(Answer.) To this demand no written reply was made. The verbal statement sent to General Ross by Colonel Jones, Third [Ninth] Texas (bearer of flag), "That General Ross was a greater philanthropist than myself, and for him to take down his white flag as soon as he reached his lines." Colonel COATES, GEO. C. MCKEE, Major Eleventh Illinois Infantry. [Inclosure No. 4.] HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY BRIGADE, Commanding U. S. Forces, Yazoo City, Miss. : COLONEL: Maj. James G. Thurmand and Lieutenant Rainey, and probably other officers and men of my command, were killed yesterday in Yazoo City, and not brought off the field. I send ambulances for the purpose of bringing to these headquarters their remains, which I request you to permit. When I captured your wounded yesterday, in all about 30 in one house, I did not allow them to be molested, although I could have brought some away with me. I hope you will treat my wounded that may have fallen into your hands with like humanity. I have about 20 of your men as prisoners I would like to exchange for any of my men you may have, and suggest that a commission from each side could meet between our picket-lines for the purpose. If the proposition meets your approbation, you will indicate the time and place in reply to my officer bearing flag of truce. I ask that one of my surgeons be allowed to visit my wounded men and officers in your possession to-day and dress their wounds if necessary. Capt. W. E. Reneau, assistant inspector-general of my staff, with escort of men and ambulance train, will bear this communication under flag of truce. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, R. V. RICHARDSON. Brigadier-General, Commanding Brigade. [Inclosure No. 5.] HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Brig. Gen. R. V. RICHARDSON, Yazoo City, Miss., March 6, 1864. Commanding Cavalry Division, near Yazoo City: GENERAL: Your communication this a. m., per flag of truce, just received, and I hasten to reply. I would respectfully state that your dead have been decently interred and your wounded properly and tenderly cared for, and as there can be no necessity for your surgeon and ambulance corps I decline receiving them. As to the proposition of exchange, if I mistake not a cartel has been agreed upon in which certain parties and places have been named for such exchange; and as [neither] General Richardson, C. S. Army, nor Colonel Coates, U. S. Volunteers, have been named as the parties, nor Yazoo City the point for such exchange, I must respectfully decline your proposition. I am, general, respectfully, JAS. H. COATES, Colonel, Commanding U. S. Forces, Yazoo City, Miss. Colonel COATES, [Inclosure No. 6.] HEADQUARTERS OF THE POST AND DEFENSES, Commanding Yazoo Expedition: COLONEL: Your report is received and your course approved. On your return to Yazoo City you will remain there with your force until further orders, sending a boat down for your camp and garrison equipage and supplies, forwarding such property as you may have collected to this place. A As trade is not yet opened to Yazoo City, you will arrest all parties who have not special permission from the Treasury agent at this point, approved by me; also all steam-boats not cleared from here you will take possession of and return them to this post. You will arrest all detectives who are not regularly authorized from these headquarters or the headquarters Seventeenth Army Corps. great deal of unauthorized seizure and plundering is committed by men under the pretense of being Government detectives, the blame of which will be attached to your command. The regularly authorized Treasury agents will receive such assistance as you can consistently give them in collecting abandoned property and forwarding the same from time to time, together with such corn and forage as you can collect in obedience to your instructions from Maj. Gen. W. T. Sherman. Yours, respectfully, Colonel COATES, J. MCARTHUR, [Inclosure No. 7.] HEADQUARTERS POST, Commanding U. S. Forces, Yazoo City: COLONEL: Your communication was received. I have ordered your camp and garrison equipage up. Since then I have seen General Sherman. It is not his intention to keep you where you are for any length of time. You will, therefore, send your steamers, with what cotton and other property you may have collected, to this place at once, when I will return the transports to bring your command down. Communicate with General Hurlbut, who is, I believe, at Woodruff's Mills, on the Big Black River. In regard to cotton, let all parties (bona fide owners) who have remained at home on their plantations dispose of the same to any one authorized to purchase, permitting the Government steamers, on their return trip, to bring it down as freight. Let Colonel Osband send across to the army and he can get men enough to fill his regiment up. Let me hear from you by return of boat. General Sherman goes down the river to-night. Yours, truly, J. MCARTHUR, No. 60. Itinerary of the First Brigade, First Division, U. S. Colored Troops, Brig. Gen. Isaac F. Shepard, commanding, February 10-29. February 10, detachments of Companies A, B, C, D, E, and F, First Mississippi Cavalry, amounting to about 260 men, under command of Col. E. D. Osband, marched to Yazoo City, Miss., and joined Yazoo expedition, commanded by Col. James H. Coates, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, and moved up with the expedition to Greenwood, Miss. February 14, met Colonel Forrest's rebel cavalry, and routed them after an engagement of half an hour's duration. February 16, marched to a point within 8 miles of Grenada, and finding General Forrest's division (rebels) returned, moved down the river with the expedition. February 28, entered Yazoo City at 2 p. m., finding no enemy. Major Cook and 50 men of Companies C and D were sent toward Benton, 6 miles out; run into Ross' Texas cavalry brigade and was compelled to retreat, enemy closely following. Captain Cook, Company E, severely wounded, 8 men killed, 10 missing, and 3 wounded. Enemy's loss known to have been severe. On February 11, the brigade moved from Haynes' Bluff to Snyder's Bluff, a distance of about 2 miles, the latter being a stronger and more easily defended position. February 29, Col. F. M. Crandal, in command of about 700 men of his own regiment (Tenth Louisiana) and the Third Mississippi, started on an expedition to Liverpool, on Yazoo River, to keep open communication between Yazoo City and Vicksburg. No. 61. Organization of the Army commanded by Lieut. Gen. Leonidas Polk, C. S. Army, February 20, 1864. *The return reports four batteries with this division; the fourth was probably Cowan's Mississippi Battery. |