, 1865.
headquarters Seventeenth Indiana mounted infantry,
Selma, April 6, 1865.
Captain O. F. Bane. A. A. A. G., First brigade, Second division, Cavalry Corps.
sir — I have the honor to make the following report of the part taken by my regiment in the affair near
Bogues Creek, on April first, 1865, and the taking of
Selma on April second, 1865.
On the first instant the regiment was the third in the order of march of the brigade, which was following the retreating enemy in the direction of
Selma, driving them, and continually skirmishing with them.
The advance had pushed them easily until near
Bogues Creek (twenty miles from
Selma). Here they made a stand, and offered a good deal of resistance to our further advance.
Four companies of this regiment being armed with sabres (companies “E,” “G,” “H,” and “I” ), were ordered forward by
Colonel A. O. Miller, commanding First brigade, Second division, Cavalry corps, to charge the enemy.
Lieutenant-Colonel F. White took command of them, and moved forward, charging the enemy, who were engaging our skirmishers, overtaking
Patterson's regiment, and running past them, sabering a number of them.
Dashing on, they struck the enemy's line of battle about one mile from where.
the charge commenced, charged on and cut through them under a fierce fire, and reached the enemy's artillery (four pieces) which had been firing on them as they advanced.
Here
Lieutenant-Colonel White, finding another line of battle of the enemy confronting him, and firing on him, having so few men, and being so far from support, turned off the road into the woods to the left, charging on the enemy there, and cutting his way out with his command, with the exception of
Captain Taylor and sixteen enlisted men. The captain had command of the advance company ( “G” ), and did not hear the order to turn off the road, so he charged on past the artillery, cutting right and left among the enemy, until shot down by them.
Of the sixteen enlisted men following him, six were killed,
five wounded, and five were taken prisoners
Lieutenant-Colonel White having to fall back with his command, could not retain or bring off the captured artillery.
When the enemy afterward fell back they left one twelve-pounder howitzer on the field, one wheel being broken by the horses rushing against it in charging.
There were about one hundred of the enemy captured, but being unable to guard them, they escaped, with the exception of about sixteen or twenty.
The four companies that took part in the affair numbered about two hundred men. The loss was: Killed, one commissioned and seven enlisted; wounded, eleven enlisted; missing, five enlisted.
The enemy's loss cannot be ascertained.
It cannot have been less than fifty killed and wounded, far more than that number having been sabred.
They got their killed and wounded off the field, with the exception of one killed and ten wounded, who fell into our hands.
We camped for the night near
Plantersville.
On the second instant the march toward
Selma was resumed, and we marched on the
Plantersville road until within six miles of
Selma.
We then moved on a cross-road to the
Summerfield road, and advanced by it. On arriving within sight of the enemy's works that encirled
Selma, we were dismounted by order, and formed in single rank in line of battle.
The line was
