We then moved back toward Ripley, on a different route from the one by which we had entered, going three miles and bivouacking for the night.
At 1 o'clock, A. M., June 14th, Lieutenant Krebs and escort came into our bivouack from Pocahontas, with orders from Col. Mersy, for us to return as rapidly as possible to camp at Pocahontas, as the enemy were planning to capture us. We moved at 2 A. M. Reached Ripley at breakfast time, and camp at Pocahontas at 8 P. M. At daylight this morning, the enemy, 1500 strong, reached our last night's bivouack. But fortunately we were safe out of their reach. It was fortunate for us, for our force numbered but 300 men with two pieces of artillery.
The Regiment was out three days on this expedition. It captured, and brought in, about 25 Rebel soldiers, 50 contrabands, and 100 head of horses and mules. It marched over one hundred miles.
On the 17th of June, the Regiment again, moved southward, at 8 P. M., with six days rations. The night was rainy and intensely dark. One section of Tamrath's Battery was with us, under Lieut. Bruner. Marched all night in the dark and rain. It was such bad traveling, that we only moved twelve miles by sunrise of the 18th. Halted and fed at old "Secession Hopkins'," where the Regiment had already fed four times. Reached Ripley at 1 P. M., and found no enemy, but were told that 1,500 Rebels were moving around, to get between us and Pocahontas. We moved back two miles, and halted to feed. Here we were joined by 125 men of the 5th Ohio Cavalry, Major Smith commanding, and 180 of the 18th Missouri Mounted Infantry, commanded by Lieut. Col. Sheldon. Our whole force now numbered a little over 600: 5th Ohio Cavalry 125, 18th Missouri Mounted Infantry 180, Section of Battery 50, 9th Ill. Mounted Inft. 275. Total, 630.
Lieut. Col. Phillips, senior officer present, assumed command of the whole force. We moved back five miles and bivouacked for the night. Finding no enemy, we moved forward again by daylight of the 19th. Passed through Ripley at 8 A. M., and New Albany at 2 P. M. Captured Lieut. Col. McCarly of the 23d Mississippi, below Ripley. Drove in the videttes of the enemy at New Albany, and moved forward on the Pontotoc road. When within six miles of the latter place, Lieut. Col. Phillips having gone as far as his orders permitted him, moved five miles West, and then moved North towards Rockford. Marched until after midnight of the 19th, having to cross a terrible swamp, called the Octohatchie. We bivouacked for the night on a ridge between Octohatchie and Mud Creek. Moved forward again at 7 A. M., of the 20th, 5th Ohio occupying the rear, and 18th Missouri the advance. While we were preparing a crossing of Mud Creek, the enemy, 3,000 strong, under Gen. Ruggles, made a furious attack upon the rear guard, but were most gallantly met and checked by the 5th Ohio Cavalry. Six companies of the 9th Ill. Inft. were dismounted, and deployed as skirmishers. They, and the 5th Ohio Cavalry, held the enemy in check for two and a-half hours, until the artillery had crossed the several most wretched fords of Mud Creek. One of the caissons getting stuck in the mud, we were compelled to leave one-half of it there, and as it completely blocked up the crossing, we had to destroy the five baggage wagons that were behind it, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy; everything we could possibly save, being brought over the ford. We fell back rapidly, and got possession of Rocky Ford, before the Rebels got around, and succeeded in crossing before they could molest us.