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on the train with the horses.
The rebels came up and asked him which the General's horse was, and he replied falsely that he did not know.
They then asked him which was a certain other officer's horse; to which question he made a like reply.
They then commenced to select them out on their own judgment, and happened to get the General's mare among them.
They were obliged to jump them from out of the cars on to the ground, and this feat of coming up right in front of the fort, all the while under a very hot fire, was spoken of as a very brave deed.
They also rummaged the General's car, taking from it his coat, and a number of articles of baggage belonging to the members of his staff, and tried to set it on fire, but in this they did not succeed.
Throughout the fight General Sherman maintained his position in the centre of the fort, giving every move his personal superintendence, as calm and. unconcerned as though he was standing in a ball-room, instead of in the most exposed position in the works, and by his example infusing coolness and courage into all around him. The conductor on the train said to me: “I was somewhat frightened at first, but when I saw such a great man as he, so unconcerned amid all the balls flying around him, I did not think it worth while for me to be scared.”
A house close by the fort, filled with commissary stores, obstructed the range and gave shelter to the enemy.
“Sixty days furlough for the man who sets it on fire,” said General Sherman; and one of the Sixty-sixth Indiana did it. I wish I knew the brave fellow's name.
One of his staff, Lieutenant James, his acting ordnance officer, whom I have seen passing into the depot yard on business connected with his department, every day, for several days past, was very severely injured — shot through the breast, while doing his utmost, with a musket.
But to return to the culverts.
We found three of them burned--two small and one large one--and returned and reported the facts.
Colonel Anthony furnished a detail to mend the former, and with my two companies we repaired the latter, and by seven o'clock in the morning had the road again in running order to Colliersville.
General Sherman told us that we had done so well, that he now wished us to go to Lafayette, with the construction train which had just arrived, and repair the road to that point; after which we might return, according to our orders, to Memphis.
We did so; mending the telegraph wire in four places where it had been cut, and replacing one rail which the rebels had taken up and carried off some one hundred yards and hid among some weeds, and at Lafayette found the road and telegraph in good working order the rest of the way to Corinth.
On my return to Colliersville, General Sherman proceeded with his train on his way to Corinth, leaving us deeply impressed with his qualities as a gentleman and an officer.
As we were backing down again to Memphis, we struck with the tender and ran over a young h<*>fer; without, however,. throwing any thing off the track, which completed our adventures on this expedition.
The force of the enemy was estimated at two thousand five hundred; ours was about six hundred.
Your affectionate son,
E. O. Hurd, Captain Company B, Thirty-ninth O. V. I., Commanding Detachment.
