are entitled to inscribe upon their banners, respectively, Coldwater, Davis's Mills, and Middleburg, with the names of other battle-fields made victorious by their valor and discipline. It is gratifying to know that at every point where our troops made a stand during the late raid of the enemy's cavalry, success followed, and the enemy was made to suffer a loss in killed and wounded greater than the entire garrisons of the places attacked. Especially was this the case of Davis's Mills and Middleburg. The only success gained by Van Dorn was at Holly Springs, where the whole garrison was left by their commander in ignorance of the approach of danger. II. Colonel R. C. Murphy, of the 8th Regiment Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, having, while in command of the post of Holly Springs, Mississippi, neglected and failed to exercise the usual and ordinary precautions to guard and protect the same; having, after repeated and timely warning of the approach of the enemy, failed to make any preparations for resistance or defence, or shown any disposition to do so; and having, with a force amply sufficient to have repulsed the enemy and protect the public stores intrusted to his care, disgracefully permitted him to capture the post and destroy the stores-and the movement of troops in the face of an enemy rendering it impracticable to convene a court-martial for his trial-is, therefore, dismissed the service of the United States-to take effect from the 20th day of December, 1862, the date of his cowardly and disgraceful conduct. By order of JOHN A. RAWLINS, A. A.-G. Major-General U. S. GRANT. It will be seen, by the date of this last order, that it had not been issued in the heat of the moment, or without due consideration, but had been the result of a careful investigation of the merits and demerits of the case. CHAPTER XVII. COMMANDER OF FOUR ARMY CORPS.—SHERMAN'S EXPEDI TION. THE forces under General Grant having now been increased to such an extent as to authorize their division into Army Corps, the following order was issued, and gave directions for the arrangement of the forces by divisions into corps, and stated who were the commanders of the new organizations: HEAD-QUARTERS, DIPAR, MISS., Dec. 22, 18625SEE, [General Orders, No. 14.] SPRINGS, By directions of the General-in-Chief of the army, the troops in this department, including those of the Department of the Missouri operating on the Mississippi River, are hereby divided into four Army Corps, as follows: 1. The troops composing the 9th Division, Brigadier-General G. W. Morgan commanding; the 10th Division, Brigadier-General A. J. Smith commanding; and all other troops operating on the Mississippi River below Memphis, not included in the 15th Army Corps, will constitute the 13th Army Corps, under the command of Major-General John A. McClernand. 2. The 5th Division, Brigadier-General Morgan L. Smith commanding; the Division from Helena, Ark., commanded by Brigadier-General F. Steele; and the forces in the " District of Memphis," will constitute the 15th Army Corps, and be commanded by Major-General W T Sherman 3. The 6th Division, Brigadier-General J. McArthur commanding; the 7th division, Brigadier-General I. F. Quinby commanding; the 8th Division, Brigadier General L. F. Ross commanding; the 2d Brigade of Cavalry, Colonel A. L. Lee commanding; and the troops in the "Dis trict of Columbus," commanded by Brigadier-General Davies, and those in the "District of Jackson," commanded by Brigadier-General Sullivan, will constitute the 16th Army Corps, and be commanded by Major-General S. A Hurlbut. 4. The 1st Division, Brigadier-General J. W. Denver commanding; the 3d Division, Brigadier-General John A. Logan commanding; the 4th Division, Brigadier-General J. G. Lauman commanding; the 1st Brigade of Cavalry, Colonel B. H. Grierson commanding; and the forces in the "District of Corinth," commanded by Brigadier-General G. M. Dodge, will constitute the 17th Army Corps, and be commanded by Major-General J. B. McPherson. District commanders will send consolidated returns of their forces to these head-quarters as well as to Army Corps head-quarters, and will, for the present, receive orders from Department head-quarters. By order of JOHN A. RAWLINS, A. A.-G. Major-General U. S. GRANT. Another general order transposed the divisions of Generals McArthur and Quinby, of the 16th Army Corps, with those of Generals Lauman and Denver, of the 17th. Two days before the issuance of the foregoing, General Sherman, who had been placed in command of an expedition down the Mississippi River to Vicksburg, and who had personally made certain reconnoissances in the vicinity of the Tallahatchie River, embarked his forces at Memphis, and they were ordered to rendezvous at Friar's Point, eighteen miles below Helena. The fleet consisted of one hundred and twenty-seven steamers, in addition to the gunboats. General Sherman's force was composed entirely of Western men, good fighters, hardy, daring, and used to a rough and adventurous life. In order that the expedition might be composed entirely of fighting material, General Sherman issued the following, before embarking his forces: |